How to Pay Child Support Online in SC: ExpertPay, MoneyGram, and Fees

To pay child support online in SC, use ExpertPay at www.expertpay.com for bank transfers, credit or debit cards, and PayPal, or use MoneyGram (in person at retailers like Walmart and CVS, or online) with the South Carolina State Disbursement Unit receive code 14691. Every payment flows through the State Disbursement Unit (SDU), and you need your case number and Member ID before you can submit anything.¹

What You Need Before You Start

Two identifiers tell the system which case your money belongs to:

Case Number: a 10-digit number printed on court documents and DSS correspondence.
Member ID: your personal identifier within the child support system, also printed on DSS correspondence.

Have your payment details ready too. For a bank transfer, that means your routing and account numbers. For card or PayPal payments, your account login or card details. Entering the wrong case number or Member ID can send money to the wrong case or cause the transaction to fail, so verify both before you submit.

Lost your case number or Member ID? Call the DSS Customer Service Center at 1-800-768-5858 and a representative can look them up.²

Paying Through ExpertPay

ExpertPay is the primary online payment platform for South Carolina child support. You can reach it at www.expertpay.com or by toll-free phone.³ It accepts three payment types:

Bank account (ACH): one-time or recurring withdrawals from your checking or savings account. A one-time $2.50 registration fee applies, with no per-transaction fees after that. Payments reach the SDU in about five business days.
Credit or debit card: a 2.95% fee applies to each transaction, capped at $60. Payments reach the SDU in about four business days.
PayPal: same 2.95% fee as cards, same four-business-day window.

When you first register, you enter your case number and link a payment method. If you choose bank withdrawals, ExpertPay may verify your account with a small test deposit that you confirm before your first real payment goes through. Once you are set up, you can schedule recurring payments so you never miss a due date.

Paying Through MoneyGram

MoneyGram lets you pay with cash at retail locations like Walmart and CVS. Bring your name, your Member ID exactly as it appears in the state system, and the South Carolina SDU receive code: 14691.³ A flat $3.99 fee applies for cash payments. You can also pay through MoneyGram online using a credit or debit card under a tiered fee schedule.

MoneyGram payments reach the SDU in about two business days, which makes it the fastest option when timing is tight.¹

Fees and Processing Times Compared

Cost and speed depend entirely on which method you pick:³

ExpertPay bank transfer (ACH): $2.50 one-time registration fee, no per-transaction fee. Credited in about 5 business days.
ExpertPay credit/debit card or PayPal: 2.95% of the payment amount, capped at $60. Credited in about 4 business days.
MoneyGram cash (in person): $3.99 flat fee. Credited in about 2 business days.
MoneyGram online (credit/debit card): tiered fee schedule. Credited in about 2 business days.

For larger monthly payments, ACH through ExpertPay is by far the cheapest. On a $1,000 payment by credit card, the 2.95% fee alone adds $29.50. Over a year, that is more than $350 you could avoid by switching to bank transfer. For a quick one-time payment where speed matters more than cost, MoneyGram cash gets credited soonest.

After You Pay: Save the Confirmation

Every completed transaction generates a confirmation number. Save it. Print it or screenshot it. If a payment is ever disputed, that number is your first line of defense.

The SDU credits payments to your account within two business days of receiving the funds, but the SDU does not receive your payment the instant you click submit. Factor in the processing time for your payment method (two to five business days) before the SDU even begins crediting it.¹

Log into the DSS Client Portal at clientportal.dss.sc.gov to check your payment history and see whether recent transactions have posted. If something still shows pending well past the expected window, call 1-800-768-5858 before assuming it went through. Payments can fail silently from an expired card or insufficient funds, and a missed payment you did not know about can quietly put you in arrears.²

Mailing a Payment as a Backup

If you cannot pay online because of a technical issue or lack of internet access, you can mail a check or money order to the SDU:

South Carolina State Disbursement Unit
P.O. Box 100302
Columbia, SC 29202-3302

Write your case number and Member ID on every payment. Mailed payments take longer to process than any electronic option, so build in extra time if you are close to a due date.⁴

Paying Online Does Not Change What You Owe

If your financial situation has changed significantly, such as a job loss, major pay cut, or medical crisis, paying faithfully through ExpertPay will not reduce your obligation on its own. Either parent can request a modification of the support order through DSS. If both parents agree, the change can be handled administratively; if not, the case goes before a family court judge.⁵

One detail matters more than most people realize: a modification only applies from the date you file and serve the modification action, not from the date your circumstances changed.⁶ Every month you wait is another month of the full obligation accruing. If your income drops, file right away and keep paying whatever you can through ExpertPay or MoneyGram in the meantime.

1
South Carolina Department of Social Services. Information for Parents Paying Support
2
South Carolina Department of Social Services. Contact Us
3
South Carolina Department of Social Services. Child Support Payment Options for Non-Custodial Parents
4
South Carolina Department of Social Services. State Disbursement Unit
5
South Carolina Department of Social Services. Establishing or Modifying a Child Support Order
6
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 63 Chapter 17