To file for divorce in Florida you file a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage in the circuit court of the county where either spouse lives, after at least one of you has lived in Florida for six months. If you and your spouse agree on everything, you will not normally see the inside of a courtroom — the case is decided on the paperwork.
Here is the whole process, in the order it actually happens.
Step 1 — Check that you qualify
Florida has two requirements before a court will hear your case:
- Residency. One spouse must have lived in Florida for at least six months before filing. This is proven with a Florida driver licence, voter registration, or an affidavit from someone who can confirm it.
- A ground for divorce. Florida is a no-fault state. In almost every case the ground is simply that the marriage is “irretrievably broken”. You do not have to prove adultery, cruelty, or who was at fault, and doing so rarely changes the outcome.
Step 2 — Work out which kind of divorce you have
This single question decides how much work — and how much money — your divorce takes:
- You agree on everything → an uncontested divorce. Cheapest and fastest.
- You agree, and you have no children or property → you may only need the documents preparing. That is our Do It Yourself (DIY) route.
- You agree, but share children or property → you will also need a parenting plan and property documents. See divorce with children or property.
- You do not agree yet → mediation is how most Florida couples get to agreement without a trial.
- You cannot find your spouse → Florida allows service by publication. See missing spouse divorce.
Step 3 — Prepare the documents
The exact set depends on your circumstances, but an uncontested Florida divorce usually needs:
- Petition for Dissolution of Marriage
- Marital Settlement Agreement, where you have assets or debts to divide
- Family Law Financial Affidavit for each spouse
- Notice of Social Security Number
- Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure
- A Parenting Plan and child-support guidelines worksheet, if you have minor children
- Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage for the judge to sign
Getting these right matters more than people expect. The most common reason a Florida divorce stalls is not a dispute — it is paperwork the clerk rejects and sends back.
Step 4 — File with the clerk and pay the filing fee
You file in the circuit court for your county. The court’s own filing fee is $408 depending on the county. That fee is paid to the clerk, never to us, and it is separate from any service fee you pay for having documents prepared.
Step 5 — Serve your spouse (or have them sign a waiver)
Your spouse has to be formally notified. In an agreed divorce this is usually the simplest step of all: your spouse signs an Answer and Waiver of Service in front of a notary, and no process server is needed.
Step 6 — Wait the statutory 20 days, then get the judgment
There is no waiting period to file for divorce in Florida. However, Florida law generally requires that at least 20 days pass after the petition is filed before the court can enter the Final Judgment of Dissolution. In practice, a straightforward uncontested case is often finalized in about 30 days, and cases with children or property typically take 30 to 40 days depending on the county’s workload.
Do you need a lawyer to file for divorce in Florida?
No. Florida allows you to represent yourself, and thousands of Floridians complete an agreed divorce every year without hiring an attorney. What most people actually need is not advocacy — it is the right documents, filled in correctly, filed in the right county.
That is exactly what a document-preparation service does. We prepare every required document for a flat fee, a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator reviews the case, and depending on the package we e-sign, notarize and e-file for you. See what each package costs.
Be clear about the limit, though: we are not a law firm and cannot give you legal advice. If you need someone to tell you what you are entitled to, or you and your spouse genuinely disagree about money or children and mediation has not resolved it, talk to a licensed Florida attorney.
