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Turning 18
The default end point. For a single child with no exception, support generally ends at the 18th birthday.
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Child Support / When Support Ends
When Support Ends · Virginia
Support has an end date, but not always the one you expect.
Most child support ends at 18, but high school and disability can change that. Knowing the real end date matters, because stopping payments at the wrong time can leave you owing arrears.
First call is a conversation, not a commitment.
The Short Answer
Child support in Virginia generally ends when the child turns 18. If the child is still a full-time high school student, is not self-supporting, and still lives with the parent receiving support, it continues until age 19 or high school graduation, whichever comes first. Support can extend further for a child with a serious disability that began before 18.
How It Works
Eighteen is the rule, with two exceptions.
Most parents assume child support simply stops at 18. That is the starting point, but Virginia law builds in a couple of important exceptions, and it also leaves some things in place even after the obligation ends. Knowing exactly when your order terminates is worth getting right, because guessing can be expensive.
The general rule
Under Virginia Code § 20-124.2, child support ordinarily ends when the child reaches age 18. For a single child, that is usually the end of the obligation. For an order covering more than one child, support does not simply drop off as each child turns 18; the order often has to be recalculated for the remaining children rather than reduced automatically.
The high school exception
Support continues past 18 when the child is still a full-time high school student, is not self-supporting, and still lives in the home of the parent who receives support. In that case the order runs until the child turns 19 or graduates from high school, whichever comes first. This keeps support in place for the older teenager who is still finishing school and living at home.
The disability exception
A court can order support to continue for an adult child with a severe and permanent mental or physical disability. The conditions are specific: the disability existed before the child turned 18, the child is unable to live independently and support themselves, and the child lives in the home of the parent seeking support. This is how families caring for a disabled adult child can keep support in place.
Arrears do not disappear
When support ends, the ongoing obligation stops, but anything the paying parent already owes does not. Past-due support, or arrears, survives the end of the order and remains collectible. Reaching the end date wipes out future payments, not the balance that built up before it.
General ruleSupport ends when the child turns 18.
Still in schoolContinues to 19 or high school graduation, whichever is first, if a full-time student living with the payee and not self-supporting.
DisabilityCan continue for a severely and permanently disabled adult child whose disability began before 18.
ArrearsPast-due support survives the end of the order and stays collectible.
SourceVirginia Code § 20-124.2.
Do Not Just Stop Paying
Support does not always end the day a child turns 18, and stopping early can build arrears you still owe. Confirm the real end date for your order before you change anything.
Source: Virginia Code § 20-124.2
Alisa Chunephisal, Esq.Family Law Attorney
Attorney Insight
A few honest things about support ending.
"The 18th birthday feels like a finish line. Stopping payments that day, when an exception applies, is how parents build arrears they did not expect."
The mistake we see most is a paying parent who stops the day the child turns 18, only to learn the child was still in high school and support should have continued. The missed months become arrears that do not go away. Before you change anything, confirm whether an exception applies and what your order actually says. If support should end and the order has not caught up, we help you make that official too.
Questions Parents Ask
Plain answers about support ending.
These are the questions parents ask most about when an order terminates. If yours is not here, we are happy to answer it directly.
Have a specific question?
Call 571.260.0999 or send us a message.
When does child support end in Virginia?
Child support in Virginia generally ends when the child turns 18. If the child is still a full-time high school student, is not self-supporting, and still lives with the parent receiving support, the order continues until the child turns 19 or graduates from high school, whichever comes first.
Can child support continue past 18 or 19?
Yes, in limited cases. A court can order support to continue for an adult child with a severe and permanent mental or physical disability that began before the child turned 18, when the child cannot live independently and support themselves and lives in the home of the parent seeking support.
Does child support stop automatically?
The ongoing obligation generally ends on its own when the conditions are met, but any past-due support, or arrears, does not disappear. The paying parent still owes what built up before support ended. If your situation has changed, it is worth confirming the order reflects the correct end date.
Does support end when my child moves out or starts working?
Not automatically. The end of support is tied to age, high school status, and living situation under the statute, not simply to a child getting a part-time job. Whether a child is self-supporting is a specific question, so check the terms of your order before stopping any payments.
When You Are Ready
Not sure when your order actually ends?
Tell us about your child's age, school status, and your order. We will tell you the real end date and help you avoid arrears. Three offices across Northern Virginia, one phone number.