A question that comes up over and over is about moving with kids. In Montana, just because a child lives primarily with one parent, does not give that primary parent an automatic to move. The parent who desires to move with the child must seek permission from the Court.

Here is the law on moving:

Notice Of Intent To Move

40-4-217. Notice of intent to move. (1) A parent who intends to change residence shall, unless precluded under 40-4-234, provide written notice to the other parent.

(2) (a) If a parent’s change in residence will significantly affect the child’s contact with the other parent, the parent who intends to change residence shall, pursuant to 40-4-219, file a motion for amendment of the residential schedule and a proposed revised residential schedule with the court that adopted the residential schedule or the court to which jurisdiction or venue over the child has been transferred. The motion must be served personally or by certified mail on the other parent and served pursuant to the Montana Rules of Civil Procedure on the parent’s attorney of record, if the parent has an attorney of record, not less than 30 days before the proposed change in residence.

(b) The notice pursuant to this subsection (2) is not sufficient unless it contains the following statement: “The relocation of the child may be permitted and the proposed revised residential schedule may be ordered by the court without further proceedings unless within 21 days you file a response and alternate revised residential schedule with the court and serve your response on the person proposing the move and all other persons entitled by the court order to residential time or visitation with the child.”

(3) The parent who receives service of a motion to amend the parenting plan pursuant to this section has 21 days after service of the motion to file a response. If the parent receiving notice objects to the proposed revised residential schedule, the responding parent shall include an alternate proposed revised residential schedule with the response. The response must be served as provided for by the Montana Rules of Civil Procedure on the parent proposing to change residence or on the parent’s attorney of record if the parent has an attorney of record.

(4) If a parent is properly served with a motion to amend the parenting plan pursuant to this section, failure to file a response within the 21-day period constitutes acceptance of the proposed revised residential schedule.

(5) A person entitled to file an objection to the proposed relocation of the child may file the objection regardless of whether the person has received proper notice.


Proper notice must be given. The notice must contain the bold portion above.

The notice also must allow time for the judge to hear the objection. This happens often: a parent gives a notice of intent to move and plans to move with the kid in 30 days. The other parent files an objection within 21 days. The judge then sets the hearing for 60 days out, after receiving the objection.

Don’t create a crisis for you, the kids, and the judge. Make sure that you give the notice and plan for these important factors: A) the judge cannot set hearings for at least 60-90 days in most cases due to case load. B) The hearing isn’t the end. The judge may not be able to rule ‘from the bench.’ This means that the judge may issue a written order in the coming weeks or months.

For this reason, it is advisable to give as much notice as possible. Also, it is advisable to attempt mediation and try and craft a parenting plan with the other parent that lets the move occur, but also gives adequate time.