When Child Support Ends in Michigan

In Michigan, child support generally ends at 18, but a court may order support while the child regularly attends high school full time, up to age 19 and 6 months.

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

Support ends at: 18
High school extension: Yes, full time in high school, up to age 19 and 6 months
Court can order college support: No, only by agreement; By statute, a court may order support past 18 only for high school; a provision for support after 18 is enforceable if it was made by agreement of the parties.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

The rules in Michigan

At what age does child support end in Michigan?

Support ends at in Michigan: 18.

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

High school extension in Michigan: Yes, full time in high school, up to age 19 and 6 months.

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

No, only by agreement. Court can order college support in Michigan: no, only by agreement. By statute, a court may order support past 18 only for high school; a provision for support after 18 is enforceable if it was made by agreement of the parties.

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

The rules above come from Mich. Comp. Laws 552.605b. 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.

Compare with neighboring states

Compare all states