How to File Consent Orders for Parenting in Queensland (Step-by-Step)

What Parenting Consent Orders Actually Are

Consent Orders are a written agreement between both parents that gets stamped and sealed by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Once approved, they carry the same legal force as orders made by a judge after a full trial. That means breaching them can result in fines, compensatory time orders, community service, or — in serious cases — imprisonment.

This is the key distinction from a parenting plan: a parenting plan is a signed agreement between parents that the court will consider, but it cannot be directly enforced. Consent Orders can. For a detailed comparison, see parenting plan vs consent orders.

You do not need a lawyer to file parenting Consent Orders. The court provides a free DIY kit, and the entire process runs through the online Commonwealth Courts Portal. No court hearing is required — a Registrar reviews your application on the papers.

The Three Documents You Need

Every Consent Orders application requires three specific documents, all filed together through the Commonwealth Courts Portal:

1. Application for Consent Orders (Form 11 / DIY Kit)

This multi-page form collects background details about both parents — financial disclosures, asset summaries, superannuation, liabilities, income, and child welfare information. Even if you are only seeking parenting orders (not property), the form requires basic financial details so the court can assess the overall fairness of the arrangements.

2. Proposed Consent Orders Template

This is where you write the actual orders you want the court to make — the parenting schedule, decision-making arrangements, changeover logistics, holiday rotations, and any financial terms. You must upload this as an unlocked Microsoft Word (.docx) file so the Registry can edit and seal it.

The language matters. Write in precise, mandatory terms: "The children shall live with Parent A from Monday to Friday during school term weeks" rather than "Parent A can have the children during the week." Vague language is one of the most common reasons applications get sent back for revision.

3. Notice of Child Abuse, Family Violence or Risk

Both parents must complete this mandatory safety form. It asks whether there are any family violence orders, child protection agency involvements, or safety risks affecting the children. Even if there are none, both parents must still complete and upload the form.

Filing Fees

The filing fee for Consent Orders is A$215 as at 1 July 2026. This fee is indexed annually on 1 July, so confirm the current amount on the FCFCOA website before filing.

If you hold a Commonwealth concession card (Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, or Department of Veterans' Affairs card), you may be eligible for a reduced fee. You can also apply for fee exemption on financial hardship grounds.

Compare that to the cost of having a family lawyer draft parenting orders from scratch — typically $2,000 to $5,500 AUD for Consent Orders alone, plus $400 to $1,000+ per hour for the underlying drafting work.

The Filing Process

Step 1: Create a Commonwealth Courts Portal account. Go to the FCFCOA's eFiling portal and register with your email address and identification details.

Step 2: Complete the Application for Consent Orders. Work through the DIY kit section by section. You will need your financial information, details about the children's current arrangements, and information about any existing court orders.

Step 3: Draft the Proposed Orders. Download the court's template and write your specific parenting clauses. Cover the weekly care schedule, decision-making allocation, changeover arrangements, holiday rotations, communication rights, and a dispute resolution mechanism.

Step 4: Complete the safety notices. Each parent fills out their own Notice of Child Abuse, Family Violence or Risk form. These are uploaded separately.

Step 5: Upload and pay. Upload all three documents through the Portal, pay the filing fee, and submit.

Step 6: Wait for the Registrar's review. No hearing is scheduled. A Registrar reviews the documents in chambers to confirm the proposed orders are in the best interests of the child under the six Section 60CC factors. The research report gives a typical timeframe of 4 to 8 weeks, though times vary depending on court workload.

What Happens If the Registrar Rejects Your Application

Rejection does not mean your case is over. The Registrar will issue a notice explaining what needs to change or what further information is required — commonly vague schedule language, missing financial disclosures, or safety concerns they want addressed.

You may then be able to revise and resubmit the material. If the Registrar has serious concerns about the children's safety, they may refuse to make the orders entirely and request further explanation or changes. Seek legal advice about the next step in a complex or contested matter.

When Consent Orders Make Sense

Consent Orders are the right choice when both parents have reached a genuine agreement and want the certainty of court-enforceable terms. They work well for:

• Parents who have completed family dispute resolution and reached agreement
• Families with clear, stable arrangements they want locked in
• Parents who need enforceable changeover schedules, particularly in high-conflict situations

They are not the right tool if one parent is being pressured or coerced into the agreement, if there are unresolved safety concerns, or if the financial situation is genuinely complex. In those cases, independent legal advice is essential before signing anything.

Getting Your Draft Right Before You File

The biggest time and cost savings come from arriving at the Portal with a well-structured draft. Parents who prepare their parenting plan clauses, schedules, and changeover protocols in advance can file Consent Orders without a lawyer — or at minimum, reduce a lawyer's involvement to a brief review rather than hours of from-scratch drafting.

The Queensland Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide walks you through every clause the court expects to see — weekly schedules, holiday rotations, communication protocols, expense-sharing arrangements, and dispute resolution mechanisms — so your Proposed Consent Orders template is complete before you open the Portal.

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