How to Turn Your Agreement Into a Consent Order in Alberta

If you and the other parent have worked out how to share parenting or what support will be paid, you may want that agreement to carry the force of a court order. A signed agreement between the two of you is a good start, but it is not the same thing as an order the court has approved.

This article walks through how a consent order generally works in the Alberta Court of King's Bench, what you will need to do at each step, the limits to watch for, and where you can get free help with forms. Details can differ by location and by your situation, so confirm your own steps with the court or a lawyer.

This article covers the law of Alberta.

What a consent order can cover

Parents who agree on custody or parenting time, child support, or spousal or partner support can have the terms made into a Consent Order. The order is something a judge signs, which is what gives your agreement court backing.

There are two limits to keep in mind. An agreement cannot be filed on its own with the court, and it cannot be used to change an existing court order. If you already have an order, the process for changing it is different, and a lawyer or a court forms information coordinator can help you sort out which route fits.

The steps in the Court of King's Bench

The steps below follow the Alberta government's process for a consent order or for changing a parenting agreement. Since the Family Focused Protocol took effect, King's Bench also has a Desk Process stream for Time-Sensitive Consent Orders, which can be filed by email, so check with the court which steps apply to your order.

• Choose the information pack that matches your issue.
• Complete the Consent Order and Ex Parte Application.
• Both of you sign in front of one or two witnesses, and each of you completes an Affidavit of Execution before a Commissioner of Oaths.
• Get the judge's signature. In Edmonton, this goes through a court forms information coordinator. Elsewhere, it is done in Morning Chambers.
• File the original plus two copies with the clerk.
• Give the filed copy to the other party.

In Edmonton, a Child Support Data Sheet is also required. Ask the court or a coordinator what else your particular application needs.

If you are the payor applying to reduce support

If you are the payor and you apply to reduce support, you keep paying the existing amount until a court makes an order. How this applies to other support changes or to an informal understanding with the other parent depends on your situation, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer.

Where to get free help

• Court forms information coordinators give free help finding court forms, understanding when to use them and how to fill them out.
• Coordinators are in Calgary, Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Red Deer for civil, criminal and family matters, and in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat for family matters only. They are open Monday to Friday, 8:15 am to 4 pm.
• Family Court Counsellors are a free resource for self-represented people in parenting disputes. They help choose and complete forms for parenting, contact, guardianship and access-enforcement applications.
• Family Court Counsellors do not help with child or spousal support applications, cannot give legal advice and do not advocate for either side. You can reach Court and Justice Services at 1-855-738-4747 toll free.

Family Court Counsellors cannot give legal advice, and the help coordinators give is with finding and completing forms. If you are unsure whether your agreement is fair or complete, a lawyer can review it before you sign.

How docket courts and time-sensitive consent orders fit in

In King's Bench Family Docket Court in Calgary and Edmonton, family matters are first scheduled so the court can assess which services and processes suit the family. The judge first explores a consent order and, if needed, schedules a more formal process such as chambers.

In the Provincial Court (Court of Justice) docket court, the judge asks whether the parties have reached agreement. If so, the judge hears the agreement and the Judicial Court Clerk may incorporate some or all of it into a court order.

The King's Bench Family Focused Protocol took effect January 2, 2026 and applies to Family and Divorce proceedings at all Court of King's Bench judicial centres. Under it, Time-Sensitive Consent Orders are one Desk Process stream, and orders in that stream can be filed by email and are referred to a designated Family Roster Justice. Parties seeking relief in a family proceeding generally must complete the Family Justice Strategy mandatory requirements unless the matter is urgent or a waiver has been obtained, and whether those requirements apply to a consent order depends on your situation. Whether your consent order fits the Desk Process stream depends on your situation, so it is worth confirming with the court or a lawyer.

What to do next

• Write down exactly what you have agreed on, including parenting time, support amounts and dates.
• Check whether an existing court order already covers these issues, since an agreement cannot change one on its own.
• Ask a court forms information coordinator for help finding the right court forms and understanding when to use them.
• Arrange for witnesses and a Commissioner of Oaths for the signing step.
• If you are the payor and have applied to reduce support, keep paying the existing amount until a court makes an order.
• Consider a lawyer review if your agreement involves complex finances or you are unsure about its terms.

Frequently asked questions