§ 19-11-160.Registration of orders issued by another state or foreign country
Chapter 11. Enforcement of Duty of Support · Article 3. Uniform Interstate Family Support Act · Part 6. Enforcement and Modification of Support Order After Registration · Last amended 2024 · Last verified October 9, 2026
Full Text of § 19-11-160
Plain-English Summary
This one-sentence section opens Part 6 of Georgia’s Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, the part on enforcing and modifying support orders after registration. It says three kinds of orders may be registered in Georgia for enforcement: a support order issued in another state, an income withholding order issued in another state, and a foreign support order. A “support order” under § 19-11-101 is broad. It covers child support and support for a spouse or former spouse, temporary or final, and may include health care, arrearages, interest, attorney’s fees and similar relief.
Registration is the usual way to bring an out-of-state order into Georgia. The rest of Part 6 explains the process. Section 19-11-161 lists the documents to send and lets a party ask for related remedies, such as contempt or income withholding. Section 19-11-162 says when the order counts as registered and that Georgia enforces it like its own order. Section 19-11-163 decides which state’s law governs. Sections 19-11-164 through 19-11-167 cover notice to the other party, the deadline and defenses for contesting, and the effect of confirmation. Later sections deal with registering a child support order for modification.
The word “may” matters. Registration is available, not required, for enforcement; § 19-11-156 lets an agency try administrative enforcement first, and § 19-11-150 lets an income withholding order go straight to an employer. The section was last amended in 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I enforce an out-of-state child support order in Georgia?
One common route is registration. This section allows a support order or income withholding order issued in another state, or a foreign support order, to be registered in Georgia for enforcement. Section 19-11-161 lists what to send to the Georgia tribunal, and once registered, § 19-11-162 makes the order enforceable the same way as a Georgia order. Other routes exist, including administrative enforcement under § 19-11-156 and sending a withholding order directly to an employer under § 19-11-150.
Can an alimony order from another state be registered in Georgia?
Yes, for enforcement. This section covers any “support order” issued in another state, and § 19-11-101 defines a support order to include orders for the benefit of a spouse or former spouse, not just a child. Registration here is for enforcement; the later sections on registering for modification, such as § 19-11-168, speak only of child support orders.
Can a support order from another country be registered in Georgia?
Yes. This section lists a foreign support order among the orders that may be registered for enforcement. Under § 19-11-101, a foreign support order is an order of a tribunal of a foreign country, a term limited to countries that meet the definition’s conditions. Orders under the Hague support convention follow added rules in Part 7, including the document list in § 19-11-184.1.
Do I have to register an out-of-state support order before Georgia will enforce it?
Not always. This section says an order “may” be registered, so registration is one option. Section 19-11-150 lets an income withholding order from another state go directly to the obligor’s employer, and § 19-11-156 lets a Georgia support enforcement agency try administrative enforcement without registering the order unless the obligor contests.
Where are the rules for registering a support order in Georgia?
In Part 6 of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, which this section opens. Section 19-11-161 lists the required documents, § 19-11-162 explains the effect of registration, § 19-11-163 sets the choice-of-law rules, and §§ 19-11-164 through 19-11-167 cover notice, contests and confirmation. Registration for modification of a child support order begins at § 19-11-168.
Amendment History
Laws 1997, p. 1613, § 33; Laws 2013, Act 224, § 1, eff. July 1, 2013; Laws 2024, Act 428, § 9, eff. July 1, 2024.