Parenting Plan / Child Custody Agreement
Set legal custody, a residential schedule, holidays, communication, and support in one clear document — built for married, separated, and never-married parents. Sign it and submit it for a judge to approve. A parenting plan takes effect only when a judge approves it — and if you were never married, parentage comes first. We guide you through both.
State-specific terms · Covers unmarried parents · Court-ready format · Plain-English
- 50
- States covered
- 2026
- Updated
- 15
- Minutes to complete
What a parenting plan actually is
A parenting plan (also called a child custody agreement, an allocation of parental responsibilities in Illinois, or a time-sharing plan in Florida) sets out how two parents will raise a child after they live apart. It covers legal custody, physical custody, holidays, travel, communication, and a reference to child support. Once a judge approves it, it becomes a custody order you can enforce.
Legal Custody
Decision-making over education, healthcare, religion, and activities. It can be joint, with a tie-breaker, or sole.
Physical Custody
Where the child lives and the day-to-day residential schedule. It does not have to match legal custody.
Schedule and Holidays
Set weekday/weekend schedules, holidays, summer, travel, exchanges, and communication rules in one document.
Support Reference
The plan references child support, but the amount is set through your state's guideline worksheet and court approval.
A judge has to approve it
Your signed plan becomes enforceable only when a court approves it and enters it as a custody order. The court reviews it under the best interests of the child and can change a provision it finds unfair.
Unmarried? Parentage comes first
A court won't order custody or support until legal parentage is established through an Acknowledgment of Paternity or a court order. An AOP establishes parentage, not the schedule — you still file the plan.
You can't waive child support
Child support belongs to the child and is set by your state's guideline worksheet. Parents can't waive it or set it below the guideline without court approval.
You can change it later
A custody order can be modified on a substantial change in circumstances and the child's best interests. Build the plan you can keep now; you can revisit it later.
Pick a schedule that fits your kids
Choose the parenting-time schedule courts see most, then layer a holiday and summer rotation on top.
Every Other Weekend
A primary home plus weekend time, often with a weeknight. Useful for distance, school-week stability, or high-conflict logistics.
2-2-3 and 3-4-4-3
Frequent contact and shorter stretches away from either parent. Often a good fit for younger children when parents live close.
2-2-5-5 and Week-On/Week-Off
Fewer transitions and more predictable blocks. Often works better for school-age kids and teens.
Holiday and Summer Rotation
Override the regular schedule for major holidays, school breaks, summer travel, birthdays, and special days.
Built for unmarried parents, too
Most free templates assume you were married. This one does not. If you were never married, parentage must be established before custody or support can be ordered.
Parentage First
Use an Acknowledgment of Paternity or a court order to establish legal parentage before asking the court to approve custody and support.
AOP Is Not a Schedule
An AOP establishes who the legal parent is. It does not create parenting time, custody, or an enforceable residential schedule.
File the Plan
Once parentage is handled, file the parenting plan so custody and parenting time can become enforceable.
State Terminology
The form uses the words your state expects, from time-sharing in Florida to allocation of parental responsibilities in Illinois.
Formatted for your state
Custody terminology and filing rules vary. The form matches your state's language and flags what it expects.
Required Plan States
Washington and Florida require a parenting plan in every case with children; Illinois has you file a proposed plan within 120 days.
Relocation Notice
The form builds in your state's relocation-notice rule so a future move is handled correctly.
Best Interests Review
A judge reviews custody terms under the child's best interests before turning the agreement into an order.
Home-State Jurisdiction
Under the UCCJEA, the child's home state usually decides custody jurisdiction; Massachusetts uses its own ch. 209B framework.
Best value
ConsumerShield All Access - Annual
Save $19.89 vs monthly
- 82 included products
- 77 legal forms + 5 guides
- Unlimited legal-form generation while active
Parenting Plan
- Legal custody and residential schedule
- Holiday, summer, travel, and relocation terms
- Built for married and unmarried parents
- Parentage-first guidance for never-married parents
- Child support handled through state guidelines
- State-specific, court-ready format
Did you know?
Did you know?
An Acknowledgment of Paternity establishes who the legal parent is — but not the parenting schedule. Many unmarried parents sign an AOP and assume custody is settled. It isn't: you still need to file a parenting plan for custody and parenting time to be enforceable.
Featured — Spotlight
Florida time-sharing plan
Florida requires a parenting plan in every case involving children, uses the terms time-sharing and parental responsibility instead of custody or visitation, and treats a move of 50+ miles for 60+ days as a relocation needing an agreement or petition, with the other parent having 20 days to object. The Florida plan uses the right terms, formats for time-sharing, and builds in the relocation rule.
What people are saying
Plans parents can file with confidence
Illustrative examples, not guaranteed outcomes for your case
"We agreed on everything but had no idea how to put it on paper. This gave us a clean plan our judge approved with no changes."
Dana R.
Florida
"I was never married to my son's dad, and every other template ignored that. This one walked me through paternity first — that alone was worth it."
Alicia M.
Illinois
"The schedule options actually explained which one suits younger kids. We picked 2-2-3 and it's working."
Marcus T.
Washington
Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about a parenting plan
Not on its own. It becomes enforceable when a judge approves it and enters it as a custody order, reviewed under the best interests of the child. A signed-but-unfiled plan is just a private agreement.
Yes, with one extra step: legal parentage must be established first through an AOP or court order. An AOP establishes parentage, but not the schedule.
Legal custody is decision-making; physical custody is where the child lives. They are set separately.
It depends on the kids' ages, distance between homes, and conflict level. Younger kids often suit 2-2-3 or 3-4-4-3; older kids often suit 2-2-5-5 or week-on/week-off; distance or conflict may suit every-other-weekend.
You can reference it, but you can't waive support or go below the state guideline without court approval. You can agree to more.
Yes, by agreement or court order, on a substantial change in circumstances and the child's best interests.
Most states require advance written notice, and some require court permission if contested. The plan includes a relocation clause.
No. It is for parents who agree. For contested custody or any domestic-violence or safety concern, see a family-law attorney or mediator.
ConsumerShield All Access - Annual
Annual all-access plan with unlimited legal-form generation while active and access to every paid guide.
Prefer monthly? $9.99/mo — choose at checkout.
- 82 included products
- 77 legal forms + 5 guides
- Unlimited legal-form generation while active
- Previously generated documents stay accessible
Everything included
- 82 included products
- 77 legal forms + 5 guides
- Unlimited legal-form generation while active
- Previously generated documents stay accessible
- Best value for ongoing access
Subscribe
$99.99/yrSave $19.89 vs monthly · Buy legal form $49.99
Subscribe & save
Parenting Plan