In Ontario, the age of majority is 18. That’s the point when your child becomes an adult, but it does not automatically mean your child support ends. Under Ontario and federal family law, support can continue past 18 when a child remains a dependent (for example, because of full-time post-secondary education or a disability).
If you’re paying under a court order or separation agreement, stopping support usually requires a formal update. In this guide, we break down the process in plain language and show you how to reduce the risk of arrears while you work toward a clean end date.
This article provides general information about child support in Ontario and is not legal advice. Every family’s facts are different. For advice about your situation, speak with a family lawyer.
How do you stop child support payments when your child turns 18?
In Ontario, if a court order or enforceable agreement still requires child support, you should not simply stop paying because the child turned 18. Unless the document clearly provides for support to end, you may need a revised agreement, consent order, or motion to change.
To actually stop (or change) payments, you typically need one of these outcomes:
1. Update the agreement (best when both parents can cooperate)
If your child support is based on a separation agreement (or a written agreement between parents), you and the other parent can sign a revised agreement that:
- confirms whether the child is still a dependent (for example, in full-time post-secondary education), and
- sets a clear end date or updated amount (and deals with any Section 7 expenses if applicable).
The key is that the agreement must be properly written and enforceable, not just “we agreed over text.” If the agreement is what governs your support obligation, changing the agreement is the cleanest route.
2) Get a new court order (when there’s no agreement or no cooperation)
If child support is set by a court order, you usually need a court process to change it. That means:
- filing a motion to change (a request to vary/terminate the existing support order), and
- asking the court to end support as of a certain date (often the child’s 18th birthday or the date they stopped being dependent).
This is the route when the other parent won’t consent, or when you need the court to decide whether the child is still a dependent adult child.
Why the Family Responsibility Office matters
If your file is with the Family Responsibility Office (FRO), this part is crucial:
- FRO enforces, but FRO does not decide whether support should end.
- FRO can’t “turn off” support just because your child turns 18 or because you tell them the child moved out or started working.
- FRO generally needs new legal paperwork (an updated court order or properly-filed agreement) before enforcement stops or the amount changes.
So even if you’re 100% right that support should end, you can still end up with arrears if you stop paying before the document is legally changed.
If you want to end child support without creating arrears or enforcement headaches, we can help you do it properly. Our Ottawa family law team will confirm what controls your support (order vs. agreement), gather the right dependency proof, and either draft an enforceable updated agreement or file a motion to change. If FRO is involved, we’ll make sure the paperwork is set up and delivered correctly so enforcement reflects the updated terms as soon as possible.
Common situations where parents try to cancel child support at 18
Child turns 18 and starts working
If the child is working full-time and is financially independent, that supports a termination request. You still need to update the order/agreement and handle the effective date carefully to avoid a dispute about retroactive child support or overpayment.
Child turns 18 and stays in full-time post-secondary education
This is the classic “support for adult children” situation. Support may continue, sometimes with adjustments based on residence, education costs, scholarships, and the child’s own contribution.
Enrollment verification and education costs
If school is an issue, we typically look for:
- enrollment verification (full-time school / full-time post-secondary education),
- tuition statements and education costs,
- living arrangements (on campus, at home, foster home, etc.),
- OSAP or other funding information,
- and whether Section 7 expenses are being claimed.
Child turns 18 and has an illness or disability
If there’s a disability or medical condition that affects independence, support can continue. Medical records and functional impact matter more than labels.
Child moves to live with the payor parent
When the child starts living primarily with the payor parent, support may need to be changed, suspended, or redirected depending on the facts. The existing order or agreement should still be updated properly to reduce arrears and enforcement risk.
Understanding Spousal Support in Canada: Key Steps and Legal Insights in Ottawa
Stopping child support payments at 18: The legal process
Here’s the clean, process-first approach we use in family law files to avoid arrears, enforcement issues, and expensive mistakes.
Step 1: Identify what controls your support payments
Before you do anything, confirm what you’re paying under:
- Court order/support order/child support order
- An agreement (often a separation agreement) that may or may not be filed with the court
- An order or agreement that is being enforced through the Family Responsibility Office
Step 2: Confirm whether support should end or continue (dependency check)
At 18, the “default assumption” many parents have is: support ends now. However, adult status doesn’t equal financial independence. In practice, we see these main categories:
- Support likely ends when the child is no longer dependent (working, living independently, financially self-supporting).
- Support may continue if the child is still dependent due to:
- full-time school (post-secondary level),
- disability/illness,
- other dependency circumstances.
