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When Child Support Ends in Maine

In Maine, a child support order must continue past the child's 18th birthday while the child attends secondary school, until graduation, withdrawal, expulsion or age 19, whichever comes first.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Maine at a glance

Support ends at
18
High school extension
Yes, to graduation or age 19, whichever is first

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Maine

At what age does child support end in Maine?

Support ends at in Maine: 18.

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

High school extension in Maine: Yes, to graduation or age 19, whichever is first.

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

The rules above come from Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 19-A, 1653. 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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