Free parenting plan template generator
SplitDay Team · Updated · Runs entirely in your browser
This free parenting plan generator turns nine short steps (the children, the regular custody schedule, holidays, school breaks, exchanges, communication, decisions, expenses and changes) into a clean, numbered custody agreement template you can print, save as a PDF or copy into a document. It is a co-parenting plan builder for separated parents who want a clear starting point for a conversation with a mediator or a lawyer. Everything runs in your browser: nothing you type is uploaded or stored unless you tick “Keep my draft in this browser”.
Nothing is saved unless you ask. The plan lives in your browser’s memory while the tab is open. Tick “Keep my draft in this browser” to save it on this device only, or print or copy it before you leave. Nothing you type is sent to us.
How it works
- Name the people. The parents’ names and the children’s first names or initials. No account, no email.
- Choose the schedule and the holiday rules. Pick one of 14 custody patterns (the overnight split is worked out for you), a country holiday list, and for each holiday: alternate by odd and even years, fixed with one parent, split, or regular schedule. The plan shows who has each holiday for the next three years, with dates.
- Set the house rules. Exchanges and lateness, communication, big decisions, shared expenses with a 50/50 or income-ratio split, and how swaps and disputes are handled. Every step has a sensible default; change only what matters to you.
- Print, save as PDF or copy the text. The plan is a numbered document with a table of contents and a page break between sections, laid out for A4 and Letter. Take it to a mediator or a lawyer as your starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Is this parenting plan template free?
Yes. The builder is completely free, with no account, no email address and no paid tier inside the tool. Printing, saving as PDF and copying the text are all included.
Is the parenting plan it generates legally binding?
No. It produces a written proposal in plain language: the document records the choices you made in the nine steps. A parenting plan becomes binding only through the process that applies where you live, which usually involves both parents signing it and a court making it part of an order. Take the draft to a family-law attorney licensed where your case is heard, or to a mediator, before you rely on it.
What does a parenting plan need to include?
The nine areas this builder covers: who the parents and children are; the regular custody schedule with exchange day, time and place; holidays; school breaks and summer; exchanges and transport, including lateness; communication between the parents; major decisions about school, health, religion, travel abroad and moving home; shared expenses and how they are split; and how changes are requested and disputes resolved.
Can I use it for a 50/50 custody agreement or every other weekend?
Yes. Choose from 14 custody patterns (2-2-3, 2-2-5-5, 3-4-4-3, alternating weeks, every other weekend and more) or describe your own. The builder states the overnight split for a full rotation, for example 7 of 14 nights with each parent for 2-2-3, or 12 of 14 nights with one parent for every other weekend.
Is my plan saved or sent anywhere?
Nothing is sent anywhere: the whole tool runs in your browser and there is no server behind it. By default the plan lives in memory only and disappears when you close the tab. If you tick “Keep my draft in this browser”, it is stored in that browser’s local storage on your device, and only there, until you untick the box or clear it.
Which countries’ holidays are included?
Holiday and school-break lists for 12 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States) plus a minimal generic list. Dates are calculated the same way as in the custody schedule planner; Hebrew-calendar holidays come from a fixed table that runs to 2036. You can also add your own dates.
This builder formats your choices into a document. It does not give legal advice, it does not know your circumstances, and the wording it produces has not been reviewed for any particular jurisdiction. Family law differs by country and by state (see custody law by country), and a parenting plan takes legal effect only through the process that applies where your case is heard. Before relying on anything here, consult a family-law attorney licensed where your case is heard, or a qualified mediator.
Keep the plan alive after you print it
Set the pattern once in SplitDay and it keeps going — holidays, overrides, exchange reminders and a scoreboard built from what actually happened. Free, ad-supported, and it works even if only one parent uses it.
Related guides
- Custody schedule plannerDraw the month, test a pattern, print it.
- Custody law by countryPresumptions and courts in 12 countries.
- Parenting plan templateThe eight-section outline, explained.
- Holiday custody schedule guideFixed or alternating, and how breaks meet the rotation.
- Splitting children’s expensesWhat to track and how to split it fairly.
- Right of first refusalHow the clause works day to day.