**Sole physical custody** means that a child resides with and is under the supervision of one parent, subject to the court's power to order visitation. [[Cal. Fam. Code § 3007|Family Code section 3007]] supplies this definition. It does not automatically mean that the other parent has no contact with the child, nor does it guarantee a particular visitation schedule. ## In California Family Law Physical custody concerns the child's residence and supervision. [[Sole Legal Custody|Sole legal custody]] concerns authority over decisions about health, education, and welfare. The two should not be assumed to be identical simply because an order uses the word “sole.” Read each part of the order, including the parenting schedule and any conditions on [[Glossary/V/Visitation|visitation]]. An order might provide that a child lives with one parent and visits the other on specified weekends. Whether visits are supervised, limited, or otherwise conditioned depends on the order. The term “sole physical custody” alone does not answer those questions. The phrase [[Primary Physical Custody|primary physical custody]] is also used when describing parenting arrangements. Do not assume that it is interchangeable with the statutory definition of sole physical custody. The court's actual findings, terms, and schedule matter more than an informal label.