When child support ends in Wisconsin

The end age, the exceptions, and what to do as support ends.

Checked against official sources: Oct 25, 2026.

Short answer

18, or 19 if the child is still enrolled in high school or working toward a high school equivalency (GED)

Usual end age
18
Latest age in the rule
19
Law
Wis. Stat. 767.511(4)

When support stops in Wisconsin

18, or 19 if the child is still enrolled in high school or working toward a high school equivalency (GED)

Law: Wis. Stat. 767.511(4)

Past-due support can still be enforced up to 20 years after the youngest child turns 18.

When does support end? Check your situation

Wisconsin's rule: 18, or 19 if the child is still enrolled in high school or working toward a high school equivalency (GED)

Law: Wis. Stat. 767.511(4)

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

If your order is 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)

Past-due support doesn't end

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

  • Michigan: 18, or up to 19 years and 6 months if the child is attending high…
  • 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
  • Illinois: 18, or up to 19 if the child is still in high school

What to do now in Wisconsin

  1. Check the order

    Your order may name an end date or event.

  2. Check the rule

    Wisconsin's rule: 18, or 19 if the child is still enrolled in high school or working toward a high school equivalency (GED)

  3. Update the agency

    The agency can end withholding when support ends: Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Bureau of Child Support (1-800-991-5530) · Apply online

  4. Pay or collect arrears

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

Free help in Wisconsin

Questions about when support ends in Wisconsin

How long does child support last in Wisconsin?

18, or 19 if the child is still enrolled in high school or working toward a high school equivalency (GED)

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

18, or 19 if the child is still enrolled in high school or working toward a high school equivalency (GED)

Are there exceptions to the end age in Wisconsin?

Past-due support can still be enforced up to 20 years after the youngest child turns 18.

Keep reading about Wisconsin

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 25, 2026.

Federal sources