Florida Parenting Plan schedule builder
Florida Parenting Plan Template: What It Must Include (and What to Avoid)
- Mandatory under F.S. 61.13
- 9 required content areas
- 2023 50/50 presumption applies
- Notarized signatures required
A Florida Parenting Plan is a mandatory legal document required for every Florida custody order under F.S. 61.13. It must address the daily time-sharing schedule, holiday and vacation schedule, decision-making responsibility for healthcare and education, communication between parents, and communication between each parent and the child. Without a court-approved Parenting Plan, you do not have a legally enforceable custody arrangement in Florida.
Reviewed for:
- Compliance with F.S. 61.13(2)(b) required sections
- 2023 SB 1796 equal time-sharing presumption
- Florida-specific terminology and filing requirements
Reviewed by CustodyBuilder Editorial Team · How CustodyBuilder Works · Last updated August 2024 · Educational information only. Not legal advice.
Educational information only. Not legal advice. Consult a Florida family law attorney before drafting or filing any documents with a Florida court. Read disclaimer
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Custody Schedule
- Schedule
- 2-2-3 custody schedule
- Pattern
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- Start date
- 2026-08-04
- Generated date
- 8/4/2026
- Parent A
- Parent A
- Parent B
- Parent B
Educational planning tool. Not legal advice.
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August 2026
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Parent A
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14 overnights
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14 overnights
Annual estimate shown when available.
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Key Takeaways
- Florida is stricter than most states — vague orders are rejected outright; courts require self-executing, specific language.
- Nine distinct content areas are required under F.S. 61.13(2)(b) — a plan missing any of them will be rejected.
- Both parents must sign in front of a notary — an unnotarized plan will not be accepted by the clerk.
- The summer notification deadline is one of the most litigated provisions in Florida post-order disputes — get it specific.
- Informal written agreements are not enforceable — if the other parent deviates, there is nothing to enforce without a court order.
Why Florida Is Stricter Than Most States About Parenting Plans
Florida treats a missing or vague Parenting Plan as a failure of the legal process — courts will not approve it, and without one, there is nothing to enforce.
Most states allow some parents to operate under informal arrangements or vague "reasonable visitation" orders. Florida does not. Whether you and your co-parent agree on everything or you are heading toward a contested hearing, you will leave court with a written Parenting Plan that meets F.S. 61.13(2)(b)'s specific content requirements — or you will not leave court with an order at all.
The 2023 equal time-sharing presumption (Senate Bill 1796) did not change the Parenting Plan requirement — it changed the starting point for the schedule section.
What a Florida Parenting Plan Must Include
Nine distinct content areas are required under F.S. 61.13(2)(b). A plan missing any of them will be rejected.
1. Time-Sharing Schedule
The day-by-day schedule specifying which parent has the child on which days and times. Florida courts require enough specificity that any third party could read the plan and know exactly where the child is supposed to be on any given date. "We will alternate weeks" is not enough — the plan must specify the exact day and time the week begins and ends for each parent, what happens when a holiday overlaps, and exchange logistics.
Since May 2023, the starting point for any contested Florida schedule is 50/50. A plan proposing something different needs to explain why. Build your schedule section first using the Custody Schedule Generator.
2. Holiday and Special Occasion Schedule
Who has the child for each major holiday, and what time does each holiday period start and end. Florida courts want specific times, not just "Parent A has Thanksgiving."
- Thanksgiving: one parent even years, the other odd years; specify exact pickup and return times
- Winter break: often split at noon on December 25
- Spring break: alternated annually with specific start/end times
- Summer: many Florida plans give each parent 2-4 continuous weeks with advance notice deadlines (March 1 / March 15 is common)
- Mother's Day/Father's Day: each parent always has their respective day
The detail that prevents the most post-order fights: specify the exact pickup and dropoff times for every holiday period. "Christmas break" without times means annual arguments about when it starts.
3. School Year vs. Summer Schedule
Many Florida families use a different weekly schedule during summer versus the school year. If your plan uses different schedules by season, define the start and end dates precisely. Include the summer vacation selection process with specific deadlines for each parent to submit their chosen weeks.
