eSingleParent:Child Support Age of Emancipation Laws

The following is a list of the states and the ages at which current child support is no longet due to the children. This requirement applies only to when current support is no longet accruing, and does NOT exempt the parent that owes from paying on past due child support.

Federal law: there are particular places within federal child support guidelines that require an adherence to statute of limitations or emancipation dates, but there is not a federal age of emancipation.

State	Age	Other-Footnotes
Alabama	19
Alaska	18
Arizona	18
Arkansas	18 or child is no longet in school
California	18 or 19 if full-time high school student
Colorado	19
Connecticut	18	a
Delaware	18
District of Columbia	21	b
Florida	18 (with conditions)
Georgia	18
Guam	18
Hawaii	18
Idaho	18	c
Illinois	18
Indiana	21(?)
Iowa	18 or 19 if completing high school or GED
Kansas	18
Kentucky	18 or 19	d
Louisiana	18	e
Maine	18 or 19 if still in secondary school
Maryland	18
Massachusetts	18
Michigan	18
Minnesota	18 or under age 20 and still in high school
Mississippi	21
Missouri	18	f
Montana	18 or until completion of high school
Nebraska	19
Nevada	18 or 19 if enrolled in high school
New Hampshire	18 or until completion of high school
New Jersey	None; it is determined by the court.
New Mexico	18 unless still in high school, then 19
New York	21
North Carolina	18
North Dakota	19 or high school graduation, whichever first
Ohio	Determined by the court	g
Oklahoma	18 and graduated from high school
Oregon	18 or 21 if attending school half-time
Pennsylvania	18
Puerto Rico	21, legal marriage or emancipation
Rhode Island	18 or 19 if enrolled in high school
South Carolina	18
South Dakota	18 or 19 if enrolled in high school
Tennessee	18 or until completion of high school
Texas	18
Utah	18 and graduated from high school
Vermont	18 or until completion of high school
Virgin Islands	18 unless enrolled in college full-time
Virginia	18 or 19 if still in high school
Washington	18
West Virginia	18
Wisconsin	18 or 19 if still in high school
Wyoming	18

a. !--[endif]-->can be extended until 19 or completion of high school, which ever comes first in the case of dissolution

or less if the minor is self-supporting through marriage, employment or military service

unless the court orders the duration of support extended from age 18 through the child’s age of 19 years or completion of high school which ever is first

unless enrolled in a secondary school and is in good standing then up to age 19

“For support orders entered or modified on or after August 13, 1988, child support terminates at age 18, unless: the child is in high school or equivalent, then the obligation continues until age 21 or completion of this education whichever is earlier .If the child is enrolled in college by October 1 following high school graduation, support continues to 22. The support is limited based upon amount of credits in which the child is enrolled. Additionally, the child support obligation terminates regardless of age when a child: Dies, marries, enters active military service; or becomes self-supporting, provided the custodial parent has relinquished parental control by expressed or implied consent.”

Typically the maximum age is 19 but the court could extend beyond this age. Ohio’s age of majority is 18 that could also be extended by court order.

eSingleParent

How Long is Child Support Paid?
The age of Emancipation laws in each state determines this.

Child Support Collection

State by State Child Support Laws

eSingleParent

How Long is Child Support Paid? The age of Emancipation laws in each state determines this.

Child Support Collection

State by State Child Support Laws

How Long is Child Support Paid?
The age of Emancipation laws in each state determines this.