Until what age do you have to pay child support?
Short answer
In Quebec, child support does not stop automatically at 18: it remains payable as long as the child is unable to support themselves, for example because they are studying full time. A parent who wants it cancelled or reduced has to apply to the court.
In detail
Two ideas come up constantly and both are inaccurate: that support stops on the child's 18th birthday, and that it stops on its own. JuridiQC confirms the opposite — it is possible to seek support for an adult child who is not financially self-sufficient, even though the amount may be different.
For an adult child, the court examines whether they are genuinely unable to support themselves, and whether they have taken reasonable steps to contribute — for example by holding a part-time job while studying. Illness or a disability can also justify keeping support in place.
One essential practical point: as long as no application is made, the obligation set out in the judgment continues to apply. Reaching the age of majority suspends nothing on its own.
What to document
Proof of the child's status: proof of enrolment, class schedule, transcripts, proof of full-time studies. Their income: records of employment, scholarships, student loans and bursaries. And their actual expenses: rent, transportation, school supplies. It is that file, updated term after term, that supports an application to maintain or to cancel support.
Put your facts in writing, free. Writing your version down early, keeping your documents dated and preparing your questions for a lawyer: the tool is there to document, never to advise.
Open the application Up to 3 files, no card · see the plans
Official sources
- JuridiQC — True or false about child support
- JuridiQC — Child support in 7 questions
- Gouvernement du Québec — Cancellation of child support
Related questions
- How do you get child support changed?
- My ex is not paying child support — what do I do?
- Do I have to give my income information to my ex every year?
- Can I ask for child support if the other parent lives abroad?
- What are the grounds for divorce in Quebec?
See all the answers · the full guide collection · Lire en français
What this page is not
This is general legal information about the law of Quebec and Canada, dated and sourced. It is not legal advice, not a strategy, and not a prediction about the outcome of a case. In Quebec, only lawyers and notaries may give legal advice (Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, ss. 128 and 133). Laws and amounts change: the official source always prevails over us.