4. Decision-Making Responsibility
How major decisions about the child's healthcare, education, religious upbringing, and extracurricular activities will be made. Florida plans use one of two frameworks:
Joint decision-making
Both parents must agree before a major decision is made. Florida courts almost always include a dispute resolution mechanism — what happens if parents cannot agree? Common options: mandatory mediation, a parenting coordinator, or one parent as tiebreaker in specific categories.
Sole decision-making
One parent has final authority. Less common for intact co-parenting relationships but appropriate when there is a history of domestic violence, severe communication breakdown, or one parent has obstructed decisions to harm the child.
5. Healthcare
Which parent carries health insurance; how unreimbursed medical expenses are split (50/50 is common); how parents communicate about medical appointments (many plans require the attending parent to notify the other within 24 hours of any non-routine appointment); and which parent has authority for routine decisions during their parenting time.
6. Education
Which parent's address is used for school enrollment — critically important in Florida where school zoning matters significantly. How each parent accesses school records, teacher communications, and report cards (Florida law already gives both parents this right, but plans often affirm it explicitly). Who attends school conferences if only one parent can go, and how disagreements about school choice are resolved.
7. Communication Method Between Parents
How you and your co-parent will communicate about the child going forward. Strong plans specify the platform (a dedicated co-parenting app like OurFamilyWizard or TalkingParents provides a documented record commonly referenced in Florida plans), response time expectations ("within 24 hours for non-urgent matters, immediately for emergencies"), and scope (communications limited to matters concerning the child).
8. Communication Between Each Parent and the Child
When the child is with one parent, what contact does the other parent have? Most Florida plans specify one phone or video call per day at a specified time window, facilitation obligation (the parent in possession facilitates but does not force participation), emergency contact always permitted, and a prohibition on recording calls without consent. Without this section, one parent may claim the right to call 10 times per day; another may refuse all calls during "their" time.
9. Travel and Relocation Provisions
What notice is required before a parent takes the child out of the local area, out of Florida, or internationally. Florida law separately governs relocation of more than 50 miles, but the Parenting Plan should address out-of-state travel notice (14-30 days is typical), international travel consent requirements, and passport control. Specify that neither parent may apply for or hold the child's passport without the other's consent, or that the passport is held by a neutral party.
Vague vs. Precise: What Florida Courts Accept
One of the most common reasons Florida Parenting Plans get rejected or generate post-order conflict is vague language. Here are direct comparisons.
| Vague (courts reject or later dispute) | Precise (courts accept) |
|---|---|
| "The parties will share time with the children in a manner they agree upon" | "Parent A has the child Monday–Friday. Parent B has Saturday–Sunday, alternating with Parent A on a week-on/week-off basis beginning [date]." |
| "Parents will alternate holidays" | "Thanksgiving: Parent A in odd-numbered years, Parent B in even-numbered years. Holiday period begins Wednesday at 5 PM school pickup and ends Sunday at 6 PM." |
| "Christmas break will be split equally" | "Parent A has December 24 at noon through December 28 at noon in odd years. Parent B has December 24 at noon through December 28 at noon in even years. The other parent has December 28 at noon through January 2 at 6 PM." |
| "The child will attend school near the primary parent" | "The child is enrolled at [School Name]. Parent A's address at [address] is the school enrollment address. Neither parent may change the school without mutual written agreement." |
| "Parents will communicate respectfully" | "All non-emergency communication will occur through OurFamilyWizard. Each parent will respond within 24 hours. Emergency contact is permitted by phone at any time." |
| "Medical decisions will be made jointly" | "Major medical decisions (elective surgery, specialist referrals, medication changes) require agreement. The attending parent notifies the other within 24 hours of any non-routine appointment. If parents cannot agree after a 7-day discussion period, Parent A has final authority on medical decisions." |
| "Summer will be divided between the parents" | "Each parent selects up to 3 weeks of continuous summer vacation. Parent A submits selections by March 1; Parent B submits by March 15. Neither parent's selections may overlap the other's without written agreement." |
Before You File: Florida Parenting Plan Checklist
Items that are frequently missing or incomplete are the ones that generate the most post-order litigation.
