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When Child Support Ends in New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, child support ends at 18, or for a full-time high school student at graduation or 2 months after the 19th birthday, whichever comes first, and a court cannot order college contributions.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

New Hampshire at a glance

Support ends at
18
High school extension
Yes, to graduation or 2 months after 19, whichever is first
Court can order college support
No
The statute bars orders for college costs except as provided in RSA 461-A:21.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in New Hampshire

At what age does child support end in New Hampshire?

Support ends at in New Hampshire: 18.

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

High school extension in New Hampshire: Yes, to graduation or 2 months after 19, whichever is first.

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

No. Court can order college support in New Hampshire: no. The statute bars orders for college costs except as provided in RSA 461-A:21.

Where do the New Hampshire child support end age laws come from?

The rules above come from N.H. Rev. Stat. 461-A:14, IV and V. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

The statute's source notes list an amendment (2024, 192:1) effective July 1, 2025. The rule shown is from the current text.

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.