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CustodyPlan

Parenting Plans

What a parenting plan has to contain, how to build the schedule at the center of it, and what the document is called in your state.

Build my plan, freeSee the template

The six sections

What every parenting plan has to cover

The names change from state to state. The substance does not.

Section 1

Residential schedule

Which parent the children are with on every night of the year, including how the regular rotation works and when it starts.

Section 2

Holidays and school breaks

How Thanksgiving, the winter holidays, spring break, summer and each child's birthday are divided, and how the rotation alternates between years.

Section 3

Exchanges and transportation

Where exchanges happen, at what time, who does the driving, and what happens when someone is running late.

Section 4

Decision-making

Who decides on education, medical care, religion and activities: jointly, or with one parent having the final say in specific areas.

Section 5

Communication

How the parents contact each other, how each parent contacts the children during the other's time, and what counts as an emergency.

Section 6

Changes and disputes

How the parenting plan gets changed later, notice periods for relocation, and what the parents will try before returning to court.

Start here

The schedule comes first

Every other section depends on it. Settle the schedule and the rest of the plan writes itself.

Build your residential schedule

Choose a pattern and see the overnight counts your plan will need to state.

Schedule pattern

50/50

Each parent keeps the same two weekdays every week and the weekends alternate, producing a repeating 2-2-5-5 night pattern.

January 2026

  • Parent A
  • Parent B

Tap any night to switch parents.

The process

How to write one, in order

The sections depend on each other, so the sequence matters more than the wording.

Settle the schedule

Choose a pattern, set the start date, and check it on a calendar against both parents' real commitments.

Divide the holidays

Alternate the major holidays by year, split the winter break, and decide how summer works.

Add the practical terms

Exchange times and locations, transportation, decision-making, communication and the standard provisions.

Export and review

Produce the formatted document with your overnight counts, then have it reviewed before filing.

Read the full step-by-step guide

By state

Parenting plans in your state

What the document is called, which court hears it, and the vocabulary your state uses instead of custody.

Parenting plan questions

What is a parenting plan?
A written document setting out where children live on each night of the year, how holidays are divided, who makes major decisions, and how the parents handle exchanges, communication and future changes. Once a court approves it, it becomes an order.
What should be included in a parenting plan?
At minimum: the residential schedule, the holiday and school-break rotation, exchange times and locations, transportation, decision-making authority, communication arrangements, and a method for handling changes and disputes. Most plans also cover relocation notice, travel and a right of first refusal.
Is a parenting plan the same as a custody agreement?
In everyday use, yes. 'Parenting plan' is the term most state statutes and court forms now use; 'custody agreement' is the older name for the same document.
Do both parents have to agree?
An agreed plan is faster and cheaper, and courts approve them routinely. Where parents cannot agree, most states allow each to submit a proposed plan and the court decides. Submitting a specific, well-reasoned plan is far stronger than simply opposing the other parent's.
How long does a parenting plan take to write?
The decisions take longer than the document. Once you have settled the schedule and the holiday rotation, the plan itself takes minutes. Most parents using the builder finish in one sitting.
Does a parenting plan need to be notarized?
Requirements vary by state and by county. Some courts require notarization, some require only signatures, and some have their own certification block. Check your court's current filing requirements before you sign.
CustodyPlan is a document-preparation tool, not a law firm. We do not provide legal advice, and using CustodyPlan does not create an attorney-client relationship. We are not affiliated with any court. Have your completed plan reviewed by an attorney or your local court before filing.