Child Support Termination

With protracted Alimony becoming an expense of the past it is important to know where your child falls with regard to Age of Majority in your US home State or US Territory. The definition of Age of Majority varies from State to State and there is no Federal Statute that supersedes the State Family Law Codes as they pertain to Age of Majority. At the National Conference of State Legislatures elected officials met and compiled information regarding termination of Child Support based on Age of Majority. As a result NCSL compiled the following information:

Alabama: 19 years of age; Child Support ceases at 19.
AL Code § 26-1-1

Alaska: 18 years of age; Child Support ceases at age of majority unless child is enrolled in high school and living in the home of parent, guardian or designee of the parent or guardian.
AK Statute § 25.20.050,     § 25.24.140(a)(3), § 25.24.170(a)

Arizona: 18 years of age; if a child reached the age of majority while the child is attending high school or a certified high school equivalency program, child support shall be continued to be provided during which the period in which the child is attending high school or high school equivalency program but only until the child reaches age 19.
AZ Rev. Statute Annotated § 25-320(F), § 25-501(A) 

Arkansas: 18 years of age; child support ceases at age of majority unless the child is still attending high school. If the child is still attending high school, upon the child’s high school graduation or the end of the school year after the child reaches 19 years of age, whichever is earlier.
AR Code Annotated § 9-14-237.

California: 18 years of age except an unmarried child who has attained the age of 18 years, is a full-time high school student, and who is not self-supporting, is considered a minor until the time the child completes the 12th grade or attains the age of 19 years, whichever occurs first.
CA Family Code § 3901.

Colorado: 19 years of age unless otherwise emancipated. Emancipation occurs and child support terminates without either party filing a motion when the last or only child turns 19 unless, the child is still in high school or an equivalent program, support continues until the end of the month following graduation. A child who ceases to attend high school prior to graduation and later reenrolls is entitled to support upon reenrollment and until the end of the month following graduation, but not beyond age 21.
CO Rev. Statute § 14-10-115(13) for orders entered after July 1, 1997.
CO Rev. Statute§ 14-10-115(15) for orders entered prior July 1, 1997.

Connecticut: 18 years of age; child support ceases upon the age of majority unless the child who has attained the age of 18 and is a full-time high school student, then the parents shall maintain the child according to their respective abilities if the child is in need of maintenance until such child completes 12th grad or attains the age of 19, whichever occurs first.
CT General Statute § 1-1d; CT General Statute § 46b-84.

Delaware: 18 years of age, extends past majority if child is in high school and is likely to graduate or reaches of age of 19, whichever occurs first.
DE Code Annotated Title 13 § 501(a)(b)(c)(d)

District of Columbia: Notwithstanding any rule of common or other law to the contrary in effect on July 22, 1976, the age of majority in the District of Columbia shall be 18 years of age, except that this chapter shall not affect any common-law or statutory right to child support.
DC Code Annotated § 46-101; Nelson v Nelson, 548 A 2d 109, 111 (DC 1988)

Florida: 18 years of age, or beyond if the person is dependent in fact, is between the ages of 18 and 19, and is still in high school, performing in good faith with a reasonable expectation of graduation before the age of 19.
FL Statute § 61.14(9); § 743.07

Georgia: Age 18: Support order entered after 7/1/92 may provide for the extension of child support to age 20, if the child is still in high school.
GA Code 39-1-1; § 19-6-15(e)

Guam: 18 years of age.
19 GU Code Annotated § 5102(c) 

Hawaii: 18 years of age; child support ceases upon age 19 unless proof is shown that child is presently enrolled as a full-time student in school or has been accepted into and plans to attend as a full-time student for the next semester a post-high school university, college or vocational school.
HI Rev. Statute § 577-1; § 576E-14; § 584-18.

Idaho: 18 years of age; May continue until child completes high school or reaches age 19, whichever occurs first.
ID Code § 32-706.

Illinois: 18 years of age, or 19 if the child is still attending high school.
IL Rev. Statute 755, § 5/11-1; 750 § 5/505

Indiana: 19 years of age; child support ceases when the child turns 21.
IN Code § 31-16-6-6

Iowa: 18 years of age. May extend to 19 if child is pursuing completion of high school or the equivalent.
IA Code § 599.1; IA Code § 252A.3(2)

Kansas: 18 years of age; child support ceases at age 18 unless the child reaches 18 before completing the child’s high school education, but no later than age 19.
KS Statute Annotated § 38-101; § 23-3001

Kentucky: 18 years of age, 19 if attending high school.
KY Rev. Statute §403.213(3)

Louisiana: 18 years of age; may continue if the child is a full-time student in secondary school or its equivalent, has not reached age 19, and is dependent upon either parent.
LA Civil Code Annotated article 29; LA Children’s Code Annotated article 1301.3

Maine: 18 years of age, unless the child is in secondary school, then 19 years of age or until graduation, whichever occurs first.
ME Rev. Statute Annotated title 19-A, §1653(12).

Maryland: Age 18 or up to 19 as long as child enrolled in secondary school.
MD Annotated Code article 1, §24.

Massachusetts: 18 years of age. May extend to 21 if child is living with the parent and is enrolled in an educational program.
MA General Laws Annotated chapter 4, §7(48); MA General Laws Annotated chapter 209, §37.

