When child support ends by state (2026)
The age when child support ends differs from state to state, and so do the exceptions. This table lists, for the 51 jurisdictions this site covers, the age support normally ends, whether it continues while a child finishes high school and up to what age, whether courts can order support for college, and whether support can continue for an adult child with a disability.
An order can set its own end date, and parents can agree to support beyond what the law requires. The table shows the default rule in each state’s statute or guidelines, with the official source for each row, so it is a starting point for reading your own order rather than a substitute for it.
Download the CSV51 rows · 51 with verified values · sources checked through October 8, 2026
The data
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| Alabama | 19 | None | — | Not located | Not located | Code of Alabama § 26-1-1 (Age of majority designated as 19 years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 18 | A court can continue support while an unmarried 18-year-old is actively pursuing a high school diploma or equivalent technical or vocational training and living as a dependent with a parent, guardian or designee. | 19 | Not located | Not located | 15 AAC 125.873, Termination of support order based on emancipation |
| Arizona | 18 | while attending high school or an equivalency program, but not past 19 | 19 | Not located | Yes | A.R.S. § 25-501 (duties of support) |
| Arkansas | 18 | a child still in high school at 18 is supported until graduation or the end of the school year after turning 19, whichever is earlier | 19 | Not located | Yes | Arkansas Judiciary, Domestic Relations Benchbook (2022), Chapter VIII Child Support: Termination of Duty of Support (Ark. Code Ann. §§ 9-14-237, 9-12-312) |
| California | 18 | until the child finishes 12th grade or turns 19, whichever comes first | 19 | By agreement | Yes | Cal. Fam. Code § 3901 (duration of support) |
| Colorado | 19 | while the child is still in high school or an equivalent program, until the end of the month after graduation, but not past 21 | 21 | By agreement | Yes | C.R.S. § 14-10-115(13) (emancipation), Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 14 (Wayback copy of the official PDF) |
| Connecticut | 18 | an unmarried child who is a full-time high school student is supported until they finish twelfth grade or turn 19, whichever comes first | 19 | Court may order | Yes | Connecticut General Statutes §§ 46b-84 and 46b-56c (chapter 815j) |
| Delaware | 18 | support continues for a child over 18 who is still in high school, until graduation or age 19, whichever comes first | 19 | No | Yes | 13 Del. C. § 517, Termination of child support |
| District of Columbia | 21 | None | — | Not located | Not located | D.C. Superior Court, Family Court, Parentage and Child Support Branch ("In D.C., support usually lasts until the child turns 21") |
| Florida | 18 | while still in high school and expected to graduate before 19 | 19 | No | Yes | Florida Statutes ch. 61 (2026) |
| Georgia | 18 | while enrolled in and attending secondary school, but not after 20 | 20 | No | Yes | O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(e) (current through the 2025 session; Georgia Child Support Commission) |
| Hawaii | 18 | support usually continues while the child is attending high school | 23 | Court may order | Yes | HRS § 577-1 Age of majority |
| Idaho | 18 | a court may continue support while the child is still in high school, until the child stops attending or turns 19, whichever comes first | 19 | No | Not located | Idaho Code § 32-706, Child support |
| Illinois | 18 | while in high school, until graduation or 19, whichever is earlier | 19 | Court may order | Yes | 750 ILCS 5/505 |
| Indiana | 19 | until graduation if the child is a full-time high school student and a parent files a notice with the court | — | Court may order | Yes | Indiana Code 2026, Title 31: IC 31-16-6-6 (termination of child support; educational needs) |
| Iowa | 18 | support continues for a child aged 18 who is in high school or an equivalency program full time and expected to finish before turning 19 | 19 | No | Yes | Iowa Code 2026, section 599.1 (period of minority) |
| Kansas | 18 | continues automatically to June 30 of the school year in which the child turns 18 if still in high school; on motion, a court may extend it through the school year in which the child turns 19 | 19 | By agreement | By agreement | K.S.A. 23-3001 (support and education of minor children) |
