Family · Child Support
When Does Child Support End in Georgia?
The age ordinary child support ends in Georgia, whether a court can order a parent to help pay for college, the disability track, and how support can end early. Cited to the statute.
How child support ends in Georgia
The end age, the college question, the disability track, and how support can end early.
| How it works | What it means |
|---|---|
| 18, extended to 20 for secondary school | Under O.C.G.A. §19-6-15(e), the duty of support ends at the age of majority, 18, but a court may direct a parent to keep supporting a child who reached 18 before finishing secondary school and is enrolled in and attending it, provided support is not required after the child turns 20. |
| The extension is discretionary | The court may order the extension in the exercise of sound discretion for an order entered on or after July 1, 1992. It is not automatic, and the child must not have previously married or become emancipated. |
| Dependent adult child | Under §19-6-15.2, effective July 1, 2024, a court may order support for a dependent adult child, an unmarried person past 18 who cannot support themselves because of an incapacity that began before 18. |
| College and early end | What it means |
|---|---|
| No court-ordered college | Georgia has no statute letting a court order a parent to pay for college. The duty ends at 18, or at the age-20 secondary-school extension. Parents may agree to share college costs, and that agreement is enforceable as a contract. |
| Early emancipation | Death, marriage, or a court finding of emancipation ends the duty before 18. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps around ending or extending child support in Georgia. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Count to 18, or to 20 if still in secondary school
Ordinary support ends at 18. If the child reached 18 while still in secondary school and stays enrolled and attending, a court may continue support up to age 20.
- Ask the court to order the extension
The age-20 extension under §19-6-15(e) is discretionary, not automatic. It has to be sought and ordered while the child is enrolled in and attending secondary school.
- Do not expect court-ordered college support
A Georgia court cannot order college contributions. If college matters to your case, put any arrangement in a written settlement agreement instead.
- Talk to a Georgia family attorney
Termination timing, the secondary-school extension, and dependent adult child support turn on your facts. A licensed Georgia attorney can confirm your situation. The State Bar of Georgia can refer you to one.
When support ends, and whether college can be ordered, turn on your order and your facts. This resource can connect you with a court self-help center or a licensed family attorney.
→ State Bar of Georgia · Lawyer Referral ServiceThis is general legal information, not legal advice. Enrollment, emancipation, disability, and college conditions can change the answer, so confirm your situation with a court resource or a licensed attorney.
What people get wrong about child support ending in Georgia
Georgia ends child support at the age of majority, 18, but it can run to 20 for a child still finishing high school. Under O.C.G.A. §19-6-15(e), a court, in its discretion, may direct either or both parents to keep supporting a child who reached 18 before completing secondary school and is enrolled in and attending it, but support cannot be required after the child turns 20. Two points trip people up. First, the extension is discretionary and not automatic, so it has to be ordered while the child is still in school, and the child must not have married or become emancipated. Second, the ceiling is 20, higher than the age-19 cap in California, Florida, and Ohio. On the question searched most, college, Georgia is a firm no: a court cannot order a parent to pay college costs, though parents can agree to share them in an enforceable settlement. A newer track, §19-6-15.2, effective July 1, 2024, lets a court order support for a dependent adult child whose incapacity began before 18. So the Georgia answer is 18, up to 20 for a secondary-school student, with no court-ordered college.
Common questions
At what age does child support end in Georgia?
At 18, the age of majority, but a court may continue it to age 20 if the child is still enrolled in and attending secondary school, under O.C.G.A. §19-6-15(e).
Can a Georgia court order a parent to pay for college?
No. Georgia has no statute authorizing court-ordered college support. The duty ends at 18, or at the age-20 secondary-school extension. Parents can agree to share college costs, and that agreement is enforceable, but a court cannot impose it.
Does Georgia child support run to high-school graduation?
Up to age 20. A court may continue support for a child who reached 18 before finishing secondary school and stays enrolled and attending, but it cannot be required after the child turns 20.
Can Georgia child support continue for a disabled adult child?
Yes. Under §19-6-15.2, effective July 1, 2024, a court may order support for a dependent adult child who cannot support themselves because of an incapacity that began before age 18.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.