Divorce in Alaska, start to finish
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Alaska’s courts hand you two entirely different legal processes — Dissolution and Divorce — and never quite explain which one is yours, or what happens if you guess wrong partway through. No counties to sort out, no residency countdown to run out the clock on. Just a state that assumes you already know the difference. This is the part that fills that gap.
Put in the day you filed and this page works out every deadline in your case, then hands you a calendar file that reminds you a week before each one and again the day before. It opens in the calendar you already use. Free, no account, nothing stored.
Put in the day you filed and this page works out every date in your case, then hands you a calendar file that reminds you a week before each one and again the day before. It opens in the calendar you already use. Free, no account, nothing stored.
Which forms do you actually need?
Your route and its conditions, the forms grouped by route, how filing actually works in Alaska, and the sequence with its costs.
First, which route you are on. Each one opens to the conditions the rule actually sets.
Dissolution — spouses filing together
AS 25.24.200–.210 · Packets 1 and 2
Available only where all of these are true:
- At least one spouse is domiciled in Alaska.
- The spouses agree on absolutely everything — every asset and debt, spousal support, and, where there are children, custody, parenting time and child support — in writing, before filing.
- Both spouses will sign the same petition as joint petitioners.
Dissolution — one spouse filing alone
AS 25.24.200–.260 and Civil Rule 90.1 · Packet 3
Available only where all of these are true:
- At least one spouse is domiciled in Alaska.
- The filing spouse does not know where the other spouse is, despite real effort to find them.
- The search is documented in form DR-210, the Affidavit of Diligent Inquiry.
Uncontested Divorce
AS 25.24.050 · Packets 4, 5 and 6
Available only where all of these are true:
- At least one spouse is domiciled in Alaska.
- The spouses agree on every issue, but one spouse files and the other signs the same complaint rather than co-petitioning.
- For Packet 6 instead of Packet 5: the marriage lasted 2 years or less, there is no jointly-titled property, no real estate either spouse considers marital, no minor children, and neither spouse contributed to a retirement account during the marriage.
Divorce — Complaint and Answer
AS 25.24.050
This is the route wherever any of these is true:
- The spouses do not yet agree on everything, or are still working pieces out.
- One spouse will not sign the same complaint as the other.
Grouped exactly as Alaska labels them, and nothing is added. Every one links to the official PDF.
All 3 forms
Dissolution — one spouse 5 forms
Dissolution — together 8 forms
- DR-1 — Packet 1 — Dissolution With Minor Children (combined PDF)
- DR-10 — Instructions — spouses filing together, with children
- DR-105 — Petition for Dissolution of Marriage — With Children
- DR-475 — Parenting Plan
- DR-2 — Packet 2 — Dissolution With No Minor Children (combined PDF)
- DR-15 — Instructions — spouses filing together, no children
- DR-100 — Petition for Dissolution of Marriage — No Children
- DR-110 — Request to Waive Appearance at Hearing
Dissolution — together, Uncontested Divorce 3 forms
Divorce 9 forms
- DR-815 — Packet — Complaint for Divorce With Children (combined PDF)
- DR-816 — Instructions for Complaint for Divorce with Children
- DR-817 — Complaint for Divorce With Children
- DR-832 — Answer & Counterclaim to Complaint for Divorce With Children (the responding spouse files it)
- DR-820 — Packet — Complaint for Divorce Without Children (combined PDF)
- DR-821 — Instructions for Complaint for Divorce without Children
- DR-822 — Complaint for Divorce Without Children
- DR-837 — Answer & Counterclaim to Complaint for Divorce Without Children (the responding spouse files it)
- CIV-106 — How to Serve a Summons in a Civil Lawsuit
Divorce, Uncontested Divorce 2 forms
Uncontested Divorce 10 forms
- DR-4 — Packet 4 — Uncontested Complaint for Divorce With Minor Children (combined PDF)
- DR-25 — Instructions for filing with children
- DR-50 — Uncontested Complaint for Divorce With Minor Children
- DR-5 — Packet 5 — Uncontested Complaint for Divorce Without Children (combined PDF)
- DR-30 — Instructions for filing without children
- DR-55 — Uncontested Complaint for Divorce Without Minor Children
- DR-6 — Packet 6 — Uncontested Divorce, No Property, No Children, Short Marriage (combined PDF)
- DR-35 — Instructions — no property, no children, short marriage
- DR-60 — Uncontested Complaint for Divorce — No Property, No Children, Short Marriage
- CIV-125S — Case Description Form (required if not using TrueFiling)
You are expected to e-file
The checklist is not something you file. It is your worktable — what to do, in what order, and what it costs. The forms are what reaches the court, and this is how they get there in Alaska.
- Portal
- TrueFiling (Alaska Court System eFiling)
- Paper
- Only through one of the five exemptions — no proof is required to claim one, though Administrative Bulletin 92 as revised on 6 October 2026 adds that 'some courts may require filers to submit form TF-820 with the initial exempt filing', so paper stays available to a pro se filer who needs it but may cost one extra form. Otherwise, once TrueFiling is live in your location, 'paper documents may be filed with the court only when TrueFiling is unavailable.'
