The 5-2-2-5 Custody Schedule

The same equal rotation as 2-2-5-5, written starting from the five-night block.

Also written as 5225 schedule, 5/2/2/5 schedule, 5 2 2 5 parenting plan.

Overnight split: 50/50
Cycle length: 14 days
Exchanges: 4 per cycle
Longest gap: 5 nights

See 5-2-2-5 on a calendar

Change the start date, swap which parent begins, or tap a night to move it. The overnight counts update as you go.

Schedule pattern

50/50

The same rotation as 2-2-5-5, written starting from the five-night block. Each parent has two fixed weekdays every week and alternating weekends.

January 2026

Parent A
Parent B

Tap any night to switch parents.

5-2-2-5 gives one parent five nights, the other two, the first two again, then the second parent five. Over two weeks that's seven nights each, an exact equal split.

If you've also read about 2-2-5-5 and wondered how it differs: it does not. The two names describe one rotation counted from different points in the cycle. Courts, mediators and parenting-plan forms use both names, so it's worth knowing they're interchangeable before you argue about which one to ask for.

Anchor the calendar below to a Wednesday and the structure becomes obvious: one parent holds Wednesday and Thursday every week, the other holds Monday and Tuesday, and Friday through Sunday alternates.

How 5-2-2-5 works

The two weeks, night by night

Starting on a Wednesday: Parent A has Wednesday through Sunday (five nights), Parent B has Monday and Tuesday (two), Parent A has Wednesday and Thursday (two), and Parent B has Friday through Tuesday (five). Then it repeats.

Why the start day matters

5-2-2-5 only produces the shape it advertises, two fixed weekdays for each parent plus alternating weekends, when the five-night block begins on a Wednesday. Anchor it to a Monday and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday start drifting week to week while the same parent ends up with every Saturday and Sunday. The builder snaps your start date to the right weekday by default and tells you when it does.

How the overnights count

Seven of every fourteen nights each, 182 or 183 across a year, the same as every other equal schedule.

Deciding between this and another pattern? Put them side by side in the custody schedule comparison tool, check your exact numbers with the parenting time calculator, and when the schedule is settled, turn it into a court-ready parenting plan.

Pros and cons

What works well

Fixed weekdays for both parents, week after week
Only four exchanges every two weeks
Exactly equal overnights
Matches 2-2-5-5, so either name works on court paperwork

What to watch for

Five consecutive nights away from one parent
Only behaves as advertised when anchored to the right weekday
Wednesday exchanges need a workable midweek routine

Who 5-2-2-5 usually suits

The same families that suit 2-2-5-5: school-age children, repeating weekly activities, and parents who value predictability over short gaps. Choose the name that matches the paperwork in front of you.

How it compares

The same figures for the schedules parents usually weigh against this one.

Schedule	Split	Cycle	Exchanges	Longest gap
5-2-2-5This page	50/50	14 days	4 / cycle	5 nights
2-2-5-5	50/50	14 days	4 / cycle	5 nights
3-4-4-3	50/50	14 days	4 / cycle	4 nights
Week on / week off	50/50	14 days	2 / cycle	7 nights

Common questions

What is the difference between 5-2-2-5 and 2-2-5-5?

Nothing, in practice. Both describe a 14-night rotation where each parent keeps two fixed weekdays and the weekends alternate. The names differ only in whether you start counting at the five-night block or the two-night block.

Is 5-2-2-5 a 50/50 schedule?

Yes. Each parent gets seven of every fourteen overnights, which is an exact equal split.

What day should a 5-2-2-5 schedule start?

Wednesday, if you want each parent to keep the same weekdays every week. The tool below anchors to Wednesday automatically and shows you the resulting calendar.

How many exchanges does 5-2-2-5 need?

Four every two weeks, or about 104 a year, a third fewer than a 2-2-3 schedule needs, because the weekday assignments never change.

Document preparation only: not legal advice. Not affiliated with any court.