Ind. Code ch. 31-18.5-6

in effect

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-1 Registration of order for enforcement

Sec. 1. A support order or income withholding order issued in another state or a foreign support order may be registered in Indiana for enforcement. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-2 Procedure to register order for enforcement

Sec. 2. (a) Except as otherwise provided in IC 31-18.5-7-6, a support order or income withholding order of another state or a foreign support order may be registered in Indiana by sending the following records to the appropriate tribunal in Indiana: (1) a letter of transmittal to the tribunal requesting registration and enforcement; (2) two (2) copies, including one (1) certified copy, of the order to be registered, including any modification of the order; (3) a sworn statement by the person requesting registration or a certified statement by the custodian of the records showing the amount of any arrearage; (4) the name of the obligor and, if known: (A) the obligor's address and Social Security number; (B) the name and address of the obligor's income payor and any other source of income of the obligor; and (C) a description and the location of property of the obligor in this state not exempt from execution; and (5) except as otherwise provided in IC 31-18.5-3-12, the name and address of the obligee and, if applicable, the person to whom support payments are to be remitted. (b) On receipt of a request for registration, the registering tribunal shall cause the order to be filed as an order of a tribunal of another state or a foreign support order, together with one (1) copy of the documents and information, regardless of their form. (c) A petition or comparable pleading seeking a remedy that must be affirmatively sought under other Indiana law may be filed at the same time as the request for registration or later. The pleading must specify the grounds for the remedy sought. (d) If two (2) or more orders are in effect, the person requesting registration shall: (1) furnish to the tribunal a copy of every support order asserted to be in effect in addition to the documents specified in this section; (2) specify the order alleged to be the controlling order, if any; and (3) specify the amount of consolidated arrears, if any. (e) A request for a determination of which is the controlling order may be filed separately or with a request for registration and enforcement or for registration and modification. The person requesting registration shall give notice of the request to each party whose rights may be affected by the determination. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-3 Effect of registration for enforcement

Sec. 3. (a) A support order or income withholding order issued in another state or a foreign support order is registered when the order is filed in the registering Indiana tribunal. (b) A registered support order issued in another state or a foreign country is enforceable in the same manner and is subject to the same procedures as an order issued by an Indiana tribunal. (c) Except as otherwise provided in this article, an Indiana tribunal shall recognize and enforce, but may not modify, a registered support order if the issuing tribunal had jurisdiction. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-4 Choice of law

Sec. 4. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), the law of the issuing state or foreign country governs: (1) the nature, extent, amount, and duration of current payments under a registered support order; (2) the computation and payment of arrearages and accrual of interest on the arrearages under the support order; and (3) the existence and satisfaction of other obligations under the support order. (b) In a proceeding for arrears under a registered support order, the statute of limitation of Indiana or of the issuing state or foreign country, whichever is longer, applies. (c) A responding Indiana tribunal shall apply the procedures and remedies of Indiana to enforce current support and collect arrears and interest due on a support order of another state or a foreign country registered in Indiana. (d) After an Indiana tribunal or another state determines which is the controlling order and issues an order consolidating arrears, if any, an Indiana tribunal shall prospectively apply the law of the state or foreign country issuing the controlling order, including its law on interest on arrears, on current and future support, and on consolidated arrears. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-5 Notice of registration of order

