The 11 Factors Florida Judges Weigh Before a Move
Florida Statute §61.13001 requires courts to weigh 11 statutory factors before allowing a parent to relocate a child’s principal residence more than 50 miles. Here’s what those factors actually mean and what tends to win or lose a relocation case.
It’s not just “can I move” — it’s “can I take them”
Under Florida Statute §61.13001, a parent doesn’t need permission to move themselves anywhere. They need permission to move a child’s principal residence more than 50 miles away for 60 or more consecutive days, unless the other parent agrees in writing or a court signs off.
That distinction trips people up constantly. You’re always free to move. Taking the kids with you is the part that requires either agreement or a judge’s order.
The 11 factors, in plain English
Florida courts weigh eleven factors, but they boil down to a few real questions: Is this move genuinely good for the child, or is it primarily about the parent’s convenience or new relationship? What has each parent’s involvement actually looked like day to day, not on paper? Can the relationship with the parent staying behind survive the distance, and is the moving parent actually willing to make that happen?
Courts also look hard at each parent’s history of stability — housing, employment, school consistency — and whether the reasons given for the move are the real reasons or a story built for court.
What actually wins and loses these cases
The strongest relocation cases show a genuine, child-centered reason for the move — better schools, family support, a stable home — backed up by a track record of actually being the primary caregiver. The weakest cases lean on a new partner’s house as the whole justification, especially when there’s a pattern of frequent moves, job changes, or school disruptions beforehand.
Judges notice patterns. A parent who’s moved many times in a short span is going to have a harder time arguing this move is the one that finally brings stability.
The move has to be about the kids, not just a new life
You’re allowed to want a fresh start. But if the case is built entirely around what’s better for you, expect the other side — and the court — to ask why the children should absorb that disruption. The strongest arguments connect the dots between the parent’s new circumstances and a concrete, provable benefit to the child: better school ratings, a bigger support network, actual stability that’s been missing.
Vague talk about quality of life without specifics rarely carries the day.
What to do before you pack a single box
If you’re the one who wants to move, get the notice requirements right before you do anything else — written notice to the other parent, filed correctly, before the move, not after. If you’re opposing a move, start documenting your involvement now: school pickups, medical appointments, the day-to-day proof that the current arrangement is working.
Either way, the case is won or lost on documentation, not intentions.
Talk it through before you sign anything
Your intake goes straight to our team — start with a free consult or move straight ahead.