When child support ends in South Dakota

The age support ends, the high school and disability rules, and what happens with orders from other states.

Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026.

Short answer

18, or 19 if the child is a full-time student in a secondary (high) school.

Usual end age
18
Latest age in the rule
19
Law
SDCL 25-5-18.1

South Dakota's rule on the end of support

18, or 19 if the child is a full-time student in a secondary (high) school.

Law: SDCL 25-5-18.1

If the court decides support survives a parent's death, the amount can be changed or turned into a lump sum.

When does support end? Check your situation

South Dakota's rule: 18, or 19 if the child is a full-time student in a secondary (high) school.

Law: SDCL 25-5-18.1

Your own order may set a different end date, for example when the parents agreed to one. Read it.

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)

What is owed stays 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

  • Nebraska: 19
  • North Dakota: 18
  • Minnesota: 18, or up to 20 if the child is still attending secondary school
  • Iowa: 18, or up to 19 while the child is full-time in high school

Your next steps in South Dakota

  1. Check the order

    Your order may name an end date or event.

  2. Compare with the law

    In South Dakota: 18, or 19 if the child is a full-time student in a secondary (high) school.

  3. Tell the agency

    Ask the agency how and when payments stop: South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Child Support (DCS) (605-773-3641) · Apply online

  4. Pay or collect arrears

    Past-due support is still owed after the end date.

  5. Get help

    Legal aid can help for free: Dakota Plains Legal Services.

Free help in South Dakota

Questions about when support ends in South Dakota

How long does child support last in South Dakota?

18, or 19 if the child is a full-time student in a secondary (high) school.

Does child support continue while my child finishes high school in South Dakota?

18, or 19 if the child is a full-time student in a secondary (high) school.

When can support last longer in South Dakota?

If the court decides support survives a parent's death, the amount can be changed or turned into a lump sum.

Related South Dakota pages

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.

Federal sources