Is a parenting plan the same thing as the APR order?

Related, but not identical. The allocation of parental responsibilities (APR) order is the court's ruling on decision-making responsibility and parenting time. The parenting plan, generally filed on Form JDF 1113, is the detailed written document underneath that order, covering the regular schedule, holidays, transportation, and how decisions actually get made day to day.

Do both parents have to agree on the parenting plan?

Not necessarily. Colorado lets parents submit a fully agreed plan, a partially agreed plan with the disputed sections left blank, or two separate proposed plans if they can't agree at all. Either way, the court can order mediation for unresolved sections before a judge decides the remaining terms based on the child's best interests.

Does every parenting plan have to be signed by both parents?

The Colorado Judicial Branch's instructions for Form JDF 1113 state that all parties must sign a parenting plan for the court to review it. If parents can't reach a signed, agreed plan, each can submit their own proposed plan for the court to consider instead.

Does a Colorado parenting plan have to address holidays separately from the regular schedule?

It's strongly recommended, and JDF 1113 has a dedicated section for it. A plan that only sets the regular weekly rotation leaves birthdays, school breaks, and major holidays unaddressed, which is a common source of later disputes. See holiday custody scheduling for how most families structure this piece.

Colorado, United States

Colorado Parenting Plans: What Parents Need to Know

Q: What form does Colorado use for a parenting plan?

Form JDF 1113, Parenting Plan, published by the Colorado Judicial Branch. It's used in both divorce cases with children and standalone allocation of parental responsibilities cases, and it's available in English, Spanish, and Urdu.

What a Colorado parenting plan needs to cover, the official JDF 1113 form, and how it relates to the allocation of parental responsibilities (APR) order.

Legal sources reviewed: August 11, 2026

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In short: A Colorado parenting plan is the detailed written document, generally filed on the standard court form JDF 1113, that spells out the regular parenting time schedule, holidays, transportation, and how decision-making responsibility actually works day to day. It's what turns an allocation of parental responsibilities (APR) order's legal ruling into a workable arrangement, and Colorado courts require one, whether both parents agree to it, agree to part of it, or each submit their own version for a judge to decide between.

This is an educational overview written for parents, not lawyers. It isn't legal advice. For anything specific to your case, talk to a licensed Colorado family law attorney or use the Colorado Judicial Branch's self-help resources.

What a Colorado parenting plan needs to cover

A complete plan generally addresses:

The regular parenting time schedule: which days and nights the child spends with each parent, the underlying question a custody schedule pattern like 2-2-3 or week on/week off answers.
Holidays and special occasions: birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and major holidays, since the regular schedule doesn't automatically say who has a given holiday. See how to build a holiday custody schedule for how this is typically structured.
School breaks and vacation time: summer and other extended breaks, often handled separately from the regular weekly rotation.
Transportation and exchange logistics: who transports the child, where exchanges happen, and what time.
Decision-making responsibility: how education, health care, and religious decisions get made, jointly or by one parent, and the process if parents disagree, per the factors weighed under C.R.S. § 14-10-124.
Communication and contact: how parents coordinate about the child, including phone or video contact during the other parent's time, separate from the schedule itself.
Relocation terms: many plans reference the written-notice requirement under C.R.S. § 14-10-129 up front, so both parents know what a future move requires.

The official form: JDF 1113

Colorado courts use Form JDF 1113, Parenting Plan, published by the Colorado Judicial Branch, as the standard way to document parenting time, decision-making responsibility, and related terms in both divorce cases with children and standalone allocation of parental responsibilities (APR) cases. The form is available in English, Spanish, and Urdu directly from the Colorado Judicial Branch's Parenting Plan self-help page.

Parents can submit the form three ways: a fully agreed plan signed by both parties, a partially agreed plan with the disputed sections left blank for the court to decide, or separate proposed plans if the parents can't agree at all. The Judicial Branch's instructions specify that all parties must sign a parenting plan for the court to review it as an agreed document; unresolved sections can be sent to mediation before a judge rules on what's left.

How a parenting plan relates to the APR order

The allocation of parental responsibilities order is the court's ruling on decision-making responsibility and parenting time, who decides what, and the overall schedule. The parenting plan is the operational detail underneath that ruling, the actual day-to-day logistics that make the order workable. A Colorado case can't really be finalized without addressing a parenting plan in some form, since Form JDF 1113 (or the parties' separate proposed versions of it) is generally the vehicle the court uses to enter those specifics into the order itself.

Reaching an agreed plan

If parents can agree on all or part of the plan, it's submitted as a signed, agreed document for the judge to approve. For sections the parties can't agree on, the court can order mediation before deciding those terms itself, based on the best interests of the child under C.R.S. § 14-10-124. This mirrors how Colorado handles the broader APR case: agreement where possible, mediation for what's contested, and a judge's decision as the last resort.

Building the actual schedule

Once the categories above are settled, an OnePage parenting plan generator or custody schedule generator can help draft the specific written schedule to bring into mediation or enter onto Form JDF 1113, and a general parenting plan guide covers what goes into a strong plan regardless of jurisdiction.

Official Colorado resources

FAQ

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This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Family law varies by individual circumstances and may change over time. Consult a qualified attorney or appropriate official resource for advice about your situation.