- What it costs
- A processing fee is collected by the TrueFiling vendor, not the court, and is non-refundable; the Court System says so in its eFiling FAQ and its TrueFiling User Guide but publishes no amount. Support at TrueFiling told The Cusp by email on 21 October 2026 that the checkout screen shows only one 3 percent processing fee, so we count it as one charge, not two. We have not confirmed with the court whether it is the same charge as the 3 percent card convenience fee in Administrative Bulletin No. 95 (3 percent of the transaction — $7.50 on $250). That is vendor correspondence, not a published court schedule.
- Account
- Yes. A free TrueFiling account requires a valid email address. The court warns that 'the email you use for TrueFiling can be seen by other people in your case and can be searched by anyone' — a real safety consideration in a divorce.
- Worth knowing
- Alaska is one of the minority of states that DOES mandate e-filing for self-represented parties — but no proof is required to claim one of the five exemptions — subject to the 6 October 2026 revision of Administrative Bulletin 92, under which 'some courts may require filers to submit form TF-820 with the initial exempt filing' — which in practice makes paper filing available to most pro se filers who need it. Once TrueFiling is live in a location, 'paper documents may be filed with the court only when TrueFiling is unavailable.' Divorce/dissolution/custody/paternity court filing fee is $250 (fee schedule eff. 5/1/2023); fee waiver is requested on form TF-920.
Each step with the forms it names and the money it costs. The full detail of every step is in the section below. Print this part.
| # | Step | Forms it names | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm domicile | None named | — |
| 2 | Choose Dissolution or Divorce, and get the right packet | None named | $250 |
| 3 | Assemble, sign, and notarize your packet within 60 days of filing | None named | — |
| 4 | File with the court and pay the $250 fee | CIV-125STF-920 | — |
| 5 | If it’s a Divorce, not a Dissolution: get your spouse served or answering | CIV-106 | — |
| 6 | If your spouse can’t be located 4 consecutive weeks | DR-210DR-2 | — |
| 7 | Get a hearing on the calendar | DR-110DR-1 | — |
| 8 | Show up, and answer the judge’s questions | None named | — |
| 9 | VS-401 goes to Vital Records | None named | — |
Every figure here is this page’s own, from the costs section below. A fee waiver application is free to file and is listed with the forms above.
| Filing fee — divorce, dissolution, custody, or paternity (Adm. R. 9(b)) | $250 |
| Process server or certified mail, if you’re on the Divorce (not Dissolution) track | $60–$150+ |
| Paying the filing fee by card at TrueFiling checkout (3%, Admin. Bull. 95) | $7.50 |
| Notary for signatures not done at the clerk’s counter | $0–$25 |
| Remote/rural service or notary travel add-on (2nd & parts of 4th District) | $100–$400+ |
| Typical all-in, doing it yourselves, uncontested | $250–$550 |
The short version8 points · tap one to jump to it
- The four routes, and what the rule requires — Alaska Statutes give two separate ways to end a marriage, and the court system splits each of them again by who is filing.
- Every form Alaska publishes for a divorce — Every one is free from the Alaska Court System.
- Getting the forms and filling them in — Alaska's self-represented process is built around packets, not a single master form — and nearly every packet gives you a choice between typing on screen or filling in by hand.
- Your key dates, calculated — Alaska doesn't run on the rigid day-count deadlines some states use — there's no fixed statutory waiting period between filing and a decree.
- The order it actually happens in
- The rejection-proofing checklist — Every field in boxes 9–32 is required.
- Alaska's trap — the dissolution that quietly turns into a divorce
- What this costs, by judicial district — Alaska has no counties — it's organized into four judicial districts covering the whole state.
In this subject 8
1 · The four routes, and what the rule requires
The short version8 points · tap one to jump to it
- The four routes, and what the rule requires — Alaska Statutes give two separate ways to end a marriage, and the court system splits each of them again by who is filing.
- Every form Alaska publishes for a divorce — Every one is free from the Alaska Court System.
- Getting the forms and filling them in — Alaska's self-represented process is built around packets, not a single master form — and nearly every packet gives you a choice between typing on screen or filling in by hand.
- Your key dates, calculated — Alaska doesn't run on the rigid day-count deadlines some states use — there's no fixed statutory waiting period between filing and a decree.
- The order it actually happens in
- The rejection-proofing checklist — Every field in boxes 9–32 is required.
- Alaska's trap — the dissolution that quietly turns into a divorce
- What this costs, by judicial district — Alaska has no counties — it's organized into four judicial districts covering the whole state.
