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Texas has a default parenting-time schedule called the Standard Possession Order (SPO), set out in Family Code Chapter 153. For children three and older, the SPO is presumed to be in the child's best interest, and this tool shows what it gives the non-primary parent based on how far apart the parents live. Distance matters: the schedule changes for parents within 50 miles, 50 to 100 miles, and more than 100 miles apart.
The SPO generally gives the non-primary parent time on the first, third, and fifth weekends, a weeknight visit, alternating holidays, and an extended summer period, with the details shifting by distance. An "expanded" SPO adds time by extending weekends to school pickup and drop-off. For children under three, there is no presumptive schedule — courts tailor a plan case by case. This is an explainer of the statutory default, not a prediction; a court can order a different schedule in the child's best interest.
The SPO is Texas's default parenting-time schedule under Family Code Chapter 153. For children three and older it's presumed to be in the child's best interest and typically gives the non-primary parent first, third, and fifth weekends, a weeknight, alternating holidays, and extended summer time.
The SPO adjusts based on how far apart the parents live — within 50 miles, 50 to 100 miles, or more than 100 miles. Greater distances change weekend, holiday, and summer terms. Our tool shows the schedule for each distance band.
An expanded SPO extends the non-primary parent's weekends by beginning at school dismissal and ending when school resumes, adding time versus the standard schedule. A parent can elect it in many cases.
No. For children under three there is no presumptive SPO; the court designs a possession schedule based on the child's needs and circumstances, often stepping up toward the SPO as the child grows.
Yes. The SPO is the default, but a court can order a different possession schedule if it's in the child's best interest. This tool explains the default; it doesn't predict what a court will order.
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