---
title: "How Do I Change a Custody Order in Quebec? ✦ Goldwater Droit"
canonical_url: "https://goldwaterdroit.com/en/faqs/how-do-i-change-a-custody-order-in-quebec"
last_updated: "2026-09-15T21:48:14.663Z"
locale: en
meta:
  description: "In Quebec, changing a custody order requires a material change in circumstances; the court then reassesses the child's best interests under s. 17 and art. 33."
  "og:description": "In Quebec, changing a custody order requires a material change in circumstances; the court then reassesses the child's best interests under s. 17 and art. 33."
  "og:title": "How Do I Change a Custody Order in Quebec?"
---

# How do I change a custody order in Quebec?

To change an existing custody or parenting order in Québec, you generally have to show a material change in circumstances since the last order—something significant affecting the child, a parent, or the arrangement, such as a relocation, a change in the child's needs, or a serious problem with the current setup. Once a material change is established, the court re-examines the arrangement and decides what now serves the child's best interests, under section 17 of the Divorce Act and article 33 of the Civil Code of Québec. Minor disagreements or ordinary dissatisfaction are not enough to reopen an order. Where the change is urgent, provisional or safeguard measures may address the situation while the variation is decided.

Divorce Act, s. 17 (variation) Civil Code of Québec, art. 33 (best interests)