In this subject 8
Alaska Statutes give two separate ways to end a marriage, and the court system splits each of them again by who is filing. Dissolution (AS 25.24.200–.210) is a joint petition, and Alaska law requires the spouses to already agree on every single issue before it is filed. Divorce (AS 25.24.050 and following) is the process everyone else uses — filed by one spouse, with the other responding — and it is what the case falls back to the moment full agreement is not there.
Before any of the four routes is available, Alaska requires at least one spouse to be domiciled here — physically present with intent to remain. Unlike most states there is no minimum number of days once that is met; but where neither spouse meets it at all, the court has no jurisdiction and the case belongs where one of them actually lives.
Dissolution — spouses filing together
AS 25.24.200–.210 · Packets 1 and 2
Alaska’s fast lane. Both spouses sign as joint petitioners and file the same paperwork together.
Packet 1 is the version with minor children; Packet 2 is the version without.
Available only where all of these are true:
- At least one spouse is domiciled in Alaska.
- The spouses agree on absolutely everything — every asset and debt, spousal support, and, where there are children, custody, parenting time and child support — in writing, before filing.
- Both spouses will sign the same petition as joint petitioners.
Because the agreement is already complete, the spouses can request to waive the in-person appearance at the hearing using form DR-110.
The agreement has to hold all the way to the hearing. See Section 7, “Alaska’s trap,” for what happens if it does not.
Dissolution — one spouse filing alone
AS 25.24.200–.260 and Civil Rule 90.1 · Packet 3
Alaska lets one spouse dissolve the marriage itself where the other genuinely cannot be located.
It requires a real, diligent search — internet searches, contacting people who might know, checking directories and locator services — documented in the Affidavit of Diligent Inquiry.
Available only where all of these are true:
- At least one spouse is domiciled in Alaska.
- The filing spouse does not know where the other spouse is, despite real effort to find them.
- The search is documented in form DR-210, the Affidavit of Diligent Inquiry.
This packet only ends the marriage. It does not divide property or debt, and does not decide custody, child support or spousal support. Where those are unresolved, a separate action is needed for them later.
Uncontested Divorce
AS 25.24.050 · Packets 4, 5 and 6
Where the spouses agree on the outcome but one of them is the filing party, the case runs through the Divorce statute rather than Dissolution — but because both still sign the same complaint, it stays uncontested.
Packet 4 is the version with minor children. Packet 5 is the version without. Packet 6 is a shorter version of Packet 5 for the narrowest case.
Available only where all of these are true:
- At least one spouse is domiciled in Alaska.
- The spouses agree on every issue, but one spouse files and the other signs the same complaint rather than co-petitioning.
- For Packet 6 instead of Packet 5: the marriage lasted 2 years or less, there is no jointly-titled property, no real estate either spouse considers marital, no minor children, and neither spouse contributed to a retirement account during the marriage.
Where the filing is not made through TrueFiling, form CIV-125S, the Case Description Form, is required.
Divorce — Complaint and Answer
AS 25.24.050
The standard route. One spouse, as Plaintiff, files a Complaint for Divorce, has the other served, and that spouse may file an Answer agreeing with some, all or none of it.
Neither Dissolution nor the jointly-signed Uncontested Divorce packets are available without full agreement — Alaska requires it for both.
This is the route wherever any of these is true:
- The spouses do not yet agree on everything, or are still working pieces out.
- One spouse will not sign the same complaint as the other.
Where genuine disagreement remains going into a hearing, this is the kind of case worth a consultation with a family law attorney — many offer a free first session, and Alaska Legal Services Corporation may be able to help those who qualify.
2 · Every form Alaska publishes for a divorce
The complete list, not a shortlist — because which forms a case needs depends on facts only you and, if you need one, your lawyer can weigh. Each row says which route it belongs to and carries the revision code the clerk’s office checks. Every one is free from the Alaska Court System.
The Cusp is not a law firm and cannot tell you which forms are right for your case. Everything here is general information about how Alaska handles divorce, and every form below is published free by Alaska itself — you do not have to buy anything from anyone to get them. If your situation is not straightforward, a consultation with an Alaska family lawyer costs far less than fixing a filing that went wrong.