| Kentucky | 18 | a child who is still a high school student at 18 is supported while in high school, but not beyond the end of the school year in which the child turns 19 | 19 | Not located | Yes | KRS 403.213(3) Effects of emancipation (Kentucky Legislative Research Commission) |
| Louisiana | 18 | continues for an unmarried child who is a full-time student in good standing in high school or its equivalent and depends on a parent, until 19 | 19 | Not located | Yes | La. R.S. 9:315.22, Termination of child support upon majority or emancipation; exceptions |
| Maine | 18 | support continues for a child who turns 18 while attending secondary school until the child graduates, withdraws or is expelled, or turns 19, whichever comes first | 19 | Not located | Not located | 19-A M.R.S. § 1653, Parental rights and responsibilities (support beyond 18 for a child in secondary school) |
| Maryland | 18 | a child who is 18 and still enrolled in secondary school is supported until graduating or leaving school, marrying, becoming emancipated or turning 19, whichever comes first | 19 | Not located | Yes | Md. Code Ann., General Provisions § 1-401 (age of majority; support while in secondary school) |
| Massachusetts | 18 | a child 18 or older who is still in high school is treated as under 18 in the guidelines; support can continue to 21 for a child who lives with and depends mainly on a parent | 23 | Court may order | Yes | G.L. c. 208, § 28 (support of children; ages 18 to 23) |
| Michigan | 18 | while attending high school full time, up to 19 and a half | 19.5 | By agreement | Not located | MCL 552.605b (support after 18) |
| Minnesota | 18 | a child under 20 who is still attending secondary school is supported until they finish or turn 20 | 20 | Not located | Yes | Minn. Stat. § 518A.26 subd. 5 (definition of child) |
| Mississippi | 21 | None | — | Not located | Not located | MDHS Child Support Policy Manual (Miss. Admin. Code Title 18, Part 3), 3390–3391: Emancipation (Miss. Code Ann. § 93-11-65) |
| Missouri | 18 | while the child attends and progresses in secondary school, until the program is completed or age 21 | 21 | Court may order | Yes | § 452.340 RSMo (child support; termination) |
| Montana | 18 | support continues for a child enrolled in high school until graduation, but no later than the 19th birthday | 19 | By agreement | Yes | MCA 40-4-208(5)–(6), Modification and termination of provisions for maintenance, support, and property disposition |
| Nebraska | 19 | None | — | By agreement | Not located | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 42-371.01 Duty to pay child support; termination (Nebraska Legislature) |
| Nevada | 18 | a child still in high school at 18 is supported until they graduate or turn 19, whichever comes first | 19 | Not located | Yes | NAC 425.160 and 425.165, Termination or modification of order when child reaches certain age |
| New Hampshire | 18 | a child who is still a full-time student in elementary or secondary school (including a charter school or home education program) at 18 is supported until graduation or two months after turning 19, whichever comes first | 19 | Not located | Not located | NH DHHS, Child Support Guidelines & Calculator: How long is child support collected? (quoting RSA 461-A:14, IV) |
| New Jersey | 19 | support can continue past 19 for a child still in high school if the parent the child lives with asks within 45 days of the child's 19th birthday | 23 | Court may order | Yes | New Jersey Child Support, Frequently Asked Questions |
| New Mexico | 18 | a child who is emancipated only by age, is under 19 and is attending high school is supported until graduation from high school | 19 | By agreement | Not located | NMSA 1978, § 40-4-7(B)(3) and (C) Proceedings; support of children (New Mexico Compilation Commission, NMOneSource) |
| New York | 21 | None | — | Court may order | Yes | N.Y. Family Court Act § 413 |
| North Carolina | 18 | while in school, until graduation or age 20, whichever comes first | 20 | By agreement | By agreement | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50-13.4 (support of minor child) |
| North Dakota | 18 | continues to the end of the month the child graduates from high school or turns 19, whichever comes first, if the child is 18, enrolled in and attending high school and living with the parent who receives support | 19 | Not located | Not located | N.D. Cent. Code §§ 14-09-08.2 and 14-09-08.3, Support for children after majority; duration of child support obligations (chapter 14-09) |
| Ohio | 18 | while attending high school full time | — | By agreement | Yes | Ohio Rev. Code § 3109.01 (age of majority) |
| Oklahoma | 18 | a child regularly enrolled full time in high school is supported until graduation or age 20, whichever comes first | 20 | Not located | Yes | 43 O.S. §§ 112(E) and 112.1A, Oklahoma Statutes Title 43 as compiled by the Oklahoma Legislature |
