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When Child Support Ends in New Mexico

In New Mexico, the age of majority is 18, and support can continue until high school graduation for a child under 19 who is still attending high school.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

New Mexico at a glance

Support ends at
18
High school extension
Yes, to graduation if under age 19
Court can order college support
No, only by written agreement
A court may order support for education after high school only under a written agreement of the parties.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in New Mexico

At what age does child support end in New Mexico?

Support ends at in New Mexico: 18.

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

High school extension in New Mexico: Yes, to graduation if under age 19.

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

No, only by written agreement. Court can order college support in New Mexico: no, only by written agreement. A court may order support for education after high school only under a written agreement of the parties.

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

The rules above come from N.M. Stat. 40-4-7 and N.M. Stat. 28-6-1. 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.