If you do not know where the non-custodial parent is, we will attempt to find him or her using all available resources, including:

• The Federal Case Registry^₁;
• The National Directory of New Hires;
• The Federal Parent Locator Service;
• The Vermont Department of Labor;
• The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles; and
• Other government agencies that issue professional and recreational licenses.

OCS also has access to national motor vehicle information and to the National Criminal Information Center, a secure database of information that includes all states and some Canadian provinces. OCS also has cooperative agreements with credit bureaus so that missing parents in our caseload are reported to the credit bureaus who then report back any updated address information they have.

We do not, however, have private investigators on staff to help in the search. Our most important resource for information relating to the location of the non-custodial parent is you.

How can I help OCS find the non-custodial parent?

You can help us find the non-custodial parent by:

• Giving us all the relevant information you have about the parent, including the parent’s full name, date of birth, Social Security number, last known address and employer, usual type of employment, and hobbies. 
• Contacting the non-custodial parent’s family, friends, and past employers to get information that may lead us to the parent’s current place of work or residence.
• Calling companies involved in the type of work he or she has done, and asking if the non-custodial parent works there.
• Checking for a return address on correspondence you received from the parent.

Can I search for the missing parent on my own?

Many individuals may wish to undertake their own search for a missing parent. The following information may be useful in these efforts. The sites below are not endorsed by OCS, but are possible tools to be used by those who wish to pursue their own search.

AT&T AnyWho White Pages
http://www.anywho.com/wp.html

Internet @ddress finder
www.iaf.net

Lycos People Search
http://peoplesearch.lycos.com/whitepage/?

White Pages
http://www.whitepages.com

How can I send OCS a tip about the whereabouts of a missing parent?

Even if you are not a party to the case, you can submit an "anonymous tip" to help us locate a missing parent. 

More Info/Assistance

Click here to learn how to apply for OCS services.

If you need more information or help locating the non-custodial parent, please contact the OCS Helpline at 1-800-786-3214 or OCSCSU@ahs.state.vt.us.

For more detailed information about enforcing support and other child-support related topics, you should read:

Child Support in Vermont: A Handbook for Parents (pdf)

^{1 The Federal Case Registry
Federal law requires each state to maintain a registry of all child support cases and to report certain case information to the Federal Case Registry. Steps are taken to ensure the Registry’s accuracy and prevent unauthorized access to confidential information. Cases involving a history of family violence are coded to make sure no information is released, even to authorized Registry users.  Contact us if you have any concerns about these issues.}