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When Child Support Ends in South Dakota

In South Dakota, parents must support a child until 18, or until 19 if the child is a full-time secondary school student.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

South Dakota at a glance

Support ends at
18
High school extension
Yes, while in high school full time, up to age 19
Court can order college support
No
The statutory duty runs to 18, or 19 for a full-time secondary student; the statute has no college provision.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in South Dakota

At what age does child support end in South Dakota?

Support ends at in South Dakota: 18.

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

High school extension in South Dakota: Yes, while in high school full time, up to age 19.

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

No. Court can order college support in South Dakota: no. The statutory duty runs to 18, or 19 for a full-time secondary student; the statute has no college provision.

Where do the South Dakota child support end age laws come from?

The rules above come from S.D. Codified Laws 25-5-18.1. 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.