| Form | What it is | Route | Rev. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR-1 | Packet 1 — Dissolution With Minor Children (combined PDF) | Dissolution — together | 1/26 | Download ↓ |
| DR-10 | Instructions — spouses filing together, with children | Dissolution — together | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-105 | Petition for Dissolution of Marriage — With Children | Dissolution — together | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-475 | Parenting Plan | Dissolution — together | 1/26 | Download ↓ |
| DR-2 | Packet 2 — Dissolution With No Minor Children (combined PDF) | Dissolution — together | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-15 | Instructions — spouses filing together, no children | Dissolution — together | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-100 | Petition for Dissolution of Marriage — No Children | Dissolution — together | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-110 | Request to Waive Appearance at Hearing | Dissolution — together | 7/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-3 | Packet 3 — Dissolution, One Spouse Filing Alone (combined PDF) | Dissolution — one spouse | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-20 | Instructions for filing alone | Dissolution — one spouse | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-200 | Petition for Dissolution of Marriage — One Spouse | Dissolution — one spouse | 7/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-210 | Affidavit of Diligent Inquiry | Dissolution — one spouse | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-211 | Order Regarding Diligent Inquiry and Notice | Dissolution — one spouse | 11/24 | Download ↓ |
| DR-4 | Packet 4 — Uncontested Complaint for Divorce With Minor Children (combined PDF) | Uncontested Divorce | 9/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-25 | Instructions for filing with children | Uncontested Divorce | 9/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-50 | Uncontested Complaint for Divorce With Minor Children | Uncontested Divorce | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-5 | Packet 5 — Uncontested Complaint for Divorce Without Children (combined PDF) | Uncontested Divorce | 9/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-30 | Instructions for filing without children | Uncontested Divorce | 9/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-55 | Uncontested Complaint for Divorce Without Minor Children | Uncontested Divorce | 8/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-6 | Packet 6 — Uncontested Divorce, No Property, No Children, Short Marriage (combined PDF) | Uncontested Divorce | 9/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-35 | Instructions — no property, no children, short marriage | Uncontested Divorce | 9/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-60 | Uncontested Complaint for Divorce — No Property, No Children, Short Marriage | Uncontested Divorce | 6/25 | Download ↓ |
| CIV-125S | Case Description Form (required if not using TrueFiling) | Uncontested Divorce | 3/26 | Download ↓ |
| DR-815 | Packet — Complaint for Divorce With Children (combined PDF) | Divorce | 12/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-816 | Instructions for Complaint for Divorce with Children | Divorce | 12/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-817 | Complaint for Divorce With Children | Divorce | 6/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-832 | Answer & Counterclaim to Complaint for Divorce With Children (the responding spouse files it) | Divorce | — | Download ↓ |
| DR-820 | Packet — Complaint for Divorce Without Children (combined PDF) | Divorce | 12/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-821 | Instructions for Complaint for Divorce without Children | Divorce | 12/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-822 | Complaint for Divorce Without Children | Divorce | 6/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-837 | Answer & Counterclaim to Complaint for Divorce Without Children (the responding spouse files it) | Divorce | — | Download ↓ |
| CIV-106 | How to Serve a Summons in a Civil Lawsuit | Divorce | 4/21 | Download ↓ |
| DR-150 | Child Custody Jurisdiction Affidavit — where there are minor children | Divorce, Uncontested Divorce | 6/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-305 | Child Support Guidelines Affidavit — where there are minor children | Divorce, Uncontested Divorce | 6/25 | Download ↓ |
| DR-306 | Shared Custody Child Support Calculation, if applicable | Dissolution — together, Uncontested Divorce | 9/23 | Download ↓ |
| DR-315 | Application for CSED Services — where there are minor children | Dissolution — together, Uncontested Divorce | 9/23 | Download ↓ |
| DR-316 | Information about CSED — where there are minor children | Dissolution — together, Uncontested Divorce | 7/23 | Download ↓ |
| DR-314 | Information Sheet (confidential) | All | 6/25 | Download ↓ |
| VS-401 | Certificate of Divorce, Dissolution, or Annulment | All | — | Download ↓ |
| TF-920 | Request for Exemption from Payment of Fees, if needed | All | 9/25 | Download ↓ |
Every one of these is free. Download fresh each time — the revision code at the bottom of the page changes more often than you would expect. Full catalog: courts.alaska.gov/shc/family.
3 · Getting the forms and filling them in
Alaska’s self-represented process is built around packets, not a single master form — and nearly every packet gives you a choice between typing on screen or filling in by hand. Here’s how it actually goes.
You are expected to e-file Required of you
- Portal
- TrueFiling (Alaska Court System eFiling)
- Paper
- Only through one of the five exemptions — no proof is required to claim one, though Administrative Bulletin 92 as revised on 6 October 2026 adds that 'some courts may require filers to submit form TF-820 with the initial exempt filing', so paper stays available to a pro se filer who needs it but may cost one extra form. Otherwise, once TrueFiling is live in your location, 'paper documents may be filed with the court only when TrueFiling is unavailable.'
- What it costs
- A processing fee is collected by the TrueFiling vendor, not the court, and is non-refundable; the Court System says so in its eFiling FAQ and its TrueFiling User Guide but publishes no amount. Support at TrueFiling told The Cusp by email on 21 October 2026 that the checkout screen shows only one 3 percent processing fee, so we count it as one charge, not two. We have not confirmed with the court whether it is the same charge as the 3 percent card convenience fee in Administrative Bulletin No. 95 (3 percent of the transaction — $7.50 on $250). That is vendor correspondence, not a published court schedule.
- Account
- Yes. A free TrueFiling account requires a valid email address. The court warns that 'the email you use for TrueFiling can be seen by other people in your case and can be searched by anyone' — a real safety consideration in a divorce.
