Apply for a Consent Order

Overview

If you and the other parent both agree with each other on the terms of parenting, you can apply to have these terms made into a Consent Order – a formal agreement between you and the other parent.

A parenting agreement outlines how parents deal with any or all of these situations:

• custody
• parenting time (access)
• child support
• spousal or partner support

The agreement can be:

• verbal, written, informal or formal
• attached to an affidavit or statement

The agreement can’t be:

• used to change a court order
• filed on its own with the court

How to apply

Step 1. Prepare the form

1. Choose the info pack that best matches your situation:
   • Consent Order - Custody and Parenting Time (Access)
   • Consent Order - Custody, Parenting Time (Access) and Child Support
   • Consent Order - Custody, Parenting Time (Access), Child Support and Spousal / Partner Support
   • Consent Order - Child Support
   • Consent Order - Spousal Support
   • Consent Order - Child and Spousal Support
   • Consent Order Blank – fill out your own situation
2. In your chosen info pack:
   • fill out the Consent Order form
   • sign the form with the other party in front of 1 or 2 witnesses (you can use the same witness)

Step 2. File your order

Do this at the same court, in the same location, where you’ve either:

• already been to court with the other party
• started any court action that hasn’t gone to court

If you haven’t done either of these things, file your claim at any court in Alberta.

Payors reducing support

If you’re the payor and are applying to reduce your support, the amount of support you have to pay won’t change until the court has made an order.

If you don’t come to court, the judge may make an order in your absence.