| Oregon | 18 | an 18-year-old in high school and living with a parent is treated as a minor child; from 18 to 20 a child attending school at least half time and making satisfactory progress can be supported as a Child Attending School | 21 | Court may order | Not located | ORS 109.621 Age of majority (ORS chapter 109, 2025 edition) |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | until high school graduation, whichever is later | — | Not located | Yes | 23 Pa.C.S. § 4321 (liability for support) |
| Rhode Island | 18 | the court may order support for a child still in high school at 18, until 90 days after graduation but never beyond the 19th birthday | 19 | No | Yes | R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-16.2(b) and (c)(2), Child support |
| South Carolina | 18 | a child who is still enrolled in and attending high school at 18 is supported until high school graduation or the end of the school year after the child turns 19, whichever is later | 19 | By agreement | Yes | S.C. Code of Laws Title 63 Chapter 3 (§ 63-3-530(A)(17)) |
| South Dakota | 18 | Support continues until 19 if the child is a full-time student in a secondary school | 19 | Not located | Not located | SDCL § 25-5-18.1 Parental duty to support child (South Dakota Legislature) |
| Tennessee | 18 | a child who turns 18 while in high school is supported until they graduate or their class graduates, whichever comes last | — | Not located | Yes | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-02-04-.02(7) (definition of child), Child Support Guidelines (October 2021 revision) |
| Texas | 18 | until high school graduation if the child is enrolled and attending | — | No | Yes | Tex. Fam. Code ch. 154 |
| Utah | 18 | a child who turns 18 while in high school is supported until they graduate in their normal and expected year of graduation | — | Court may order | Yes | Utah Code § 81-6-101(7), definition of child (effective 5/6/2026) |
| Vermont | 18 | support can continue until the child finishes high school if that is later than the 18th birthday | — | By agreement | Not located | 15 V.S.A. § 658(c) (Support until the age of majority or the end of secondary education) |
| Virginia | 18 | while a full-time high school student who isn't self-supporting and lives with the parent receiving support, until graduation or 19, whichever comes first | 19 | By agreement | Yes | Va. Code § 20-124.2 (court-ordered custody and visitation arrangements) |
| Washington | 18 | a court may extend support past 18 so the child can complete high school | — | Court may order | Yes | RCW 26.09.170 (support ends on emancipation; extension to complete high school) |
| West Virginia | 18 | support continues past 18 while the child is unmarried, lives with a parent or custodian, and is a full-time student in a secondary or vocational program making substantial progress toward a diploma, but not past age 20 | 20 | No | Yes | W. Va. Code § 48-11-103 Child support beyond age eighteen (West Virginia Legislature) |
| Wisconsin | 18 | while pursuing a high school diploma or equivalency, but not past 19 | 19 | Not located | Not located | Wis. Stat. § 767.511(4) (age of child eligible for support) |
| Wyoming | 18 | support continues for a child between 18 and 20 who attends high school or an equivalent program full time | 20 | Not located | Yes | Wyoming Statutes Title 20, W.S. 20-2-313 (Cessation of child support) and 20-2-316 (Adjustment of child support for a disabled adult child) |
How this data was collected
Each row comes from the official sources for that jurisdiction: state statutes and court rules, the state judiciary and child support agency, and official state calculators. We don’t use commercial calculators, law-firm summaries or secondary compilations. Every value is stored with the address of its source and the date it was checked, and a weekly check flags any source page that changes so the row can be reviewed.
Where we could not find a value in an official source, the row says so and links the state’s child support agency instead of guessing; those rows are left out of counts and have empty values in the CSV. Laws and guidelines change, and courts can deviate from the guidelines in individual cases, so treat this table as a research starting point, not legal advice. See the methodology for each state and theeditorial policy.
Cite this data
You may reuse this table and the CSV under theCreative Commons Attribution 4.0license, with a link back to this page.
HowMuchChildSupport. “When child support ends by state.” October 8, 2026. https://www.howmuchchildsupport.com/data/when-child-support-ends-by-state/