What is a parenting plan in Nevada?

In Nevada, a parenting plan is a written document in which parents set out legal custody, physical custody, and the parenting-time schedule for their children. It can be used by parents who are divorcing, by parents who were never married, or by a parent asking the court to change an existing order. The parents ask a Nevada family court to approve the plan, and in any physical-custody action the sole consideration of the court is the best interest of the child (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035(1)).

What is the difference between a parenting plan and a custody order in Nevada?

In Nevada a parenting plan is the written arrangement the parents propose, while a custody order is what the family court issues. Nevada sets custody, including legal and physical custody and the schedule, inside the custody order rather than through a separate statutory parenting-plan mandate. When the parents agree, they submit their plan, and if the court finds it is in the child's best interest, it becomes a binding custody order (Section 125C.0035).

What are legal custody and physical custody in Nevada?

In Nevada, legal custody is the right and responsibility to make major decisions about a child's welfare, such as education, health care, and religious upbringing, and physical custody is where the child lives and the time the child spends with each parent. Each type can be joint, shared by both parents, or sole to one parent. Nevada courts decide both under the best interest of the child standard (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035).

What standard do Nevada courts use to decide custody?

In any Nevada action for determining physical custody of a minor child, the sole consideration of the court is the best interest of the child (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035(1)). If it appears to the court that joint physical custody would be in the child's best interest, the court may grant physical custody to the parties jointly. Nevada policy also favors frequent associations and a continuing relationship with both parents (Section 125C.001).

Does Nevada prefer joint physical custody?

Nevada has a statutory preference that joint physical custody is in the best interest of a minor child in certain circumstances: where the parents have agreed to joint physical custody, or where a parent has demonstrated, or attempted to demonstrate, an intent to establish a meaningful relationship with the child (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0025). The court still applies the best interest standard to the specific family.

Is a written parenting plan required in Nevada?

Nevada does not set custody through a separate standalone statutory parenting-plan mandate; instead, legal custody, physical custody, and the parenting-time schedule are established inside the custody order (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035). Writing out a clear Nevada parenting plan is still valuable because it shows the family court the arrangement the parents are asking it to adopt as that order.

What should a Nevada parenting plan include?

A Nevada parenting plan should state whether legal and physical custody are joint or sole, describe how the parents make major decisions about the children's welfare, and set out the parenting-time schedule: the weekday and weekend routine, holidays, school breaks, and summer, plus exchanges and transportation. A detailed schedule helps the family court see the arrangement it is asked to approve under the best interest standard.

Which court approves a parenting plan in Nevada?

In Nevada, custody is decided in the family division of the district court. The parenting plan is filed within the divorce or custody case and takes effect only when the family court approves it under the best interest of the child standard (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035). The Nevada Courts Self-Help Center publishes custody resources for parents.

Nevada Parenting Plan

A Nevada parenting plan sets out legal custody, physical custody, and the parenting-time schedule the family court approves, with a statutory preference for joint physical custody. Attorney review available.

Find out where you stand in Nevada

What is your situation with the parenting plan?

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Introduction

In Nevada, a parenting plan is a written document that sets out legal custody, physical custody, and the parenting-time schedule two parents ask the family court to approve, and it is used by parents who are divorcing, by parents who were never married, and by parents changing an existing order. Nevada divides custody into legal custody, which is the right to make major decisions about the child's welfare, and physical custody, which is where the child lives and the time with each parent; each can be joint or sole. In any action for determining physical custody, the sole consideration of the court is the best interest of the child, and if it appears that joint physical custody would be in the child's best interest, the court may grant physical custody to the parties jointly (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035(1)). Nevada policy is to ensure that minor children have frequent associations and a continuing relationship with both parents after the parents separate or divorce, and to encourage parents to share the rights and responsibilities of child rearing (Section 125C.001). Nevada has a preference that joint physical custody is in the child's best interest where the parents agree to it, or where a parent has demonstrated an intent to establish a meaningful relationship with the child (Section 125C.0025). Because the statute text here is confirmed through a proxy of the primary code and a corroborating search pending direct re-confirmation, DocDraft builds your Nevada parenting plan from your family's schedule, with attorney review available before you file it in family court.

Key Things to Know

1
A parenting plan is a written document in which two parents set out legal custody, physical custody, and the parenting-time schedule, whether the parents are divorcing, were never married, or are changing an existing order.
2
In Nevada, legal custody is the right to make major decisions about a child's welfare and physical custody is where the child lives and the time with each parent; each can be joint or sole.
3
In any Nevada action determining physical custody, the sole consideration of the court is the best interest of the child (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035(1)).
4
Nevada policy is to ensure minor children have frequent associations and a continuing relationship with both parents and to encourage parents to share the rights and responsibilities of child rearing (Section 125C.001).
5
Nevada has a statutory preference for joint physical custody where the parents agree to it, or where a parent has demonstrated an intent to establish a meaningful relationship with the child (Section 125C.0025).
6
In Nevada, custody, including legal and physical custody and the parenting-time schedule, is set inside the custody order rather than by a separate statutory parenting-plan mandate.
7
A Nevada parenting plan takes effect only when the family court approves it under the best interest of the child standard (Section 125C.0035).

