Tennessee Divorce With Children — Permanent Parenting Plan and Child Support (2026)

If you have minor children, two documents are required before the Tennessee Divorce Decree is entered: the Permanent Parenting Plan (PPP) and a Child Support Order. Additionally, both parents must complete a parent education seminar.

Permanent Parenting Plan (PPP) — Required

Tennessee uses an official statutory PPP form (available at tncourts.gov). The PPP is not optional and cannot be replaced by a generic "custody agreement."

What the PPP Must Include

Primary residential parent: The parent with whom the child lives the majority of the time. Designation matters for school enrollment, insurance, and child support calculation.

Residential parenting schedule:

  • School year: specific days and times with each parent
  • Summer vacation schedule
  • Holiday schedule: each named holiday (Christmas, Thanksgiving, spring break, Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays) with alternation pattern

Decision-making authority:

  • Major decisions (education, non-emergency healthcare, extracurricular activities, religious instruction): joint or designated to one parent
  • Day-to-day decisions: made by the parent the child is currently with

Dispute resolution: Process for resolving parenting disagreements — mediation, parent coordinator, or return to court.

Modification: A PPP can be modified later only upon a material change of circumstances.

Best Interest Factors (TCA §36-6-106)

Tennessee courts evaluate the child's best interests using statutory factors, including:

  1. Love, affection, and emotional ties between each parent and child
  2. Disposition of each parent to provide food, clothing, medical care, and other necessities
  3. Importance of continuity in the child's life
  4. Stability of the family unit
  5. Mental and physical health of each parent
  6. Each parent's past and potential future performance of parenting responsibilities
  7. Evidence of child abuse or domestic violence
  8. Character and behavior of any person who resides in the household
  9. Reasonable preference of the child (if age and maturity permit)
  10. Each parent's willingness to encourage a relationship between the child and the other parent

Child Support Guidelines (TCA §36-5-101)

Tennessee uses the Income Shares Model.

Key calculation factors:

  • Both parents' gross monthly incomes
  • Number of children
  • Parenting time schedule (Standard, Maximum, Split, or Alternating)
  • Health insurance premiums for the children
  • Work-related childcare expenses

Standard parenting time = non-primary parent has fewer than 92 overnights/year. Maximum parenting time = non-primary parent has 92+ overnights/year (adjusted calculation).

Use Tennessee's online child support calculator (tncourts.gov) to complete the Child Support Worksheet.

Duration: Child support continues until age 18. If the child is in high school at 18, support continues until graduation (not past age 19).

Parent Education Seminar (Required)

Tennessee requires both parents to complete a court-approved parent education seminar (also called a parenting class) before the Decree is entered. The seminar covers the effects of divorce on children and co-parenting strategies.

  • Register early — seminars fill up and have limited scheduling
  • Complete during the 90-day waiting period (not after)
  • Fee: typically $25–$75
  • Online options are available in most Tennessee counties
  • Bring certificate of completion to submit with final papers

Last reviewed: March 2026 | PPP required for Tennessee divorces with minor children | tncourts.gov | Parent education seminar required

Last reviewed: March 2026 · Verify current fees and forms with your local court before filing.