- Worth knowing
- Alaska is one of the minority of states that DOES mandate e-filing for self-represented parties — but no proof is required to claim one of the five exemptions — subject to the 6 October 2026 revision of Administrative Bulletin 92, under which 'some courts may require filers to submit form TF-820 with the initial exempt filing' — which in practice makes paper filing available to most pro se filers who need it. Once TrueFiling is live in a location, 'paper documents may be filed with the court only when TrueFiling is unavailable.' Divorce/dissolution/custody/paternity court filing fee is $250 (fee schedule eff. 5/1/2023); fee waiver is requested on form TF-920.
Step one — download the whole packet, not just the piece you think you need
Every packet listed below is one combined PDF — instructions, every form, and the checklist, in order — free from the Family Law Self-Help Center:
courts.alaska.gov/shc/family — Family Law Forms
Alaska revises these constantly — DR-1 was updated in January 2026, DR-4/DR-5/DR-6 in September 2025, CIV-125S as recently as March 2026. The revision code is printed at the bottom of every page, like “DR-105 (8/25).” A saved copy from even a few months ago may already be superseded.
Step two — fill it in on screen, or by hand in black ink
Alaska’s forms are fillable PDFs — open them in Adobe Acrobat Reader, Preview, or a browser, type into the fields, and print or upload. If you’re filling out the VS-401 vital records certificate by hand, the instructions are explicit: black ink only, and if you make a mistake, start the form over rather than crossing it out — the Bureau of Vital Statistics rejects forms with corrections on them.
Step three — notarize within the 60-day window
Both spouses’ signatures on a joint petition or uncontested complaint generally need to be notarized within 60 days of the date you file. If you signed earlier than that — say your spouse notarized their signature months ago and you’re only just getting around to filing — you’ll need to attach form TF-835 rather than starting over. Notaries are available at most banks (often free for account holders), UPS Store locations, and mobile notaries; remote online notarization is also accepted.
A form signed the night before and just stamped later isn’t notarized — it’s signed. Bring valid photo ID and sign in the notary’s presence, in person or by an approved remote session.
Step four — file it: TrueFiling where it’s required, paper where it isn’t
Alaska’s statewide electronic filing system is called TrueFiling, and the Court System’s own eFiling FAQ now answers 'Is TrueFiling available for all court locations in Alaska?' with a flat 'Yes.' Self-represented filers are required to use it unless one of the five exemptions applies. Probate case types are the exception still on paper, with a transition planned by the end of 2026. Register and read the current rules at the Alaska Court System eFiling page. If you’re not using TrueFiling, attach form CIV-125S, the Case Description Form — it’s required for paper filings and one of the most commonly forgotten pieces.
The statewide filing fee for divorce, dissolution, custody, or paternity is $250 (Alaska Administrative Rule 9(b)) — the same everywhere, since Alaska charges by case type, not by judicial district. If you can’t afford it, file TF-920, Request for Exemption from Payment of Fees, with your petition. The clerk holds your case until a judge rules — most requests are decided within about a week.
4 · Your key dates, calculated
Alaska doesn’t run on the rigid day-count deadlines some states use — there’s no fixed statutory waiting period between filing and a decree. What Alaska does have are a handful of real, hard deadlines buried in the instructions. Put in your dates and we’ll calculate the ones we can — and tell you plainly where this guide can’t calculate for you and you need to call the clerk instead.
5 · The order it actually happens in
6 · The rejection-proofing checklist
These are the specific things that stall Alaska filings — every one of them costs weeks, and most of them are invisible until the clerk (or Vital Records) sends something back.
Signing, dating, and notarizing
Forms people forget
The VS-401 trap
Every field in boxes 9–32 is required. If something is genuinely unknown, the form’s own instructions say to write “Unknown” in text fields or all 9’s in date/number fields (“99/99/9999”, “999-99-9999”) — a blank field gets the record rejected by the Bureau of Vital Statistics, and an unrecorded divorce can block you from remarrying or getting a new license later.
7 · Alaska’s trap — the dissolution that quietly turns into a divorce
This is the one that catches people who did everything else right. Alaska law (AS 25.24.200) doesn’t let you file a joint Dissolution petition unless you already agree, in full, on every single issue — every asset, every debt, custody, parenting time, support, all of it. That agreement has to survive all the way to the hearing.
If it doesn’t — one of you has second thoughts, the judge decides the property split isn’t actually “fair and just,” or one spouse simply doesn’t show up to the hearing — you can’t just amend the dissolution paperwork and keep going. You have to file a separate Motion & Affidavit to Convert Dissolution to Divorce (SHC-1330) and a proposed Order (SHC-1335), and your case restarts as a Divorce: a new complaint, potentially service on your spouse, and — if you’ve now genuinely disagreed on something — a contested case, possibly with attorneys on the other side of the table.
