Collections Enforcement
Lucas Ward
Lucas Ward, Section Chief
Section Chief
William Cahill
William Cahill, Assistant Section Chief
Asst. Section Chief

Section Phone Number: 888-301-8885
AGO Help Center: 800-282-0515

Please note that our Collections team is only available between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST. You are also free to submit an inquiry using the webform.

Any information obtained from a live chat agent is informal guidance. It is not legal advice.

The transcript of the live chat is considered a public record, please do not provide credit card numbers or full social security numbers over live chat.
 

Business > Collections

Collections Enforcement

Our Mission

The Ohio Attorney General's Office has the authority by law to collect debt owed to the state.  The Collections Enforcement Section is responsible for collecting outstanding debt owed to the State of Ohio for state agencies, institutions, boards, commissions, public university and hospitals, and local government entities.

Collections Enforcement interprets and enforces the state’s debt collection laws and is committed to provide quality collection services for the State of Ohio and to assist individuals and businesses seeking to resolve their financial obligations to the State by working matters internally or by working with private collection entities. It operates the “Offer in Compromise” program which allows debtors to settle with the state.  Collections Enforcement offers taxpayers, who have had their income tax refund taken to pay off a state debt, the ability to make a written “Request For Administrative Review of Income Tax Refund Offset”.

Additionally, you can access an on-line payment system 24/7 or contact Collections Enforcement Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 888-301-8885.

If visiting the Attorney General Collections Enforcement section in Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo or Youngstown, valid photo identification is required to be able to access the floor.  It must be presented to building security for registration and issuance of a visitor pass.

 Schedule a Virtual Meeting

Beginning Tuesday, July 6, 2021, limited staff will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays only from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm in the Cleveland, Toledo and Youngstown regional AGO offices to assist tax payers with the following services:
 


You are strongly encouraged to contact the AGO office before visiting to confirm staff availability at the following phone numbers:

Be advised starting December 1st,  the AGO Youngstown Regional Office will not be available for walk-in services due to an office move.  We will update once that office is able to provide walk-in services.   
 

Schedule Meeting
Schedule a Meeting

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Columbus: 614-466-8360
Cleveland: 216-787-3030
Toledo: 419-245-2550
Youngstown: 330-884-7500

Taxpayer walk-in services are currently NOT available in the Cincinnati regional office. Once the office moves/construction is complete in our Cincinnati regional office we will resume those services and update the website.

We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience during this period.

Pay Online

The Attorney General's office has created a quick, safe, and reliable service that allows citizens to pay outstanding debts to the State of Ohio online. Under Ohio law, state agencies turn over their outstanding accounts to the Attorney General's office for collection. You can use this site to safely and confidentially pay outstanding obligations that have been certified to the Attorney General's office. It is our aim to make payment as convenient as possible.

 

PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCEPT CASH FOR PAYMENT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

Make a payment online or contact us at 888-301-8885.

There is a $4.00 transaction fee for Internet Checks or a 2.65% fee for Credit Cards; the minimum Credit Card fee is $1.00. Please be advised that we are in the process of updating our new payment processing system to further provide more secure and safe payment processing.