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When Child Support Ends in Illinois

In Illinois, child support ends at 18, or at high school graduation or age 19 (whichever is earlier) for a child still in high school, and a court can order college expenses, generally incurred before age 23 and never after 25.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Illinois at a glance

Support ends at
18
High school extension
Yes, to graduation or age 19, whichever is first
The order's termination date is no earlier than the earlier of high school graduation or the child's 19th birthday.
Court can order college support
Yes, generally up to age 23
Expenses must be incurred by the 23rd birthday, or by the 25th for good cause. Tuition is capped at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in-state rates unless good cause is shown.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Illinois

At what age does child support end in Illinois?

Support ends at in Illinois: 18.

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

High school extension in Illinois: Yes, to graduation or age 19, whichever is first. The order's termination date is no earlier than the earlier of high school graduation or the child's 19th birthday.

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

Yes, generally up to age 23. Court can order college support in Illinois: yes, generally up to age 23. Expenses must be incurred by the 23rd birthday, or by the 25th for good cause. Tuition is capped at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in-state rates unless good cause is shown.

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

The rules above come from 750 ILCS 5/505 and 750 ILCS 5/513. 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.