When child support ends in Washington

When payments stop, when they can continue, and why past-due support is still owed.

Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026.

Short answer

Set in the order; support ends when the child is emancipated, usually at 18, the age of majority.

Usual end age
18
Latest age in the rule
26
Law
RCW 26.09.170(3), (8)(b); 26.19.090; 26.28.010

The end age in Washington

Set in the order; support ends when the child is emancipated, usually at 18, the age of majority. The court can extend support past 18 so a child can finish high school.

Law: RCW 26.28.010; RCW 26.09.170(3), (8)(b); 26.19.090; 26.28.010

The court may order postsecondary (college or vocational) support for a dependent child, usually not past the 23rd birthday except for exceptional circumstances such as disability; the child must stay enrolled and in good standing and share grades with both parents.

Law: RCW 26.19.090

When does support end? Check your situation

Washington's rule: Set in the order; support ends when the child is emancipated, usually at 18, the age of majority. The court can extend support past 18 so a child can finish high school.

Law: RCW 26.09.170(3), (8)(b); 26.19.090; 26.28.010

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)

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

  • Oregon: 18, or up to 21 if the child qualifies as a Child Attending School
  • Idaho: 18
  • Montana: 18, or graduation from high school if the child is still enrolled…
  • Nevada: 18, or if the child is still in high school, when the child…

What to do now in Washington

  1. Check the order

    Your order may name an end date or event.

  2. Check the rule

    The rule in Washington: Set in the order; support ends when the child is emancipated, usually at 18, the age of majority.

  3. Contact the agency

    Ask the agency how and when payments stop: Division of Child Support (DCS), Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (1-800-442-KIDS (5437)) · Apply online

  4. Settle past-due support

    Arrears can still be collected after support ends.

  5. Talk to legal aid

    Ask for free help: WashingtonLawHelp.org (legal aid network).

Where to get free help in Washington

Questions about when support ends in Washington

At what age does child support stop in Washington?

Set in the order; support ends when the child is emancipated, usually at 18, the age of majority. The court can extend support past 18 so a child can finish high school.

Is there support during the last year of high school in Washington?

The court can extend support past 18 so a child can finish high school.

Can child support continue past the usual age in Washington?

The court may order postsecondary (college or vocational) support for a dependent child, usually not past the 23rd birthday except for exceptional circumstances such as disability; the child must stay enrolled and in good standing and share grades with both parents.

More for Washington

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.

Federal sources