Michigan Parenting Time Guidelines: What Every Parent Needs to Know (2026 Guide)

What are the Michigan Parenting Time Guidelines?

The Michigan Parenting Time Guidelines are a set of sample schedules and recommendations published by the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) to help parents create parenting time arrangements after separation or divorce. They are guidelines, not law — courts are not required to follow them. But they are widely used by judges, Friend of the Court offices, mediators, and attorneys across the state as a starting framework.

Under MCL 722.27a(1), parenting time must be granted in accordance with the best interests of the child. Michigan law presumes it is in a child's best interests to have a strong relationship with both parents. A child has a right to parenting time with a parent unless the court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that it would endanger the child's physical, mental, or emotional health (MCL 722.27a(3)).

How parenting time is determined

If parents agree on a schedule, the court will order that schedule unless it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the agreed terms are not in the child's best interests (MCL 722.27a(2)). In practice, courts almost always approve agreements between parents.

If parents cannot agree, the Friend of the Court investigates and makes a recommendation to the judge. The court then considers the parenting time factors listed in MCL 722.27a(7):

1. Special circumstances or needs of the child
2. Whether the child is a nursing infant (under 6 months, or under 12 months if receiving substantial nutrition through nursing)
3. The reasonable likelihood of abuse or neglect during parenting time
4. The reasonable likelihood of abuse of a parent resulting from parenting time
5. The inconvenience and burden on the child of traveling for parenting time
6. Whether a parent can reasonably be expected to follow the court order
7. Whether a parent has frequently failed to exercise parenting time
8. Whether a parent has threatened to detain or conceal the child
9. Any other relevant factor

Common parenting time schedules

The Michigan Parenting Time Guidelines describe several schedule types. The most common ones used in practice include:

Every other weekend: The non-custodial parent has the children every other Friday evening through Sunday evening (approximately 52 overnights per year). This is the traditional "standard" schedule but is increasingly viewed as outdated because it limits the child's time with one parent.

Every other weekend plus a midweek overnight: Adding one weeknight overnight (typically Wednesday) to the alternating weekend schedule increases overnights to approximately 104 per year. This schedule provides more consistency for the child and meaningful mid-week contact with the non-custodial parent.

5-2-2-5 schedule: One parent has every Monday and Tuesday, the other has every Wednesday and Thursday, and weekends alternate. This produces a roughly equal split (approximately 182 overnights each) and gives both parents predictable weekday routines.

2-2-5-5 schedule: Parents alternate in a pattern of 2 days, 2 days, then 5 days. This also produces a roughly equal split. It means fewer transitions than a 5-2-2-5 but longer stretches away from each parent.

Week on / week off: The child spends one full week with each parent. This provides stability within each household but means a full week without seeing the other parent, which can be difficult for younger children.

Age-specific considerations: The SCAO guidelines provide different recommendations based on the child's developmental stage. For infants (birth to 12 months), shorter and more frequent visits are recommended. Toddlers (1-3 years) benefit from regular routines with gradual increases in overnight time. School-age children (6-12) can handle longer stretches and more complex schedules. Teenagers (13-17) often need flexibility to accommodate school, activities, and social lives.

Holiday and vacation schedules

Most parenting time orders include separate provisions for holidays, school breaks, and summer vacation. The typical approach is to alternate major holidays each year. Common divisions include:

Thanksgiving: One parent has the children from Wednesday evening through Sunday evening in even years; the other parent has them in odd years. Some families split the holiday itself, with one parent taking Thanksgiving Day through Friday and the other taking Saturday through Sunday.

Christmas/Winter Break: A common approach is to split the break in half. One parent has the first half (including Christmas Eve) in even years, and the other parent has the second half (including Christmas Day and New Year's). They alternate in odd years.

Spring Break: Alternating years, with the entire break going to one parent.

Summer: Many orders give the non-custodial parent extended summer parenting time — anywhere from two to six weeks. The custodial parent's regular schedule is suspended during the other parent's summer time. Written notice is typically required 30-60 days in advance.

