Parenting plans—also known as custody agreements or custody and visitation agreements—are proposals submitted by parents for how issues involving children should be handled following a divorce or other proceeding in family court. The court will usually request the parents submit such a document proposing how conservatorship (decision-making), custody or possession, support, and other issues will be handled. The court may adopt some or all of these proposals and include them in the court’s order (divorce decree, child support and custody order), at which point the become legally enforceable.

In many states there is a standard possession order (SPO) that serves as the default terms for such matters, and as a useful starting point for parents who wish to modify it by agreement.

In Utah, parenting plans are required in cases involving child custody, as part of divorce or other family court proceedings. These plans outline how both parents will share responsibilities regarding their children, including decision-making authority (conservatorship), living arrangements (custody or possession), child support, and other relevant issues. Utah law encourages parents to work together to create a parenting plan that serves the best interests of the child. If the parents can agree on a plan, the court will typically review it and, if it meets the child's best interests, incorporate it into the final court order, making it legally enforceable. If parents cannot agree, the court may order mediation or make a decision based on the child's best interests. Utah does not have a standard possession order (SPO) like some other states, but the state provides guidelines and factors for the court to consider when establishing custody arrangements.