Schedule section
- Specific start and end times (not just days) for each parent's regular parenting time
- Clear statement of which parent has which days, with start date
- Exchange location and who is responsible for transportation
- Statement that holiday schedule governs when it conflicts with regular schedule
- School-year schedule and summer schedule defined separately if different
- Summer vacation selection process with notification deadlines (March 1 / April 1 is common)
Holiday section
- Every major holiday named explicitly (Thanksgiving, winter break, spring break, Mother's Day, Father's Day, child's birthday)
- Exact start and end times for each holiday period
- Alternating year assignments specified for each alternating holiday
- Non-school-year holidays (Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day) addressed
Decision-making section
- Joint or sole legal decision-making designated clearly
- Categories of "major decisions" defined (school enrollment, elective medical, religion, extracurriculars)
- Dispute resolution process: direct discussion → mediation → tiebreaker
- Emergency decision authority: attending parent decides, notifies other immediately
Communication
- Designated communication platform named
- Response time expectations stated (24 hours non-urgent; immediate emergencies)
- Child contact window specified (daily call, time window, facilitation obligation)
- Recording prohibition
Execution
- Both parents' signatures notarized
- Florida-specific terminology used throughout (time-sharing, not visitation; Parenting Plan, not custody agreement)
- 50/50 presumption addressed — if plan deviates, factual basis included
Florida-Specific Requirements Your Plan Must Meet
- Notarized signatures
- Both parents must sign in front of a notary. An unsigned or unnotarized plan will not be accepted by the clerk or approved by a judge.
- Florida's terminology
- The plan should say "time-sharing," not "visitation" or "custody." It should say "Parenting Plan," not "custody agreement." Courts notice when out-of-state or AI-generated templates use the wrong vocabulary.
- 2023 presumption addressed
- If your plan proposes anything other than 50/50, include a brief factual basis. Courts are more likely to approve an unequal arrangement when the plan itself explains the reasoning (distance, age, work schedule, documented concerns).
- Modification standard
- Once approved by a court, the plan is a court order. Changing it requires showing a substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances — Florida courts set this bar high. Draft thoughtfully now.
Laws change and county practices differ. A Florida family law attorney who practices in your county is the only reliable source of local guidance on what works in your specific courthouse.
Common Mistakes in Florida Parenting Plans
Vague time-sharing language
"The parties will share time with the children in a manner they mutually agree upon" sounds cooperative but is unenforceable. When parents disagree, there is nothing for the court to enforce.
No dispute resolution mechanism
What happens when joint decision-makers cannot agree on a school? Plans without an answer to this question send parents back to court for every major disagreement. Include a process: direct discussion first, then a parenting coordinator or mediator, then one parent's tiebreaker authority.
Forgetting that holidays override the regular schedule
Plans that establish a weekly rotation without stating that the holiday schedule governs when a conflict arises will generate annual Thanksgiving arguments.
No summer notification deadline
If each parent has the right to choose 2-4 weeks of continuous summer time, how far in advance must they notify the other parent? Without a deadline, one parent books a summer vacation and the other books the same weeks. The summer notification deadline is one of the most litigated provisions in Florida post-order disputes.
Unworkable geographic assumptions
A Florida Parenting Plan that assumes both parents live within 10 minutes of each other, when one parent is likely to relocate to a different county, will need modification within 18 months. Build in some flexibility or specificity about what happens if one parent moves.
How to Use a Florida Parenting Plan Template: Step by Step
Build the schedule section first
Use the Custody Schedule Generator to design your time-sharing schedule visually. See what any pattern actually looks like on a calendar. Confirm the percentage split with the Custody Percentage Calculator and count overnights with the Overnight Custody Calculator — your overnight number feeds directly into Florida's child support calculation.
Map out holidays
Use the Holiday Custody Schedule tool to assign every major holiday for at least two years. A plan that self-executes for holidays — where you can look at the plan in November and know exactly who has Thanksgiving without renegotiating — is worth the extra hour of drafting time.
