The minimum parent-time in Utah for a child age 5 to 18 is one weekday evening each week, alternating weekends from Friday evening to Sunday evening, a rotating holiday schedule, and up to four weeks of extended summer time. That schedule comes from Utah Code 81-9-302 and applies when parents cannot agree on something else. It works out to roughly 80 to 95 overnights per year. A 70/30 schedule, by contrast, is about 110 overnights per year, and crossing 111 overnights changes the child support calculation from the sole custody worksheet to the joint custody worksheet.

Here is how Utah’s parent-time schedules work in 2026, what each one looks like on a calendar, and why the overnight count matters so much.

Utah has four statutory schedules

Utah recodified its family law into Title 81 in 2024 and amended the parent-time sections again in May 2026. The four schedules now live in Chapter 9, Part 3:

81-9-302: Minimum schedule, ages 5 to 18. The default when parents cannot agree and the court does not order something different. Formerly Utah Code 81-9-302.

81-9-303: Optional expanded schedule, ages 5 to 18. Adds a weekday overnight and extends weekends to Monday morning. The statute fixes this at 145 overnights and treats it as joint physical custody for child support. Formerly 81-9-303.

81-9-304: Minimum schedule, children under 5. An age-graduated schedule that increases time as the child grows. Formerly 81-9-304.

81-9-305: Equal parent-time schedule. A 50/50 rotation, typically 5-2-2-5, producing 182 or 183 overnights each. Formerly 81-9-305.

These are floors and templates, not ceilings. The court can order any schedule that serves the child’s best interests under the factors in Utah Code 81-9-206, and parents can agree to anything reasonable.

The minimum schedule in detail (81-9-302)

For a child between 5 and 18, the noncustodial parent is entitled to at least:

One weekday evening per week. Wednesday by default, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The noncustodial parent may instead elect a weekday from the end of school until 8:30 p.m.

Alternating weekends. Friday at 5:30 p.m., or from school dismissal if the parent elects it, until Sunday at 8:30 p.m. If a holiday falls on the Friday or Monday adjacent to the weekend, the weekend extends to include it.

Holidays. Split by odd and even years. Mother’s Day goes to the mother and Father’s Day to the father every year. The child’s birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break, and the federal holidays rotate. Beginning January 1, 2027, the holiday table is amended to add Juneteenth. We break down the holiday rules in Utah Holiday Parent Time: Who Controls It?

Summer. Up to four weeks of extended parent-time, two of which are uninterrupted, with notice deadlines in the spring. See Utah Summer Parent Time Broken Down.

The statute does not state a total overnight count for this schedule. Depending on how holidays and summer fall in a given year, it typically produces somewhere between 80 and 95 overnights. That is below the 111-overnight joint custody threshold, so child support is calculated on the sole custody worksheet.

The expanded schedule (81-9-303)

Utah Code 81-9-303 is the schedule most fathers ask about when they want more than the minimum but the other parent will not agree to 50/50. It adds:

A weekly overnight: Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. until school drop-off Thursday morning
Extended weekends: Friday at 6 p.m. (or school dismissal) until Monday school drop-off
The same holiday and summer provisions as the minimum schedule

The statute states this schedule equals 145 overnights and that “any impact on child support shall be consistent with joint physical custody.” To order it over the other parent’s objection, the court must find the parent has demonstrated involvement, the parents can communicate about the child, and the logistics work: distance between homes, work flexibility, and adequate housing.

What a 70/30 schedule looks like

“70/30” is not a statutory term in Utah. It describes any arrangement where one parent has the child about 30 percent of the time. Thirty percent of 365 nights is 109.5, so a true 70/30 split is about 110 overnights per year. Common ways to build it:

Every other weekend plus one weekly overnight. Roughly 52 weekend nights plus 52 weekday nights, adjusted for holidays and summer. This lands right around 105 to 115 overnights depending on the details.

Alternating weekends Friday to Monday, plus extended summer. Three-night weekends every other week yield about 78 nights, and a longer summer block pushes the total past 100.

A 2-2-3 rotation two weeks out of four. Less common, but some families alternate a week of near-equal time with a week of minimal time.

The important point is that 110 and 111 are on opposite sides of a line. Utah defines joint physical custody in Utah Code 81-9-101 as the child staying overnight with each parent more than 30 percent of the year, and the child support statute applies the joint custody formula at 111 overnights or more. A parent negotiating a 70/30 schedule should count nights on an actual calendar, because one extra overnight per year changes the support worksheet.

How overnights change child support

Utah child support is calculated under Title 81, Chapter 6. Both parents’ gross incomes are combined, the base obligation is read from the statutory table, and each parent is responsible for a proportional share. What happens next depends on the overnight count.

Sole custody worksheet (81-6-205): 110 overnights or fewer. The noncustodial parent pays their full proportional share. There is no credit for overnights.

Joint custody worksheet (81-6-206): 111 overnights or more. The parent with fewer overnights receives a credit. Overnights 111 through 130 are each multiplied by 0.0027 times the base combined obligation, and each overnight above 130 by 0.0084. The credit is subtracted from that parent’s share. The credit grows quickly above 130 nights, which is why the 145-overnight expanded schedule and the 182-night equal schedule produce significantly lower support than the minimum schedule.

The Utah Courts child support page links to the official calculator. For recent changes to the guidelines, read New Utah Child Support Laws for 2026.

The schedule for children under 5 (81-9-304)

Young children get a graduated schedule under Utah Code 81-9-304 that increases with age: short, frequent visits for infants, moving to a weekday evening and alternating weekends by age 3, with two two-week summer blocks for children between 3 and 5. When parents live more than 100 miles apart, the statute provides for virtual parent-time. The schedule steps up automatically as the child reaches each age band.

Frequently asked questions

Is the minimum schedule what I will get?

Only if you and the other parent cannot agree and the court does not order more. Many Utah courts now order the expanded or equal schedule when both parents have been involved and the logistics work. Read What Are the Chances of Getting 50/50 Parent-Time?

Can the court order less than the minimum?

Yes, when the child’s safety or best interests require it, for example where there is evidence of abuse, substance abuse, or a parent who has been absent. Supervised parent-time is addressed in Utah Code 81-9-207.

Does a 70/30 schedule count as joint custody?

It depends on the exact overnight count. At 111 or more overnights, it is joint physical custody under the statute. At 110 or fewer, it is sole physical custody with parent-time, even if everyone calls it 70/30.

What if the other parent lives far away?

Utah Code 81-9-302 includes provisions for parents who live more than 150 miles apart, with longer but less frequent blocks. Relocation of 150 miles or more requires 60 days’ written notice under Utah Code 81-9-209.

Talk to us about your parent-time schedule

The difference between the minimum schedule and an expanded or equal schedule is dozens of nights a year with your child and a meaningful difference in child support. Both are worth fighting for correctly. CoilLaw represents parents in custody and parent-time cases throughout Utah. Contact us to schedule a consultation.