Step 3: Choose the right change path
There are two main paths:
Path A: Agreement-based change (best when parents can cooperate)
If you and the other parent can agree, you can often avoid a court hearing:
- Update the agreement (or create a clear written agreement) that ends or changes child support payments.
- Then file the documents properly so it becomes enforceable in the right way (and so enforcement can adjust if FRO is involved).
Even when you agree, you generally still need the paperwork done correctly so you don’t end up with “informal changes” that create arrears later. If there is already a court order, even an agreed change may need to be documented through a consent motion to change or consent order.
Path B: Court-based change (when you can’t agree)
If there’s a court order and you can’t agree on ending support, you usually need a motion to change (a variation request). That process asks the court to update the support order based on a material change, such as the child no longer being a dependent because they’ve finished full-time school or become financially independent.
Child Support in Ontario – Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
How a motion to change works in the Ontario family court
If you’re changing a support order (or a filed agreement), you should expect a process, not a one-email fix.
What “motion to change” means
A motion to change asks the court to vary an existing order (for example, to terminate child support payments as of a certain date, or to change the amount). Ontario’s family court procedure guidance outlines the basic steps and points to the key forms.
Where to file a motion of change
Depending on your existing order and location, it may be in the Ontario Court of Justice or the Superior Court of Justice (Family Court branch, where applicable). The correct venue depends on your history and the file type.
Avoid arrears: the #1 rule before you stop paying
If you simply stop paying, you can build arrears quickly, even if you believe you’re right on the merits. Arrears are the unpaid child support amounts that keep adding up under the existing order or agreement, and they can still be enforced until the document is formally changed.
By law, you must comply with the support order or written agreement until it is changed. Child support and parenting time are separate issues, and refusing payment because of a conflict is not treated as a “solution.”
What we usually recommend for timing
- Start the review process before the 18th birthday when possible.
- Put your position in writing and gather documents early.
- If you’re seeking termination, ask for a clear end date and deal with the transition months explicitly.
How RPB Law helps you stop child support properly
We help you get to a clean outcome without avoidable support arrears or enforcement surprises by handling the legal, evidence, and paperwork steps in the right order.
- Confirm the legal foundation: We review what controls your payments (court order or support order vs. separation agreement, cohabitation agreement, or marriage contract) and align the strategy with the Family Law Act, Divorce Act, and the Child Support Guidelines.
- Assess dependency and entitlement: We help you determine whether the child is still a “child of the marriage” or among dependent children (for example, full-time education) and how that affects entitlement and quantum.
- Tighten the numbers: We organize proof of gross income, address variable or complex income, and respond to issues like hiding gross income, so support calculations are defensible.
- Choose the best path forward: If cooperation is possible, we draft an enforceable update. If not, we prepare the application and a motion to change, including the supporting evidence and a clear response strategy.
- Manage FRO and enforcement: If the Family Responsibility Office is involved, we guide you through what’s needed so enforcement reflects the updated terms, including issues like support deduction order, automatic deductions, statement of arrears, and wage garnishment.
Reach out to our team to review your order or agreement and map next steps.
Ending Child Support in Ontario | FAQs
Does child support automatically stop when a child turns 18 in Ontario?
No. Turning 18 doesn’t automatically end child support. Support continues until the court order or separation agreement is formally changed. Support can also continue after 18 if the child is still dependent, such as during full-time post-secondary education or because of disability.
How do I stop child support if we have a separation agreement?
If child support is governed by a separation agreement, you and the other parent can sign a revised agreement that sets a clear end date or updated amount. It must be properly written and enforceable; informal texts or verbal agreements usually aren’t enough.
How do I stop child support if there’s a court order and we can’t agree?
You typically need to file a motion to change (a variation request). This asks the court to update or terminate the existing support order based on a material change, such as the child no longer being dependent due to financial independence or school ending.
Can I stop paying child support while I’m waiting for a motion to change?
Usually no. You must keep paying under the existing order or agreement until it’s formally changed. Stopping early can create arrears (unpaid support that continues to accumulate) and can still be enforced, even if you believe support should end.
Does child support usually continue if the child is in full-time post-secondary education?
Often, yes. Support may continue for adult children who remain dependent due to full-time post-secondary education. The amount may be adjusted depending on the child’s living arrangements, education costs, scholarships, and the child’s ability to contribute financially.
What documents help prove the child is no longer dependent?
Common documents include proof of full-time employment, evidence of independent living, or proof that school ended (enrollment verification, transcripts, or confirmation of withdrawal). If disability is an issue, medical documentation and functional impact evidence may be relevant.