Michigan: 18, but may order until 19 1/2 for completion of high school, or beyond 19 1/2 by agreement of the parties.
MI Comprehensive Laws §722.52; §552.605b.

Minnesota: 18 years of age, or until age 20 if the child is still attending secondary school, whichever occurs later, or an individual who is incapable of self-support by reason of disability.
MN Statute §518A.16, subd 5.

Mississippi: 21 years of age; child support ceases upon the age of majority.
MS Code Annotated §93-11-65(8)(a)

Missouri: 18 years of age, or until graduation from secondary school or age 21, whichever occurs first.
MO Rev. Statute §452.340

Montana: 18 or upon graduation from high school, whichever is later, but no later than 19.
MT Code Annotated §40-4-208(5); §40-5-201(2)

Nebraska: 19 years of age
NE Rev. Statute §4302101; §42-371.01

Nevada: Age of majority is 18; or up to a maximum age of 19, if a student is enrolled in, but has not yet completed high school.
NV Rev. Statute §129.010, §125.510(9), §425.300.

New Hampshire: Until age 18 or completes high school, whichever is later; or if the child becomes married or a member of the armed services.
NH Rev. Statute Annotated §461-A:14(IV).

New Jersey: The age of majority is 19 years old, unless the child attending college or has a mental or physical disability.
2015 SB 1046; NJ Rev. Statute §2A:4-30.65; §9 17B-3; §2A:34-23; See N Child Support Guidelines link Appendix IX-A, 24 & 25.

New Mexico: 18 years of age, unless still in high school, then up to 19 years of age.
NM Statute Annotated §40-4-7(B)(3)(b)

New York: 18 years of age; child support may continue until the child reaches 21 years of age.
Family Court §413(1)a

North Carolina: 18 years, unless attending secondary school full time or up to age 20 whichever comes first.
NC General Statute §50-13.4

North Dakota: 18 years of age. May extend past 18 if still in high school. Support ends when the child graduates from high school or reaches 19 years of age.
ND Cent. Code §14-09-08.2.

Ohio: 18 years of age, or as long as the child attends high school on a full time basis or a court order requires the duty of support to continue. Unless specified in the court order.
OH Rev. Code Annotated §3109.01; §3119.88, §3119.86.

Oklahoma: 18 years of age, or if the child is regularly attending high school, other means of high school education, or an alternative high school education program as a full-time student, the child shall be entitled to support by the parents until the child graduates or turns 20.
OK Statute title 43, §112(E).

Oregon: 18 years old and may continue to age 21 years old if attending an educational facility such as a high school, community college, four-year college or university.
OR Rev. Statute §109.510; 107.108.

Pennsylvania: 18 years of age or graduation from high school, whichever occurs later.
PA Cons. Statute title 23, §4231(2); 23, §4327.

Puerto Rico: 21 years of age. A minor may be emancipated prior to reaching the age of majority by virtue of marriage, judicial decree (based on orphan or self-support status), or parental consent, if child is beyond 18 years old.
31 LPRA §971; §911; §931; §912; §951.

Rhode Island: 18 years of age, unless the child is still in high school, then for 90 days following graduation but in no case past the child’s 19th birthday.
RI General Laws §15-5-16.2(b)

South Carolina: 18 years of age or until otherwise emancipated. Possibly past the 18 if the child is enrolled and still attending high school, not to exceed high school graduation or the end of the school year after the child reaches 19, whichever is later.
SC Codified Laws Annotated §63-8-530(17).

South Dakota: 18 or until 19 years of age, if full-time student in a secondary school.
SD Codified Laws Annotated §25-5-18.1.

Tennessee: 18 years of age, unless child is still in high school; then in such cases emancipation occurs when child graduates from high school or when class child is in when he/she reaches 18 graduates.
TN Code Annotated §34-1-102

Texas: 18 years of age. May continue past 18 if in high school.
TX Family Code Annotated §101.003; §154.001.

Utah: 18 years of age or has graduated from high school during the child’s normal and expected year of graduation, which ever occurs later.
UT Code Annotated §78-B12-219.

Vermont: 18 years of age; court may order support to be continued until the child attains the age of majority or terminates secondary education, whichever is later.
VT Statute Annotated title 1, §173; title 15, §201.

Virgin Islands: 18. Support may be continued up to age 22, if the child is enrolled and attending an accredited college or university on a full time basis, pursuing a high school diploma or enrolled in a vocational program.
VIC Section 341(g).

Virginia: 18 years of age. May continue until the child turns 19 or graduations from high school, whichever occurs first.
VA Code §16.1-228; §20-60.3.

Washington: 18 years of age; may extend child support if a child is still in high school under certain circumstances.
WA Rev. Code §26.28.010.

West Virginia: 18 years of age. May continue past 18 if the child is a full time student in a secondary education or vocational program.
WV Code §48-11-103

Wisconsin: 18 years of age or up to 19 if the child is pursuing an accredited course of instruction leading to the acquisition of a high school diploma or its equivalent.
WI Statute §54.01(20).

Wyoming: 18 years of age.
WY Statute §14-1-101; §14-2-204.

This information is not to be considered legal advice or legal assistance; but is provided as a guideline for divorcing persons who may need to provide child support.