How to Make a Parenting Plan in New Hampshire
How to Make a Parenting Plan in New Hampshire
Every divorcing or separating parent in New Hampshire with minor children must file a parenting plan with the court. The plan isn't optional — it's a mandatory court document that becomes a binding order once approved. The good news: if both parents can agree on the terms, you control what goes into it rather than leaving those decisions to a judge.
New Hampshire uses Form NHJB-2064-F as the standardized parenting plan template. Under Court Rule 2.18, the plan must cover nine mandatory sections. Missing any of them will delay your case.
The Nine Mandatory Sections
Section A — Decision-Making Responsibility. Specify whether parents share joint decision-making (the default presumption) or whether one parent has sole authority over education, non-emergency healthcare, and religious upbringing.
Section B — Residential Responsibility. Outline where the child lives during the routine weekly schedule. Since the 2025 equal parenting time presumption, most plans start from a roughly equal split — each parent having at least 146 overnights per year (more than 40% of the annual schedule).
Section C — Routine Parenting Schedule. Spell out the specific days and times for weekday and weekend exchanges. Common schedules include the 2-2-5-5 rotation for school-age children and alternating weeks for teenagers. Be precise about pickup and dropoff times and locations.
Section D — Holiday and Vacation Schedule. Divide major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas/winter break, spring break, summer vacation, birthdays, and three-day weekends) between parents. Most plans alternate holidays yearly — Parent A gets Thanksgiving in even years, Parent B in odd years.
Section E — Transportation and Exchanges. Define who drives the child for each exchange and where the handoff happens. For high-conflict situations, specify a neutral location like a school, library, or police station parking lot.
Section F — Information Sharing. Address how parents will communicate about the child's school progress, medical appointments, and activities. Many NH plans now specify a co-parenting app like OurFamilyWizard for documented communication.
Section G — Relocation. Include notice requirements if either parent plans to move. New Hampshire doesn't have a fixed statutory distance trigger, but your plan should specify how much advance notice is required (60-90 days is standard) and the process for modifying the schedule.
Section H — Dispute Resolution. Outline how disagreements will be handled — typically mediation first, then court if mediation fails. The plan should name a process before either parent can file a motion.
Section I — Other Provisions. Catch-all section for anything specific to your family: right of first refusal when one parent can't be with the child during their scheduled time, rules about introducing new partners, social media guidelines, or extracurricular activity commitments.
Common Drafting Mistakes
Using prohibited language. New Hampshire law (RSA 461-A:4, VI) bars parenting plans from using terms like "primary physical custody," "primary residence," or "primary residential parent." Use "residential responsibility" and "decision-making responsibility" instead, or the court will reject the plan.
Being too vague on the schedule. "Every other weekend" isn't specific enough. Specify exact days and times — "Friday at 5:00 PM to Sunday at 6:00 PM" — so there's no room for disagreement later.
Ignoring the holiday schedule. If your plan doesn't address holidays explicitly, you'll default to the routine schedule, which creates conflict every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Build the holiday rotation into the plan from the start.
Forgetting transportation logistics. Who picks up? Who drops off? Where? If one parent lives 45 minutes away, the plan should address how the drive time is split.
Filing Your Completed Plan
Once both parents sign the parenting plan, file it with the Circuit Court Family Division in your county along with the required financial disclosures (Form NHJB-2065-F). If you've reached a full agreement, the judge typically approves the plan at the final hearing without a trial.
If you can't agree on all terms, you'll go through mandatory mediation first (RSA 461-A:7). Court-connected mediation costs $450 total ($225 per parent) for up to four hours. Many cases settle during mediation — and arriving with a draft plan gives you a concrete starting point to negotiate from rather than starting from scratch.
The New Hampshire Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide includes a section-by-section walkthrough of Form NHJB-2064-F with ready-to-adapt schedule language, a holiday rotation worksheet, and a mediation preparation checklist — everything you need to draft a complete plan before your first court appearance.
Get Your Free New Hampshire — Parenting Plan Starter Checklist
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