When Child Support Ends in Mississippi
In Mississippi, the duty of child support generally ends when the child is emancipated, which occurs at age 21 unless the support judgment provides otherwise.
Last checked . General information, not legal advice.
Mississippi at a glance
- Support ends at
- 21
- Earlier emancipation can occur by marriage, full-time military service or certain felony convictions.
- High school extension
- No separate rule: support runs to 21
The rules in Mississippi
At what age does child support end in Mississippi?
Support ends at in Mississippi: 21. Earlier emancipation can occur by marriage, full-time military service or certain felony convictions.
Does child support continue in Mississippi while a child is still in high school?
High school extension in Mississippi: No separate rule: support runs to 21.
Where do the Mississippi child support end age laws come from?
The rules above come from Miss. Code Ann. 93-11-65(8). Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.
Good to know
Unless the support judgment says otherwise, a court may find a child emancipated after 18 if the child stops full-time school enrollment (unless disabled) or moves out and becomes self-supporting.
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.
More Mississippi rules
- Age of Majority and Emancipation in Mississippi
- Child Custody Preference Age in Mississippi
- Common Law Marriage in Mississippi
- Divorce Residency Requirements in Mississippi
- Divorce Waiting Period in Mississippi
- Prenuptial Agreement Laws in Mississippi
- Tenant Abandoned Property Laws in Mississippi
- Adverse Possession Laws in Mississippi
- Security Deposit Laws in Mississippi
- Eviction Notice Requirements in Mississippi
- Will Requirements in Mississippi
- All Mississippi documents and rules