How to Make a Parenting Plan in Arizona

Every Arizona divorce or custody case involving children requires a written parenting plan. Under A.R.S. § 25-403.02, if parents can't agree on terms, each must submit a proposed plan to the court. The official form is the DRCVG11f — a multi-page document that covers everything from weekly schedules to dispute resolution procedures.

The court provides this form for free. But a blank form doesn't tell you what to write in each section, which clauses prevent future conflict, or how your choices affect child support calculations.

What Arizona Law Requires in Your Plan

A.R.S. § 25-403.02 mandates that every parenting plan address these specific elements:

Legal decision-making designation. You must specify joint, sole, or joint with final decision-making authority. If joint, your plan should include a tiebreaker mechanism — mediation, parenting coordinator, or final authority on specific categories (one parent decides education, the other decides healthcare).

A detailed parenting time schedule. The court expects specific days and times, not general language. Your plan needs:

• Regular weekly rotation (e.g., 2-2-5-5, alternating weeks, every other weekend)
• Holiday and school break schedule with exact pickup and dropoff times
• Summer parenting time arrangements
• Birthday and special occasion provisions

Exchange protocols. Where do pickups and dropoffs happen? Who provides transportation? How are costs split? School-to-school transfers (Parent A drops off Monday morning, Parent B picks up after school) eliminate direct contact in high-conflict cases.

Communication rules. How will parents communicate about the child — text, email, a court-approved app like OurFamilyWizard? What about the child's contact with the off-duty parent (phone calls, video chats)?

Dispute resolution procedure. Arizona strongly prefers mediation before court intervention. Your plan should specify that parents will attempt mediation through Conciliation Services or a private mediator before filing any motion to modify.

Sex offender notification. Under A.R.S. § 25-403.05, both parents must agree to provide immediate written notice if a registered sex offender has contact with the child.

Equal access to records. Under A.R.S. § 25-403.06, both parents retain the right to access school, medical, dental, and law enforcement records unless a court order says otherwise.

Clauses That Prevent Future Conflict

The mandatory elements are a starting point. Parents who draft specific, self-executing clauses spend less time back in court. Three provisions are worth the extra effort:

Right of first refusal (ROFR). If the on-duty parent can't care for the child for a defined window (typically 4-8 hours), the other parent gets first option before a babysitter or relative steps in. Specify the notification method and response deadline — "24 hours' written notice via text or OurFamilyWizard; if no response within 2 hours, the requesting parent may arrange alternative care."

Extracurricular activity authorization. Define spending thresholds and sign-up procedures. Without this clause, one parent can enroll the child in expensive activities and demand the other parent pay half.

Relocation provisions. Arizona law requires 45 days' written notice before moving a child more than 100 miles within the state or out of state. Reference A.R.S. § 25-408 in your plan so both parents understand the statutory obligation.

Long-Distance Parenting Plans

If parents live more than 100 miles apart, the standard weekly rotation won't work. Long-distance plans typically use:

• School-year primary residence with one parent, extended time during summer and breaks with the other
• Transportation cost-sharing formulas — the most common split is the receiving parent pays for pickup, the sending parent pays for dropoff
• Virtual parenting time — scheduled video calls two to three times per week during off-schedule periods

The plan should specify which parent claims the child for school enrollment purposes, since this affects the school district and can influence child support calculations through the overnight count.

How Your Plan Affects Child Support

Arizona's Income Shares Model factors parenting time directly into the child support calculation. More overnights with one parent reduces that parent's obligation. This means the schedule you write into your parenting plan has a direct financial impact.

The threshold matters: a parent with 110 or more overnights per year triggers an adjustment that reduces their child support obligation. Moving from 109 to 110 overnights can shift monthly support by hundreds of dollars.

Filing Your Plan

Once both parents sign the parenting plan, it's filed with the court alongside the Decree of Dissolution or as part of a Petition to Establish Legal Decision-Making. In consent cases, the judge reviews the plan and signs it. In contested cases, the judge may modify terms that don't meet the statutory requirements.

The Arizona Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide includes a clause-by-clause parenting plan builder, schedule comparison worksheets, and a best-interests evidence organizer — everything you need to fill out Form DRCVG11f with precision.

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