Does Virginia have an official parenting plan form?

No. Unlike some states, Virginia does not have a single statewide mandated parenting plan form. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations (J&DR) District Court forms library covers custody petitions, the factors considered at a hearing (Form DC-574), and jurisdiction affidavits (Form DC-620), but no standalone parenting plan template. Parents (or their attorneys) draft the plan itself, which then becomes part of the custody and visitation order the judge signs.

Is a parenting plan the same thing as a custody and visitation order?

Related, but not identical. The custody and visitation order is the court's binding ruling, issued under Va. Code § 20-124.2, on legal custody, physical custody, and visitation. The parenting plan is the detailed schedule and set of arrangements, the regular rotation, holidays, transportation, and decision-making specifics, that gets written into or attached to that order so it's actually workable day to day.

Do both parents have to agree on the parenting plan?

Ideally, yes. Va. Code § 20-124.2 directs courts to use mediation as an alternative to litigation where appropriate, and an agreed plan reached through mediation is typically submitted to the court as a proposed order. If parents can't agree, the J&DR court decides the specifics itself, based on the best interest of the child under the 10 factors in Va. Code § 20-124.3.

Is a parent education seminar required before a Virginia custody case is heard?

Yes, in contested cases. Under Va. Code §§ 16.1-278.15 and 20-103, parties in a contested custody, visitation, or support matter generally must show proof of attending a qualified parent education seminar, at least four hours long, within 12 months before the hearing or commit to attending within 45 days after. Courts can grant exemptions for good cause or if no program is reasonably available.

Which Virginia court handles custody and parenting plans?

The Juvenile and Domestic Relations (J&DR) District Court in the child's district generally handles custody and visitation matters. Circuit Courts may also address custody and visitation as part of a divorce case.

Virginia, United States

Virginia Parenting Plans: What Parents Need to Know

What a parenting plan needs to cover in a Virginia custody case, why Virginia doesn't use a single statewide parenting plan form, and how it relates to the custody and visitation order.

Legal sources reviewed: August 11, 2026

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In short: Virginia doesn't use a single statewide mandated parenting plan form. Instead, under Va. Code § 20-124.2, parents work out (often through mediation) or the Juvenile and Domestic Relations (J&DR) District Court decides a custody and visitation arrangement, based on the 10 best-interest factors in Va. Code § 20-124.3, and the operational schedule and logistics, what most states call a "parenting plan", gets written into or attached to that order. The substance a strong plan needs to cover is the same regardless of the missing form: the regular schedule, holidays, transportation, and decision-making.

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 Virginia family law attorney or use Virginia's Judicial System self-help resources.

What a Virginia parenting plan needs to cover

Even without an official statewide template, a complete plan generally addresses the same ground courts and mediators expect to see resolved:

The regular 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.
Legal custody and decision-making: how education, health care, and religious decisions get made, jointly or by one parent, and the process if parents disagree. Virginia's 10 best-interest factors under § 20-124.3 include each parent's role in the child's upbringing and willingness to support the child's relationship with the other parent, both directly relevant to how this section gets written.
Communication expectations: how parents coordinate about the child, separate from the schedule itself.

Virginia's actual mechanism: no single form, court-ordered arrangements under § 20-124.2

Some states (California, for example) use a standard court form to attach a specific parenting schedule to a custody case. Virginia does not. Its Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court forms library includes a petition for custody, Form DC-574 (the factors a judge considers under §§ 16.1-278.15 and 20-124.3), and Form DC-620 (a jurisdiction affidavit under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act), but no standalone parenting plan template.

Instead, Va. Code § 20-124.2 directs courts toward mediation "as an alternative to litigation where appropriate," with mediation goals that explicitly include "development of a proposal addressing the child's residential schedule and care arrangements, and how disputes between the parents will be handled in the future." In practice, that means the plan itself, however detailed, is drafted by the parents (often with an attorney or mediator) or, if they can't agree, worked out by the court, and then incorporated into the custody and visitation order rather than filed on a separate standardized form. The statute also lets courts use "parenting time" interchangeably with "visitation," so you may see either term in your order.

How a parenting plan relates to the custody and visitation order

The custody and visitation order is the J&DR court's binding ruling on legal custody (decision-making) and physical custody (residence), issued under Va. Code § 20-124.2 after weighing the § 20-124.3 best-interest factors. The parenting plan is the operational detail underneath that ruling: the actual schedule and logistics that make the order workable day to day. Because Virginia doesn't require a separate standardized parenting plan document, the level of schedule detail written directly into the order varies by case, which makes it worth being deliberate about covering every category above rather than assuming the court will fill in gaps later.

Reaching an agreed plan

If parents can agree, Virginia courts favor working it out through mediation under § 20-124.2 rather than litigation, with the resulting agreement submitted as a proposed order for the judge to sign. In contested cases, both parents generally must also complete a qualified parent education seminar (at least four hours, covering the effects of separation on children, parenting responsibilities, and conflict resolution) under Va. Code §§ 16.1-278.15 and 20-103, showing proof of attendance within 12 months before the hearing or committing to attend within 45 days after. If parents still can't agree, the J&DR District Court decides the specifics itself, based on the child's best interest under the 10 factors in § 20-124.3.

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 a J&DR hearing, and a general parenting plan guide covers what goes into a strong plan regardless of jurisdiction.

Official Virginia resources

FAQ

Questions, answered

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.