“We basically agree” is not the same thing as “we agree, in writing, on every line item.” If any piece is still verbal, still being negotiated, or contingent on something else falling into place, you are more likely to end up converting mid-case — which costs you the time already spent, plus everything a Divorce complaint requires. When in doubt, use the Uncontested Divorce packet instead: it still needs full agreement, but the complaint/answer structure gives you a cleaner off-ramp if something changes.
Forms: SHC-1330 — Motion & Affidavit to Convert Dissolution to Divorce · SHC-1335 — Order Granting Motion to Convert
8 · What this costs, by judicial district
Alaska has no counties — it’s organized into four judicial districts covering the whole state. The $250 filing fee is identical everywhere, set by statewide Administrative Rule, not by district. What genuinely varies by district is everything downstream of filing: how far a process server has to travel, whether there’s a notary in town, and how much local attorneys charge.
| Judicial District | Main court locations | Filing fee | Member-reported attorney retainer, uncontested* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st — Southeast | Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Haines, Petersburg, Wrangell, Skagway, Craig, Hoonah, Yakutat | $250 | $3,500–$7,000 |
| 2nd — Northwest/Arctic | Nome, Kotzebue, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Unalakleet | $250 | $4,500–$9,500 |
| 3rd — Southcentral | Anchorage, Palmer/Wasilla, Kenai, Homer, Seward, Kodiak, Valdez, Cordova, Dillingham | $250 | $3,000–$6,000 |
| 4th — Interior/Western | Fairbanks, Bethel, Delta Junction, Tok, Nenana, Galena, Aniak | $250 | $3,800–$8,500 |
*Attorney retainer figures are member-reported, illustrative demo data for comparison only — not a quote, not a guarantee, and not from any official fee schedule. Actual attorney rates vary by firm and by case.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Filing fee — divorce, dissolution, custody, or paternity (Adm. R. 9(b)) | $250 |
| Process server or certified mail, if you’re on the Divorce (not Dissolution) track | $60–$150+ |
| Paying the filing fee by card at TrueFiling checkout (3%, Admin. Bull. 95) | $7.50 |
| Notary for signatures not done at the clerk’s counter | $0–$25 |
| Remote/rural service or notary travel add-on (2nd & parts of 4th District) | $100–$400+ |
| Typical all-in, doing it yourselves, uncontested | $250–$550 |
File TF-920, Request for Exemption from Payment of Fees, with your petition or complaint. The court holds your case until a judge rules on it — you generally can’t get a completed summons or move the case forward until that happens, so file it as early as possible, not the day you’d otherwise file everything else.
Does cheating change the money in Alaska?
No — the court is forbidden to weigh it at all. The rule: “without regard to which of the parties is in fault” (AS 25.24.160(a)(2)). How all fifty states answer this.
Reconciled, and it did not work? In Alaska that has a legal name and it can bar the ground outright: condonation, state by state. If the decision itself is what you are sitting with rather than the law, start here.
What this is. A guide to Alaska’s own process, built from Alaska Statutes Title 25, Chapter 24 (including AS 25.24.050, 25.24.200, 25.24.210, and 25.24.220), Alaska Civil Rule 90.3, Alaska Administrative Rule 9, and the official DR-, VS-, TF-, and CIV-series instructions and forms published by the Alaska Court System’s Family Law Self-Help Center at courts.alaska.gov/shc/family. The forms themselves are free and this guide links you to them rather than reselling them.
What this is not. The Cusp is not a law firm and does not practice law. Nothing here is legal advice, and nothing here tells you which choice is right for your particular situation — only what Alaska requires of each path. If your case involves contested custody, a business, hidden assets, domestic violence, or a spouse with a lawyer, talk to an attorney; many offer free consultations, and Alaska Legal Services Corporation (alaskalawhelp.org) is a free resource for those who qualify. Court staff, including clerks, are not permitted to give legal advice.
Confirm current numbers with the clerk. Filing fees, form revisions, and which court locations require TrueFiling are periodically updated by the Alaska Court System. Where this guide could not verify an exact figure, hearing timeline, or local requirement with confidence, it says so or points you to the clerk’s office in your judicial district rather than guessing.
Four things can happen to the house in an Alaska divorce
Alaska is not one of the twenty states where filing freezes both spouses automatically. That is not permission to sell: either of you can still ask a court for an order, and one may already exist in your case. But the automatic-order trap is not one you fall into here.
One of you buys the other out, you sell later, you sell now, or the court decides. For a great many people the right answer is not to sell at all – and three of the four routes earn us nothing.
The four routes, compared · Keeping it: the buyout and the carrying cost · Selling: capital gains, basis and timing · Finding an agent who has done a divorce sale · What two households cost
Need a vetted attorney, mediator, or financial analyst in Alaska?
Browse The Cusp’s professional directory — rated only by verified clients, never ranked by who paid the most.
Browse the directory →The Cusp · All 50 state kits · Find a professional · About
Ask for an introduction to an agent → — who we would introduce you to, what the referral fee is and who pays it, and why the answer is sometimes that you should not sell at all.
