skip to content
Primary navigation

Recreational license suspension

The child support office can request that a parent's current recreational licenses be suspended for owing past due child support, also called arrears. Future recreational licenses can also be denied if a parent continues to owe arrears.

Recreational licenses are Minnesota hunting and fishing licenses. These licenses include deer, bear, moose, elk, small game, pheasant, turkey, fish, as well as trout, salmon and migratory waterfowl stamps.

The child support agency can ask the court to suspend a recreational license if all of the following are true:

  • The parent owes arrears at least six times the total current support
  • The parent is not complying with a written payment plan approved by the court or the child support office
  • The child support office has attempted other substantial enforcement mechanisms without success.

Exclusions

The child support office cannot ask the court to suspend a recreational license if any of the following is true:

  • A court order prohibits the use of recreational license suspension
  • The parent who owes child support arrears receives cash public assistance
  • A modification of the court order that addresses both current support and arrears is pending.
  • The case does not meet the criteria.

Authority

State laws can be found on the Minnesota Office of the Revisor website.

  • 42 United States Code, section 666 (a)(16)
  • Minnesota Statutes, section 518A.68
back to top