When Child Support Ends in Florida

In Florida, child support generally ends at 18, but a court can require support for a dependent child between 18 and 19 who is still in high school and reasonably expected to graduate before 19.

Last checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Support ends at: 18; Support can also continue for a child with a mental or physical incapacity that began before 18.
High school extension: Yes, if expected to graduate before age 19; The child must be dependent in fact, still in high school and performing in good faith.
Court can order college support: No; The statute allows support past 18 only for incapacity or high school; it does not provide for college support.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

The rules in Florida

At what age does child support end in Florida?

Support ends at in Florida: 18. Support can also continue for a child with a mental or physical incapacity that began before 18.

Does child support continue in Florida while a child is still in high school?

High school extension in Florida: Yes, if expected to graduate before age 19. The child must be dependent in fact, still in high school and performing in good faith.

Can a court in Florida order a parent to pay support for college?

No. Court can order college support in Florida: no. The statute allows support past 18 only for incapacity or high school; it does not provide for college support.

Where do the Florida child support end age laws come from?

The rules above come from Fla. Stat. 743.07(2) and Fla. Stat. 61.13. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Support does not always stop on its own. Depending on the state and the order, the paying parent may need to ask the court or the child support agency to end or adjust the order, and past-due support remains owed after the end date.

When there is more than one child on an order, the amount may not drop automatically when the oldest child reaches the end age. Reviewing how the order is written, and whether it lists a separate amount per child, helps show what happens next.

Parents can often agree in a divorce or separation agreement to pay for things the law does not require, such as college costs. A written agreement approved by the court can be enforced like an order, so its wording matters and a local family law attorney can review it.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.

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