Key decisions before you file

Before you file a Parenting Plan in Nevada, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Parenting Plan guide walks through them.

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NEVADA PARENTING PLAN

This parenting plan is made between [PARENT 1 FULL NAME] and [PARENT 2 FULL NAME], the parents of the child or children named below. The parents may be married and divorcing, or unmarried, and this plan may also be used to modify an existing order. It sets out legal custody, physical custody, and the parenting-time schedule the parents ask a Nevada family court to approve, where the sole consideration is the best interest of the child (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035(1)).

Children covered: [CHILD FULL NAME, DATE OF BIRTH] [ADD EACH CHILD].

Legal custody (decision-making). The parents will share [joint / sole to PARENT] legal custody. Major decisions about the children's education, health care, and religious upbringing will be made [jointly, after good-faith discussion / by PARENT]. Each parent may make routine day-to-day decisions while the children are in that parent's care and may authorize emergency medical treatment when needed.
Physical custody and parenting time. The parents will share [joint / sole to PARENT] physical custody. Nevada favors frequent associations and a continuing relationship with both parents (Section 125C.001), and there is a preference for joint physical custody where the parents agree or a parent has shown an intent to establish a meaningful relationship (Section 125C.0025). Weekdays: [describe the regular weekday schedule]. Weekends: [describe the alternating or fixed weekend schedule, with pick-up and drop-off times].
Holidays and special days. The parents will divide holidays as follows: [Thanksgiving, winter holidays, and other holidays, alternating by year or as agreed]. Mother's Day is with [PARENT] and Father's Day with [PARENT]. Each child's birthday: [describe].
School breaks and summer. Winter and spring school breaks will be divided [describe]. Summer parenting time will be [describe, for example alternating weeks or an extended block for each parent], with written notice of vacation dates by [DATE] each year.
Exchanges and transportation. Exchanges will take place at [LOCATION] at [TIME]. [Each parent / PARENT] will provide transportation for [pick-up / drop-off]. If a parent will be more than [NUMBER] minutes late, that parent will notify the other parent as soon as possible.
Communication. The children may contact either parent by phone or video call during reasonable hours. The parents will share information about the children's health, school, and activities, and will keep each other informed of their current address and phone number.
Relocation. A parent who intends to move the children's residence a significant distance will give the other parent written notice before the planned move, so the parents can discuss the change or, if needed, ask the court to review the schedule.
Dispute resolution. If a disagreement arises about this plan, the parents will first try to resolve it between themselves and, if that does not work, through mediation before returning to court.

This parenting plan is subject to family court approval and is guided by the best interest of the child (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035). For the general template and other states, see the Parenting Plan hub.

Signed: _____________________ [PARENT 1] Date: __________ _____________________ [PARENT 2] Date: __________

Nevada Requirements for Parenting Plan

Legal and Physical Custody
Nevada divides custody into legal custody, the right to make major decisions about a child's welfare, and physical custody, where the child lives and the time with each parent. Each can be joint or sole. Your plan should state which arrangement applies. Statute text here is confirmed through a proxy of the primary code pending direct re-confirmation; attorney review is available.
Best Interest Is the Sole Consideration
In any Nevada action for determining physical custody of a minor child, the sole consideration of the court is the best interest of the child, and if it appears that joint physical custody would be in the child's best interest, the court may grant physical custody to the parties jointly (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035(1)).
Preference for Joint Physical Custody
Nevada has a preference that joint physical custody is in the child's best interest where the parents have agreed to it, or where a parent has demonstrated, or attempted to demonstrate, an intent to establish a meaningful relationship with the child (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0025). The court still applies the best interest standard to the specific family.
Frequent and Continuing Contact
Nevada policy is to ensure that minor children have frequent associations and a continuing relationship with both parents after the parents separate or divorce, and to encourage parents to share the rights and responsibilities of child rearing (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.001).
Custody Set by Court Order
Nevada sets custody, including legal and physical custody and the parenting-time schedule, inside the custody order rather than through a separate standalone statutory parenting-plan mandate (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035). A clear written plan still shows the court the arrangement the parents are asking it to adopt.
Decision-Making in Your Plan
Your Nevada parenting plan should state whether legal custody is joint or sole and how the parents make major decisions about the children's education, health care, and religious upbringing. Under joint legal custody both parents share these decision-making rights.
Parenting-Time Schedule
Your plan should describe the parenting-time schedule in detail: the regular weekday and weekend routine, holidays, school breaks, and summer, plus exchanges and transportation. A detailed schedule supports Nevada's policy of frequent associations and a continuing relationship with both parents (Section 125C.001).
Family Court Approval
A Nevada parenting plan takes effect when the family division of the district court approves it under the best interest of the child standard (Nevada Revised Statutes Section 125C.0035). The Nevada Courts Self-Help Center publishes custody resources for parents preparing a plan.

Find out where you stand in Nevada

Introduction

Key Things to Know

Key decisions before you file

Customize your Parenting Plan Template with DocDraft

Nevada Requirements for Parenting Plan

Legal and Physical Custody

Best Interest Is the Sole Consideration

Preference for Joint Physical Custody

Frequent and Continuing Contact

Custody Set by Court Order

Decision-Making in Your Plan

Parenting-Time Schedule

Family Court Approval

Frequently Asked Questions