Mother's Day and Father's Day: Children spend Mother's Day with their mother and Father's Day with their father, regardless of the regular schedule.

Children's birthdays: Some orders specify that the child's birthday is spent with one parent in even years and the other in odd years. Others allow both parents to celebrate on or near the actual date.

Change of domicile (moving)

If the custodial parent wants to move the child's legal residence more than 100 miles from the current home, they must get the court's permission under MCL 722.31. The parent must file a motion and demonstrate that the move is in the child's best interests. The court considers several factors, including whether the move will improve the quality of life for both the parent and child, the degree to which the move would improve the moving parent's financial situation, the feasibility of preserving the child's relationship with the non-moving parent, and the child's preference (if old enough to express one). Moving out of Michigan entirely — even if less than 100 miles — also requires court approval.

Enforcing parenting time

If your co-parent is not following the parenting time order, Michigan law provides enforcement mechanisms through the Friend of the Court. Under MCL 552.511(2), the FOC is required to assist you in preparing a written complaint regarding parenting time violations. Enforcement tools include makeup parenting time, modification of the parenting time schedule, fines of up to $100 per violation, community service, and contempt of court.

Important: You should never withhold parenting time because the other parent has not paid child support. Support and parenting time are separate legal obligations. Withholding parenting time can result in enforcement action against you.

How Autonomy helps with parenting time

Autonomy (autonomy.legal) helps you build a detailed parenting time schedule as part of your divorce documents. Paige walks you through the regular schedule, holidays, school breaks, summer, and special provisions, then generates parenting time language that is ready to include in your Judgment of Divorce. The overnight count from your schedule feeds directly into the child support calculation, ensuring consistency between your parenting plan and your support obligation.

For contested custody cases or cases involving relocation disputes, domestic violence, or substance abuse concerns, we recommend consulting a family law attorney. Verity (verity.law) provides professional-grade analytics that attorneys use to model how different parenting time schedules affect child support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "standard" parenting time in Michigan? There is no single standard schedule. Michigan's Parenting Time Guidelines offer sample schedules, but courts tailor the schedule to each family's circumstances. The most commonly used schedules include every-other-weekend with a midweek overnight (approximately 104 overnights/year) and various equal-time arrangements (approximately 182 overnights/year).

Can a father get 50/50 custody in Michigan? Yes. Michigan law does not favor one parent over the other based on gender. Under MCL 722.27a, parenting time is granted based on the best interests of the child. Equal parenting time arrangements are increasingly common, particularly when both parents are actively involved, live in the same school district, and can communicate cooperatively.

At what age can a child choose which parent to live with in Michigan? There is no specific age at which a child can choose. Under MCL 722.23(i), the court considers the child's reasonable preference if the court determines the child is old enough to express a preference. In practice, most judges begin giving weight to a child's preference around age 10-12, with increasing weight as the child gets older. However, the child's preference is only one of 12 best interest factors — it is never the sole determining factor.

Can parenting time be modified after the divorce? Yes. Either parent can file a motion to modify parenting time if there has been a change in circumstances or proper cause. The court will evaluate the request based on the best interest factors. Common reasons for modification include a parent relocating, a child's needs changing as they age, one parent consistently failing to exercise parenting time, or new safety concerns.

What is supervised parenting time? When there are concerns about a child's safety — such as allegations of abuse, neglect, substance abuse, or domestic violence — the court may order supervised parenting time. This means a third party must be present during visits. Supervision can be provided by a family member approved by the court, a professional supervised visitation center, or a therapist or counselor. Supervised parenting time is typically a temporary measure, with the goal of transitioning to unsupervised visits as concerns are addressed.

How many overnights do I need for child support to change? Every overnight matters. The Michigan Child Support Formula adjusts the support obligation based on the exact number of overnights each parent has. Even increasing from 52 to 78 overnights per year (adding one weeknight) can reduce or increase support by $100-$300 per month, depending on income levels.