Family · Child Support
When Does Child Support End in Illinois?
The age ordinary child support ends in Illinois, 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 Illinois
The end age, the college question, the disability track, and how support can end early.
| How it works | What it means |
|---|---|
| Ordinary support to 18 or graduation | Guideline child support under 750 ILCS 5/505 ends at 18, or at high-school graduation, up to about age 19, if the child is still enrolled. |
| College support is a separate order | Educational support under §513 is independent of ordinary child support. It can begin at or after 18 and is not part of the guideline figure. |
| Disabled adult child | Under §513.5, a court may order support for a non-minor child with a disability, which can continue while the disability lasts. |
| College and early end | What it means |
|---|---|
| Court may order college contributions | Under §513, a court may order either or both parents, and sometimes the child, to contribute to a non-minor child’s college or post-secondary expenses, including tuition, room, board, fees, books, and living costs. |
| Caps and conditions | Section 513 orders typically end at the child’s 23rd birthday, extendable to 25 for good cause. The child usually must maintain about a C average, and the court weighs both parents’ and the child’s resources and the child’s academic performance. |
| Early emancipation | Marriage or a court finding of emancipation ends ordinary support early. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps around ending or extending child support in Illinois. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Separate ordinary support from college support
Guideline support under §505 ends at 18 or graduation. College support is a separate §513 order, so do not assume the two run together.
- Raise college under §513 if it applies
A court can order contributions to a non-minor child’s college costs. If college is a factor, it can be pursued as its own §513 request.
- Know the age-23 cap and conditions
Section 513 orders generally end at 23, extendable to 25 for good cause, and usually require the child to keep about a C average.
- Talk to an Illinois family attorney
The §505-versus-§513 distinction and the college conditions turn on your facts. A licensed Illinois attorney can confirm your situation. The State Bar 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.
→ Illinois State Bar — Illinois Lawyer FinderThis 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 Illinois
Illinois splits child support into two separate obligations, and mixing them up is the common error. Ordinary guideline support under 750 ILCS 5/505 ends at 18, or at high-school graduation up to about age 19 if the child is still enrolled. But Illinois is one of the few states where a court can also order college support, and it does so through a different statute, §513, aimed at a non-minor child. A §513 order can require either or both parents, and sometimes the child, to contribute to college or post-secondary expenses, including tuition, room, board, fees, books, and living costs during the school year. These orders are not part of the guideline figure and typically end at the child’s 23rd birthday, extendable to 25 for good cause such as illness or military service, and usually require the child to maintain about a C average. The court weighs both parents’ resources, the child’s resources, and academic performance. A disabled non-minor child has a separate track under §513.5. So the Illinois answer is 18 or graduation for ordinary support, plus possible court-ordered college to about 23.
Common questions
At what age does child support end in Illinois?
Ordinary guideline support under §505 ends at 18, or at high-school graduation up to about age 19 if the child is still enrolled. College support is a separate obligation.
Can an Illinois court order a parent to pay for college?
Yes. Under 750 ILCS 5/513, a court may order parents to contribute to a non-minor child’s college or post-secondary expenses. These orders generally end at age 23, extendable to 25 for good cause.
Is college support the same as child support in Illinois?
No. Ordinary child support under §505 ends at 18 or graduation. College support is a separate §513 order for a non-minor child, with its own age cap and conditions.
What are the conditions for Illinois college support?
Section 513 orders typically end at the child’s 23rd birthday, extendable to 25 for good cause, and usually require the child to maintain about a C average. The court weighs both parents’ and the child’s resources.
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.