Sec. 5. (a) When a support order or income withholding order issued in another state or a foreign support order is registered, the registering Indiana tribunal shall notify the nonregistering party. The notice must be accompanied by a copy of the registered order and the documents and relevant information accompanying the order. (b) A notice must inform the nonregistering party: (1) that a registered support order is enforceable as of the date of registration in the same manner as an order issued by an Indiana tribunal; (2) that a hearing to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered order must be requested within twenty (20) days after notice unless the registered order is under IC 31-18.5-7-7; (3) that failure to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered order in a timely manner will result in confirmation of the order and enforcement of the order and the alleged arrearages; and (4) of the amount of any alleged arrearages. (c) If the registering party asserts that two (2) or more orders are in effect, a notice must also: (1) identify the two (2) or more orders and the order alleged by the registering party to be the controlling order and the consolidated arrears, if any; (2) notify the nonregistering party of the right to a determination of which is the controlling order; (3) state that the procedures provided in subsection (b) apply to the determination of which is the controlling order; and (4) state that failure to contest the validity or enforcement of the order alleged to be the controlling order in a timely manner may result in confirmation that the order is the controlling order. (d) Upon registration of an income withholding order for enforcement, the support enforcement agency or the registering tribunal shall notify the obligor's income payor under IC 31-16-15. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-6 Procedure to contest the validity or enforcement of registered support order

Sec. 6. (a) A nonregistering party seeking to contest the validity or enforcement of a registered support order in Indiana shall request a hearing within the time required by section 5 of this chapter. The nonregistering party may seek to vacate the registration to assert any defense to an allegation of noncompliance with the registered order, or to contest the remedies being sought or the amount of any alleged arrearages under section 7 of this chapter. (b) If the nonregistering party fails to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered support order in a timely manner, the order is confirmed by operation of law. (c) If a nonregistering party requests a hearing to contest the validity or enforcement of the registered support order, the registering tribunal shall schedule the matter for hearing and give notice to the parties of the date, time, and place of the hearing. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-7 Contest of registration or enforcement

Sec. 7. (a) A party contesting the validity or enforcement of a registered support order or seeking to vacate the registration has the burden of proving one (1) or more of the following defenses: (1) The issuing tribunal lacked personal jurisdiction over the contesting party. (2) The order was obtained by fraud. (3) The order has been vacated, suspended, or modified by a later order. (4) The issuing tribunal has stayed the order pending appeal. (5) There is a defense under Indiana law to the remedy sought. (6) Full or partial payment has been made. (7) The statute of limitation under section 4 of this chapter precludes enforcement of some or all of the alleged arrearages. (8) The alleged controlling order is not the controlling order. (b) If a party presents evidence establishing a full or partial defense under subsection (a), a tribunal may: (1) stay enforcement of a registered support order; (2) continue the proceeding to permit production of additional relevant evidence; and (3) issue other appropriate orders. An uncontested part of the registered support order may be enforced by all remedies available under Indiana law. (c) If the contesting party does not establish a defense under subsection (a) to the validity or enforcement of a registered support order, the registering tribunal shall issue an order confirming the order. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-8 Confirmed order

Sec. 8. Confirmation of a registered support order, whether by operation of law or after notice and hearing, precludes further contest of the order with respect to any matter that could have been asserted at the time of registration. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-9 Procedure to register child support order of another state for modification

Sec. 9. A party or support enforcement agency seeking to modify, or to modify and enforce, a child support order issued in another state shall register that order in Indiana in the same manner provided in sections 1 through 8 of this chapter if the order has not been registered. A petition for modification may be filed at the same time as a request for registration or later. The pleading must specify the grounds for modification. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-10 Effect of registration for modification

Sec. 10. An Indiana tribunal may enforce a child support order of another state registered for purposes of modification, in the same manner as if the order had been issued by an Indiana tribunal, but the registered support order may be modified only if the requirements of section 11 or 13 of this chapter have been met. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-11 Modification of child support order of another state