Everything we have written about Alaska specifically. Every figure on these pages is quoted from Alaska’s own statute or its courts’ own published schedule, and carries the date we last checked it.
- Modifying support after divorce
- Modifying custody and parenting time after divorce
- Check your state’s rules in one place (modification checker)
- What it costs to file
- Child custody
- Child support
- Guardians ad litem and child representation
- Travel, custody and relocation
- Alimony
- Property, support and legal fees
- Protective orders
- Changing your name back
- Legal help you can afford
- Verified professionals
The most expensive mistakes in a divorce are made in the year after it, by people who thought the case was over. After the divorce is the checklist for that year — the health-coverage clock, the retirement order a decree cannot replace, and the beneficiary form that outranks your will.
Filing is one household becoming two, and the second one starts empty. The two-household list is what to send the people who keep asking how they can help — the second of everything, and the half of it that costs nothing. Some people call it a divorce registry.
All 40 Alaska divorce forms, listed by the number the clerk will ask for — 40 with an official form number, 40 linked straight to the state’s own file, each with its revision date where the state publishes one. Open the Alaska form list →
Common questions about filing for divorce in Alaska
Short answers to what people ask most before they start. Each one points at the part of this page that covers it in full.
How do I file for divorce in Alaska?
This page sets out the order it happens in for Alaska: which form opens the case, what has to be served on the other person and when, and what the court needs before it will finish. It is written to be followed in sequence rather than read through.
What forms do I need to file for divorce in Alaska?
The form list on this page gives the official Alaska form numbers, each one’s revision date, and a link to the copy on the court’s own site rather than a copy hosted here. Using a superseded revision is one of the most common reasons a filing comes back, which is why the dates are shown.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Alaska?
$250 to open the case, and that is only the filing fee — it does not cover service, copies, any required class, or a lawyer. The full breakdown for Alaska, with every figure traced to the court’s own published schedule and dated, is at what it costs to file in Alaska.
What gets an Alaska divorce filing rejected?
This page has a section on exactly that — the specific mistakes that get a filing returned in Alaska rather than a general list. Most of them are procedural and cost weeks rather than money: the wrong form revision, a missing signature or notarization, service done in a way the state does not accept, or filing before a residency requirement is met.
How long does a divorce take in Alaska?
There is a timeline on this page built from Alaska’s own statutory day-counts, not from averages. The honest short answer is that the waiting period is a floor and not a prediction: an uncontested case can finish close to it, and a contested one is governed by the court’s calendar rather than the statute.
Where does the information on this page come from?
Alaska’s own courts and statutes. Every form links to the court’s site, every fee is quoted from the published schedule with the date it was last checked, and where something could not be confirmed from an official source this site says so instead of estimating. It is free, with no account and no paywall.
Does cheating change the money in Alaska?
No, and that is a deliberate choice in the statute rather than a gap in it. Alaska forbids the court to weigh marital misconduct when it sets spousal support, so evidence of an affair does not help you there and gathering it may cost money for nothing. Ten states do this, most of them in the same six words. The fifty-state table sets out the section this comes from, and the card higher up this page quotes your state’s own words.
Choosing an agent for a divorce sale is a different problem from choosing one for an ordinary sale: who the agent is allowed to talk to, who has to sign, what happens when one of you will not, and the three separate conflicts of interest that come up when one spouse found the agent first. How to choose a real estate agent for a divorce sale sets out what to ask, and how to check a credential yourself — no divorce credential is official with the National Association of Realtors.
The Cusp receives a referral fee from agents it vets and trains to handle divorce clients.
Key deadlines at a glance
These are the same deadlines the calculator above works out, shown as days counted from the day you file or the day your spouse is served. Use the calculator for your exact dates.
Dissolution or Divorce, spouse present
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Filed with the court | The day you file | The $250 fee is due now, unless you’ve filed TF-920. |
| Fee waiver ruling, if you requested one (estimate) | 7 days after filing | The court’s own guidance says most TF-920 requests are decided within about a week — this is an estimate, not a guarantee. |
Dissolution — spouse can’t be located
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Filed with the court | The day you file | The $250 fee is due now, unless you’ve filed TF-920. |
| Fee waiver ruling, if you requested one (estimate) | 7 days after filing | The court’s own guidance says most TF-920 requests are decided within about a week — this is an estimate, not a guarantee. |
| Earliest possible hearing (estimate) | 35 days after filing | Assumes the court approves your Affidavit of Diligent Inquiry right away and starts the required 4-consecutive-week notice posting immediately on filing. In practice the posting often starts later — treat this as the earliest floor, not a scheduled date. |
Your county
Divorce rules are set by the state, but each county or court has its own forms, deadlines, classes and filing habits. Choose yours.