Draft decision-making and communication sections
Be specific. "We will communicate respectfully about the children" is not a plan. "We will use [app] and respond within 24 hours to non-urgent matters" is. Name the app. Set the response time. Define what counts as an emergency.
Have a Florida attorney review the plan
Even if you and your co-parent agree on everything, a flat-fee review from a Florida family law attorney — typically $300-600 in most Florida markets — can catch terms that will not survive judicial scrutiny or gaps that will generate conflict in year two.
Notarize and file
Both parents sign in front of a notary. The plan is filed with your petition for dissolution of marriage or petition for paternity/time-sharing. Once the judge signs it, it is a court order.
Tools to Build Your Florida Parenting Plan Schedule
The schedule section is the piece you will reference most often. CustodyBuilder's free generator lets you design it visually, confirm the percentage split, and download a PDF calendar you can attach to your Parenting Plan.
Custody Schedule Generator
Design your time-sharing schedule visually, confirm the percentage split, and download a PDF calendar — no account needed.
Custody Percentage Calculator
See the exact percentage split for any schedule. Useful before finalizing your Parenting Plan.
Overnight Custody Calculator
Count overnights per year — a direct input into Florida's child support formula.
Custody Agreement Builder
Build a comprehensive parenting agreement covering all nine required Florida sections.
Ready to build this schedule?
Use the generator to create dated exchange calendars for any rotation — set start date, preview months, and download a PDF.
Related Tools and Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Common Questions About Custody Schedules
Learn how popular custody schedules work and compare parenting time arrangements before creating your calendar.
Is a Florida Parenting Plan the same as a custody agreement?
Functionally similar, but Florida law uses "Parenting Plan" exclusively. A document drafted as a "custody agreement" — especially one drafted in another state or from a generic template — may use the wrong terminology and miss Florida-specific required sections. Have any out-of-state or generic document reviewed by a Florida attorney before filing.
Can I write my own Florida Parenting Plan without an attorney?
You can draft it yourself, and Florida courts have self-help centers with forms and guidance. If you and your co-parent agree on everything, a self-drafted plan reviewed by an attorney before filing is a reasonable approach. If there are any contested issues, any history of conflict, or any concerns about one parent's reliability, working with an attorney for drafting — not just review — is worth it.
What happens if we don't have a Parenting Plan?
If you have children and are going through a Florida custody proceeding without a Parenting Plan, the court will require you to create one — with or without a mediator — or will create one for you based on the evidence presented. The court-imposed plan may not reflect your preferences. The absence of a plan delays the process and gives you less control over the outcome.
Does a Florida Parenting Plan expire?
No. It remains in effect until the child turns 18, unless a court modifies it earlier. Modification requires a substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances. A plan you draft carefully now can govern your child's life for 15+ years.
Can we modify our Florida Parenting Plan without going back to court?
Both parents can informally agree to temporary changes, but those changes are not legally enforceable. If one parent decides to revert to the original plan, the other has no legal recourse. For any permanent or significant change, file a supplemental petition and get the modification approved. Informal agreements work until they don't.
What if one parent violates the Parenting Plan?
File a Motion for Contempt with the family court. Florida courts take court order violations seriously. Remedies include makeup time for the wronged parent, monetary sanctions, attorney's fees paid by the violating parent, and in serious or repeated cases, modification of the time-sharing arrangement.
Does the Parenting Plan address child support?
The Parenting Plan itself does not set child support — child support is calculated separately using Florida's income shares guidelines and set by a separate order. However, the time-sharing schedule in your Parenting Plan — specifically the overnight count — is a direct input into the child support formula. More overnights for the higher-earning parent generally reduces their support obligation.
What if we live in different Florida counties?
The county where the child primarily lives has jurisdiction. Your Parenting Plan must account for the logistics of the actual distance between homes. If you're in Miami and your co-parent is in Tampa, week-on/week-off may not be practical — your plan should reflect the arrangement that actually works for your geography.
This page provides general information about Florida Parenting Plans for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Florida custody law changed significantly in May 2023 and continues to be interpreted by courts. Every family's situation is different. Consult a licensed Florida family law attorney before drafting or filing a Parenting Plan with a Florida court.