Sec. 11. (a) If section 13 of this chapter does not apply, upon petition, an Indiana tribunal may modify a child support order issued in another state which is registered in Indiana if, after notice and hearing, the tribunal finds that: (1) the following requirements are met: (A) neither the child, nor the obligee who is an individual, nor the obligor resides in the issuing state; (B) a petitioner who is a nonresident of this state seeks modification; and (C) the respondent is subject to the personal jurisdiction of the Indiana tribunal; or (2) Indiana is the residence of the child, or a party who is an individual is subject to the personal jurisdiction of the Indiana tribunal, and all of the parties who are individuals have filed consents in a record in the issuing tribunal for an Indiana tribunal to modify the support order and assume continuing, exclusive jurisdiction. (b) Modification of a registered child support order is subject to the same requirements, procedures, and defenses that apply to the modification of an order issued by an Indiana tribunal and the order may be enforced and satisfied in the same manner. (c) An Indiana tribunal may not modify any aspect of a child support order that may not be modified under the law of the issuing state, including the duration of the obligation of support. If two (2) or more tribunals have issued child support orders for the same obligor and same child, the order that controls and must be so recognized under IC 31-18.5-2-7 establishes the aspects of the support order which are nonmodifiable. (d) In a proceeding to modify a child support order, the law of the state that is determined to have issued the initial controlling order governs the duration of the obligation of support. The obligor's fulfillment of the duty of support established by that order precludes imposition of a further obligation of support by an Indiana tribunal. (e) On the issuance of an order by an Indiana tribunal modifying a child support order issued in another state, the Indiana tribunal becomes the tribunal having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction. (f) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (e) and IC 31-18.5-2-1(b), an Indiana tribunal retains jurisdiction to modify an order issued by an Indiana tribunal if: (1) one (1) party resides in another state; and (2) the other party resides outside the United States. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-12 Recognition of order modified in another state

Sec. 12. If a child support order issued by an Indiana tribunal is modified by a tribunal of another state which assumed jurisdiction under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, an Indiana tribunal: (1) may enforce its order that was modified only as to arrears and interest accruing before the modification; (2) may provide appropriate relief for violations of its order which occurred before the effective date of the modification; and (3) shall recognize the modifying order of the other state, upon registration, for the purpose of enforcement. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-13 Jurisdiction to modify child support order of another state

Sec. 13. (a) If all of the parties who are individuals reside in Indiana and the child does not reside in the issuing state, an Indiana tribunal has jurisdiction to enforce and to modify the issuing state's child support order in a proceeding to register that order. (b) An Indiana tribunal exercising jurisdiction under this section shall apply IC 31-18.5-1, IC 31-18.5-2, this chapter, and the procedural and substantive Indiana law to the proceeding for enforcement or modification. IC 31-18.5-1 through IC 31-18.5-5 and IC 31-18.5-7 through IC 31-18.5-8 do not apply. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-14 Notice to issuing tribunal of modification

Sec. 14. Within thirty (30) days after issuance of a modified child support order, the party obtaining the modification shall file a certified copy of the order with the issuing tribunal that had continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over the earlier order, and in each tribunal in which the party knows the earlier order has been registered. A party who obtains the order and fails to file a certified copy is subject to appropriate sanctions by a tribunal in which the issue of failure to file arises. The failure to file does not affect the validity or enforceability of the modified order of the new tribunal having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-15 Jurisdiction to modify child support order of foreign country

Sec. 15. (a) Except as otherwise provided in IC 31-18.5-7-11, if a foreign country lacks or refuses to exercise jurisdiction to modify its child support order pursuant to its laws, an Indiana tribunal may assume jurisdiction to modify the child support order and bind all individuals subject to the personal jurisdiction of the tribunal, whether the consent to modification of a child support order otherwise required of the individual under section 11 of this chapter has been given or whether the individual seeking modification is a resident of Indiana or of the foreign country. (b) An order issued by an Indiana tribunal modifying a foreign child support order pursuant to this section is the controlling order. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Ind. Code § 31-18.5-6-16 Procedure to register child support order of foreign country for modification

Sec. 16. A party or support enforcement agency seeking to: (1) modify; or (2) modify and enforce; a foreign child support order not under the Convention may register that order in Indiana under sections 1 through 8 of this chapter if the order has not been registered. A petition for modification may be filed at the same time as a request for registration, or at another time. The petition must specify the grounds for modification. As added by P.L.206-2015, SEC.53.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/31Fetched: 10/17/2026