Or go straight to your county or court:
Anchorage (call to confirm)Fairbanks (call to confirm)Juneau (call to confirm)Kenai (call to confirm)Palmer / Mat-Su (call to confirm)StatewideAnchorage Call or check the court website to confirm
Anchorage has public computers for TrueFiling filing. The court is at the Nesbett Courthouse, 825 W 4th Ave, open Monday to Friday 8:00 to 4:30. Local parent education requirements were not confirmed, so check with the clerk.
Who to contact: Customer Service (907) 264-0514
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Fairbanks Call or check the court website to confirm
Fairbanks has a location-specific form, DR-325 FBKS, for default domestic relations cases. The clerk’s office is at 101 Lacey Street, open Monday to Friday 8:00 to 4:30 and closed Wednesdays 8:00 to 9:00 am. Public TrueFiling computers are available. Parent education specifics were not confirmed.
Who to contact: Customer Service (907) 452-9277
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Juneau Call or check the court website to confirm
The Juneau court is at 123 4th Street, open Monday to Friday 8:00 to 4:30, with the clerk’s office closed Thursdays 8:00 to 9:00 am. Local divorce procedures were not confirmed.
Who to contact: (907) 463-4700
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Kenai Call or check the court website to confirm
No Kenai-specific information was verified. Contact the court for local details.
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Palmer / Mat-Su Call or check the court website to confirm
The Palmer court is at 435 South Denali Street, open Monday to Friday 8:00 to 4:30, with the clerk’s office opening at 9:00 am on Wednesdays. Public TrueFiling computers are available. Local divorce procedures were not confirmed.
Who to contact: (907) 746-8181
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Statewide
Process and forms are uniform statewide. Filing is at the court location nearest where at least one spouse lives, and e-filing through TrueFiling is expected unless the filer is exempt. Parent education must be completed before the divorce is final, and requirements vary by court location. Court-sponsored parenting plan mediation has no fee unless parents mediate additional issues.
Who to contact: Family Law Self-Help Center (907) 264-0851 or (866) 279-0851
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Not listed? Your county clerk of court can tell you the local rules. These are general information from court and clerk pages, last checked 2026-11-10, not legal advice.
Serving the papers in Alaska? A peace officer or a person the court appoints; whether you can serve is unclear. Deadline: 120 days. (As we read the rules on 29 October 2026.) See who can serve a divorce summons and whether you can do it yourself, and find Alaska in our state-by-state serving table.
Stay current
We re-check the law. We will tell you when your state’s changes.
One email, and only when something we have published about your state stops being true — a filing fee that moved, a statute that was amended, a form the court replaced. No newsletter, no sales, unsubscribe in one click.
We use your address for that one purpose. We do not sell it, and we do not add you to anything else. Privacy
How we can help
Understand the house first. Then talk to someone who gets it.
The house is usually the largest decision in a divorce, and the one people are least ready for. Here is what we do, in the order that makes sense.
1. Start with the facts, free
22 states have automatic orders that freeze both spouses the moment a divorce is filed, barring either one from selling or borrowing against the property. Is yours one of them?
Plain-English guides on what can happen to the house, what an automatic order stops you doing, and how the tax rules decide what a sale is worth. No account and nothing to buy.
- The four things that can happen to the house
- Selling the house: who signs, and the tax rules
- Keeping the house: the buyout and the carrying cost
2. Know when not to call an agent
Often the right answer is to wait, or to talk to your lawyer or an accountant first. We say so plainly. An agent is the wrong first call if nothing is filed, or if an order restricts what either of you can do with the property.
3. Talk to someone who gets it
When you do need an agent, we introduce you to a local agent who has completed our divorce real estate training and passed its 20-question exam. Before any introduction we check the license with the state regulator (any unresolved disciplinary action is a no), the agent’s closed sales, and a review rating of 4.7 or better. The introduction is free, and you are free to say no.
Ask for an introductionHow we are paid
You pay us nothing. Agents are not charged for the training, the exam or the free resources. If an introduction leads to a closed sale, the agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee out of its own commission, not out of your proceeds. A place on the panel cannot be bought.
General information, not legal or tax advice. The Cusp is not a law firm.
Selling a home in a divorce: what to ask a local listing agent
Selling the house is often the largest single decision in a divorce. These questions help you judge whether an agent has done it before. They do not replace your lawyer, who should approve the plan before anything is listed.
- Have you sold homes where both spouses had to sign, or where a court had to approve the sale? How many, and how recently?
- Does filing already restrain a sale in my state? Check the 50-state table and ask my lawyer before we sign anything.
- Who decides on price changes and which offers to accept when we disagree, and how will that be written down?
- Who pays the mortgage, taxes and insurance until closing, and what does the listing agreement say about it?
- Where will the sale proceeds be held until the decree says who gets what?
- How will you handle showings, access and lockboxes if we are not speaking?
- Will you give both spouses and both lawyers the same information at the same time?
- What happens to the listing agreement if we settle, reconcile or the case is delayed? What are the cancellation terms?
- Can I have your fee terms in writing and the names of past clients who sold during a divorce?