South Dakota Parenting Time Calculator

South Dakota calculates parenting time by counting the number of overnights each parent has per year out of 365 total nights. This overnight count converts to a percentage that determines child support adjustments. For example, 180 overnights equals 49.3% parenting time, while alternating weekends plus Wednesday overnights typically yields 30-35%. Under SDCL § 25-7-6.27, the specific overnight percentage affects whether shared parenting cross-credits apply.

South Dakota requires each parent to have at least 180 overnights per year (approximately 49.3%) to qualify for shared parenting child support adjustments under SDCL § 25-7-6.27. This 180-night threshold is notably higher than many states. When both parents meet this threshold and share parenting duties proportionally, the court may apply a cross-credit formula that multiplies the base support obligation by 1.5 before calculating each parent's prorated share.

A 2-2-3 custody schedule in South Dakota rotates children between parents in a repeating two-week pattern: Parent A has Monday-Tuesday, Parent B has Wednesday-Thursday, then weekends alternate. This schedule results in exactly 50/50 parenting time (182.5 overnights each), exceeding South Dakota's 180-night threshold for shared custody child support cross-credits. The 2-2-3 works well when parents live in the same school district and can manage frequent transitions.

In South Dakota, parenting time directly affects child support when both parents have at least 180 overnights annually. Under SDCL § 25-7-6.27, the court applies a five-step cross-credit formula: the combined obligation is multiplied by 1.5, each parent's share is calculated based on income percentage, then prorated by overnight percentage, and finally offset. The parent owing more pays the difference. Below 180 overnights, standard guidelines apply without adjustment.

Yes, South Dakota allows parenting plan modifications, but contested orders require proving a substantial change in circumstances affecting the child's best interests under the Jones v. Jones (1988) standard. For agreed-upon orders, the standard is less strict—you must show the modification serves the child's welfare. File a Petition to Modify Custody with the same court that issued the original order. Common qualifying changes include relocation, employment shifts, or significant changes in a parent's living situation.

South Dakota's Parenting Guidelines (Form UJS-302) recommend age-specific schedules for children under 5. For toddlers ages 12-36 months, guidelines suggest three custodial periods per week of up to eight hours each, with one overnight per week if the child is not breastfeeding. For preschoolers ages 3-5, one overnight on alternate weekends plus one midweek visit is typical. These shorter, more frequent visits help maintain attachment while respecting developmental needs.

South Dakota Parenting Guidelines divide major holidays on an alternating yearly basis. Thanksgiving runs from Wednesday evening through Sunday evening, alternating between odd and even years. Christmas is split into Christmas Eve (8 a.m. December 24 to 8 a.m. December 25) and Christmas Day (8 a.m. December 25 to 8 a.m. December 26), with parents alternating which portion they receive each year. Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day also alternate annually.

First right of refusal is an optional provision parents can include in their South Dakota parenting plan under SDCL § 25-4A-12. It requires a parent to offer the other parent the opportunity to care for the children before using a babysitter or third-party care. Parents typically set a time threshold (commonly 5-8 hours) that triggers this requirement. Since the 2022 guideline updates, non-custodial parents can now use daycare without returning the child to the other parent.