When child support ends in Vermont
The end age, the exceptions, and what to do as support ends.
Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026.
Short answer
18 (age of majority), or when the child finishes secondary school (high school), whichever is later.
- Usual end age
- 18
- Law
- 15 V.S.A. 658(c), 658(e), 659(b)
The end age in Vermont
18 (age of majority), or when the child finishes secondary school (high school), whichever is later
Law: 15 V.S.A. 658(c), 658(e), 659(b)
Parents can agree to add an amount for college (postsecondary education) to the order; the court does not order it on its own. Consent to adoption ends future support.
When does support end? Check your situation
Moved to 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
- Massachusetts: 18
- New York: 21
- Connecticut: 18, or up to 19 if the child is still in high school
- Rhode Island: 18
Your next steps in Vermont
Check the order
Your order may name an end date or event.
Check the rule
The rule in Vermont: 18 (age of majority), or when the child finishes secondary school (high school), whichever is later.
Update the agency
Ask the agency how and when payments stop: Office of Child Support (OCS), Vermont Department for Children and Families (1-800-786-3214) · Apply online
Clear what is owed
Arrears can still be collected after support ends.
Ask for free help
Ask for free help: Vermont Legal Help (VTLawHelp.org) and Vermont Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service.
Free legal help in Vermont
Questions about when support ends in Vermont
When does child support end in Vermont?
18 (age of majority), or when the child finishes secondary school (high school), whichever is later
Is there support during the last year of high school in Vermont?
18 (age of majority), or when the child finishes secondary school (high school), whichever is later
When can support last longer in Vermont?
Parents can agree to add an amount for college (postsecondary education) to the order; the court does not order it on its own. Consent to adoption ends future support.