2026 Texas Standard Possession Order Calendar

If you’re co-parenting under a Texas Standard Possession Order (SPO), it’s your responsibility to keep track of the schedule. The 2026 Standard Possession Order Calendar sets out regular visits, holidays, and vacation periods for parents across the state. 

While every case may include modifications, the Texas Family Code offers this default framework. Each calendar shows how holidays rotate between parents depending on whether the year is odd or even. Ultimately, this default schedule can help reduce conflict between co-parents and create predictability for children.

What Is a Standard Possession Order?

A Standard Possession Order is the visitation schedule established under the Texas Family Code. It describes when the non-custodial parent will have their child, including:

• Regular weekends
• Thursday evenings during the school term
• Extended summer periods
• Alternating holiday schedules

Parents can always agree to a different arrangement. If they can’t, or if they’re unsure what a court might consider fair, the SPO was created to be in a child’s best interest. Courts often apply the standard order for children over three years old. Many families find it useful to keep a printable custody calendar or download the current Texas Standard Possession Order PDF to easily visualize the full schedule.

While every possession order should be tailored to each family’s unique circumstances, the Standard Possession Order Calendar is an easy starting point for co-parents to consider. 

Distance-Based Possession Schedules

The Standard Possession Order changes depending on how far apart the co-parents live. Texas has slightly different calendars for parents, including those living:

• 50 miles or less apart
• 51–100 miles apart
• More than 100 miles apart

The distance affects weekend frequency, mid-week visits, and how long the children stay with their non-custodial parent over summer break. The 50 miles or less and the 100 miles or less schedules are very similar. The main difference is that there’s more flexibility to choose certain days when parents live 51-100 miles apart.

Parents Living 100 Miles Apart or Less

Under Texas Family Code § 153.312, the default schedule for parents living 100 miles apart or less includes:

• Regular weekend and weekday visits: The non-custodial parent gets the first, third, and fifth weekends of every month from Friday at 6 pm to Sunday at 6 pm. They also get every Thursday evening during the school term from 6 pm to 8 pm, as long as it’s in the child’s best interest.
• Holidays and vacations: Holiday and vacation time override the normal weekend and Thursday schedules. In even-numbered years, the non-custodial parent has the whole spring break, and the reverse in odd-numbered years. Similarly, if the non-custodial parent gives written notice by April 1, they can choose up to 30 days during summer. This can be split into two chunks, each at least seven days long, starting and ending at 6 pm. The default is July 1 at 6 pm. through July 31 at 6 pm. There are also summer weekend options for the custodial parent as long as they give appropriate notice.

Parents Living Over 100 Miles Apart

Parents who live more than 100 miles apart can also choose between the “default” or “election” SPO calendar options. The biggest differences between default standard possession schedules for parents living over 100 miles apart versus under 100 miles apart are in the weekends, extended weekends, and weekday visits. 

The default options include:

• Regular weekend visits: The non-custodial parent gets the first, third, and fifth weekends of every month from Friday at 6 pm to Sunday at 6 pm.
• Weekends with Monday school holiday or teacher in-service day: Parenting time is extended through Monday, with drop-off at 6 pm. Monday.
• Weekends with Friday school holiday or teacher in-service day: Parenting time begins Thursday at 6 pm.

Extended weekends also look different: in the within-100-miles plan, a Friday holiday moves pickup to Thursday at 6 pm, and a Monday holiday extends possession to Monday at 6 pm. In the over-100-mile plan, a Friday holiday means pickup at school dismissal on Thursday. A Monday holiday extends parenting time through Tuesday morning at 8 am.

2026 Holiday and Special Occasion Schedule

The holiday schedule takes precedence over regular weekend or Thursday visits. Some key features include:

Odd vs. Even Year Holiday Rotation

In even-numbered years like 2026, the custodial and non-custodial parents switch certain holidays. For example:

• The non-custodial parent has possession for Thanksgiving in odd-numbered years.
• Christmas break is divided: in even-numbered years, the non-custodial parent gets the first half (from school dismissal until noon on December 28), and in odd-numbered years, they get the second half (from noon on December 28 until the day before school resumes).

Spring Break and Summer Vacation

This schedule changes by distance:

• Under 100 miles: The non-custodial parent has spring break in even-numbered years. They can either start at 6 pm on the day school is dismissed or at school dismissal, depending on the election chosen. Summer includes 30 days of extended parenting time, either fixed or chosen with notice to the custodial parent by April 1.
• Over 100 miles: The non-custodial parent gets spring break every year instead of just even-numbered years. Summer is the same 30-day extended period. However, because of the distance, the non-custodial parent may also choose to split the time into no more than two separate periods of at least seven consecutive days each.

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day

The parent who is being celebrated always has possession of the child, no matter what the regular weekend or holiday schedule would otherwise allow.

Religious and Cultural Observances

Texas law allows parents to agree to additional days of possession for religious or cultural observances. While the Standard Possession Order provides the baseline, parents can incorporate holidays such as Easter, Passover, Ramadan, or cultural events into their parenting plan. Courts encourage flexibility as long as it supports the child’s best interests.

Learn More from Our Experienced Family Law Attorneys Today

Whether parents live nearby or far apart, the statutory schedule offers consistency while helping children spend meaningful time with both parents. If you have questions about how the 2026 schedule applies to your family, or if you need modifications to fit your circumstances, contact the family law attorneys at Balekian Hayes, PLLC today.