How long is child support owed in France?
Not 18, not 25: support runs until the child is independent, not until a birthday.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy
Child support in France has no end date set by law. It does not stop at 18: it continues until the end of studies and until the child becomes financially independent, meaning while they cannot meet their own needs. A student, a young person in training or actively looking for work is still entitled; work-study courses do not necessarily end it. An adult child with a disability or under a protection order can receive it with no age limit. The receiving parent must regularly show that the child is not yet independent, and if the parents disagree the family judge decides. Parents from countries where support usually ends at 18 or at the end of secondary school are often surprised by this. To look ahead, €250 a month paid from age 12 to 23 adds up to €33,000, before indexation. The calculator below works it out for your situation.
What is left to pay until independence
Total left to pay (flat amount)
€33,000
| Years left | 11 |
| Of which after 18 | €15,000 |
| Per year | €3,000 |
Before annual indexation: in practice the amount follows the price index.
The young adult’s situation after 18
| Young adult’s situation | Support in principle | Evidence to provide |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary or higher education | due | school or university certificate |
| Training, apprenticeship, work-study | due or reduced depending on pay | contract and payslips |
| Active job search | due | France Travail registration, applications |
| Stable job enough to live on | may end | for the parents or the judge to assess |
| Disability, protection order | due, no age limit | MDPH or protection decision |
Proving the child is not independent
Service-public.fr puts the burden of proof on the parent receiving support: they must regularly give the other parent documents showing the child is studying, job-hunting or training. A simple habit avoids many disputes: send the school or university certificate at every start of the academic year, and every change of situation (a paid internship, a work-study contract, a job). The paying parent can ask for this evidence in writing; if there is no answer, they apply to the judge rather than stop paying.
What changes in practice at 18
Three things can change while support continues. Payment can go directly to the young adult, the creditor remaining the parent who mainly houses them. Tax changes: the deduction becomes capped at €6,855 per adult child, and the young adult declares what they receive if they file their own return (see adult child). Finally, the amount can be revisited, up or down: a student living alone does not have a lower-secondary pupil’s needs, but a young adult working part-time covers some of their own.
What support adds up to over the whole period
| Support per month | Child aged 6 | Child aged 12 | Child aged 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| €150 | €30,600 | €19,800 | €12,600 |
| €250 | €51,000 | €33,000 | €21,000 |
| €400 | €81,600 | €52,800 | €33,600 |
Age 23 is only a working assumption: independence can come earlier or later. And the real amount rises every year with indexation (see indexation).
Ending support properly
Support ends on the date set in the decision, when a new decision or agreement ends it, or on the paying parent’s death. If it goes through ARIPA, intermediation ends in the same cases. The safest course, when the child becomes independent, is to record it in writing between the parents and have it approved, or to ask the judge to end support: otherwise the old decision remains an enforceable title the other parent could use.
Students abroad and international families
A young adult studying in another country is still a student: support continues on the same principle, and the costs of studying abroad can justify revisiting the amount or sharing specific costs. What counts is the same evidence, a certificate of enrolment and an idea of the young person’s own income. Keeping these documents in French or with a translation saves time if the question ever comes before a French judge.