Legal matters are complex.  If you have questions or concerns about the use of any forms, instructions, or your legal rights, it is strongly recommended that you speak with a qualified Florida family law attorney.  The forms provided below are merely to serve as guides.  There is no guarantee that the instructions in any of the forms below or the forms themselves will achieve the result desired by any party or ensure that an individual judge will follow the procedures exactly or accept each and every form drafted.

Parenting Plan Forms

What were once referred to as custody agreements and/or visitation schedules are now referred to as “Parenting Plans.”  Parenting Plans outline how parents address issues concerning their children including decision-making authority, time with each parent, and division of parental responsibilities.  Each family is unique, therefore, when it comes to parenting plans, one size does not fit all.

The best interests of the child or children involved should be the primary focus when preparing a Parenting Plan.  All circumstances between the parents and their children, including the history of the relationship, any history of domestic violence, and the unique needs of the various family members, should be taken into consideration.  For more information about the factors that a Court must consider when fashioning a Parenting Plan, read the factors of Section 61.13, Florida Statutes.

The links below provide Parenting Plan templates prepared by various organizations.  Parenting Plans are tools.  The forms are provided to help parents think, reflect, discuss, plan, and develop a Parenting Plan promoting their children’s healthy future.

Florida Supreme Court Approved Parenting Plan Forms

The Parenting Plan forms below were approved by the Florida Supreme Court.  The forms are listed numerically according to the section of the “Florida Rules of Court” that pertain to family law.

• Parenting Plan (Form 12.995(a)) – This is a Parenting Plan form for when parties live within 50 miles of each other and no special safety concerns exist.  The PDF also includes instructions and suggested considerations for the parents as they complete the form.

• Safety-Focused Parenting Plan (Form 12.995(b)) – This is a Parenting Plan form for when safety concerns exist.  This form provides for timesharing with both parents while providing protection for the minor child or children.  The PDF also includes instructions and suggested considerations for the parents as they complete the form.

• Relocation/Long-Distance Parenting Plan (Form 12.995(c)) – This is a Parenting Plan form for when the parents live more than 50 miles apart or for when a parent is moving more than 50 miles away from the child’s principal place of residence, which was established at the time of the last order either establishing or modifying timesharing or at the time of filing the pending action to establish or modify timesharing.  The PDF also includes instructions and suggested considerations for the parents as they complete the form.

12th Judicial Circuit Parenting Plan Forms

The Custody and Visitation Guidelines Committee of the Family Law Advisory Group of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit (serving Desoto, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties) prepared the Parenting Plan forms below.

• Basic Parenting Plan and Instructions – This is a basic Parenting Plan form for when the parents live within 50 miles of each other and there are no safety concerns.  The PDF also includes instructions and suggested considerations for the parents as they complete the form.

• Long Distance Parenting Plan and Instructions – This is a Parenting Plan form for when the parents live more than 50 miles away from each other or for when a parent is moving more than 50 miles away from the child’s principal place of residence, which was established at the time of the last order either establishing or modifying timesharing or at the time of filing the pending action to establish or modify timesharing.  The PDF also includes instructions and suggested considerations for the parents as they complete the form.

• Safety Focused Parenting Plan and Instructions – This is a Parenting Plan form for when safety concerns exist.  This form provides for timesharing with both parents while providing protection for the minor child or children.  The PDF also includes instructions and suggested considerations for the parents as they complete the form.

• Highly Structured Parenting Plan and Instructions – This is a Parenting Plan form for situations such as when a parent believes the other parent is deliberately trying to make him/her look bad or interfering with his/her time with the child or children, or the parents are unable to attend any public function simultaneously without conflict.  The PDF also includes instructions and suggested considerations for the parents as they complete the form.

Parenting Plans Forms from Other Organizations

• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Model Parenting Plan – The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) is an organization founded in 1962 by highly regarded domestic relations attorneys to provide leadership that promotes the highest degree of professionalism and excellence in the practice of family law.  This PDF is a model Parenting Plan form developed and published by the AAML.