When child support ends in Mississippi
The end age, the exceptions, and what to do as support ends.
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026.
Short answer
21 (the age of majority in Mississippi), unless the order says otherwise.
- Usual end age
- 21
- Law
- Miss. Code Ann. §93-11-65
When support stops in Mississippi
21 (the age of majority in Mississippi), unless the order says otherwise
Law: Miss. Code Ann. §93-11-65
Support ends automatically earlier if the child marries, joins the military full time, or is sentenced to two or more years for a felony. A court can also end it if a child 18 or older stops attending school full time (unless disabled), or moves out, works full time and stops school before 21, or cohabits without the paying parent's approval. Support is suspended while a child who is not emancipated is incarcerated.
When does support end? Check your situation
Orders from another state
How long support lasts follows the law of the state that made the order, even if you move.
Law: 28 U.S.C. 1738B(h)(2)
A state must enforce another state's child support order. The state that made the order keeps the power to change it while a parent or the child still lives there.
Law: 28 U.S.C. 1738B(a), (d)
Arrears are still owed
Support that was due before it ended is still owed. Each unpaid payment became a judgment on the day it was due, and the agency can keep collecting it.
Law: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(9)
In nearby states
What to do now in Mississippi
Check the order
Your order may name an end date or event.
Compare with the law
In Mississippi: 21 (the age of majority in Mississippi), unless the order says otherwise.
Contact the agency
The agency can end withholding when support ends: Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS), Division of Child Support Enforcement (877-882-4916) · Apply online
Pay or collect arrears
Past-due support is still owed after the end date.
Get help
Ask for free help: North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (northern 39 counties) and Mississippi Center for Legal Services.
Free help in Mississippi
Questions about when support ends in Mississippi
At what age does child support stop in Mississippi?
21 (the age of majority in Mississippi), unless the order says otherwise
Can child support continue past the usual age in Mississippi?
Support ends automatically earlier if the child marries, joins the military full time, or is sentenced to two or more years for a felony. A court can also end it if a child 18 or older stops attending school full time (unless disabled), or moves out, works full time and stops school before 21, or cohabits without the paying parent's approval. Support is suspended while a child who is not emancipated is incarcerated.