Divorce in Arizona, start to finish

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Arizona calls it a “dissolution of marriage,” gives you the forms for free, and then leaves you to figure out the order, the 60-day clock, and the traps that stall a filing for weeks. That’s this.

Start with your dates

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.

Jump to the deadline calculator ↓

Built from A.R.S. Title 25 and the current Arizona Judicial Branch self-service forms, checked 08/2026
What do you need?
1 · The three routes2 · Every form Arizona publishes…3 · Getting the forms and filling…4 · Your deadlines5 · The order it actually happens…6 · Arizona’s trap: the…7 · What this costs8 · The rejection-proofing…
8 sections on this page. Pick one, or show everything.
Arizona DIY Divorce Kit

Which forms do you actually need?

Your route and its conditions, the forms grouped by route, how filing actually works in Arizona, and the sequence with its costs.

First, which route you are on. Each one opens to the conditions the rule actually sets.

Summary Consent Decree

Arizona Judicial Branch statewide packet · 60-day wait under A.R.S. § 25-329

Available only where all of these are true:

  • The marriage is a regular, non-covenant marriage.
  • Both spouses agree on everything — dividing property and debts, and, where there are minor children, legal decision-making, parenting time and child support.
  • Both spouses sign on as co-petitioners.
  • Where there are minor children: at least one attempt at Conciliation Services counseling has been made, or there is a documented reason it would be futile, and the children have lived in Arizona at least 6 months before filing.
Regular dissolution docket

A.R.S. § 25-312 and following · 60-day wait under A.R.S. § 25-329

This is the route wherever any of these is true:

  • The spouses have not agreed on everything.
  • The other spouse will not sign on as a co-petitioner — whether they will cooperate as a respondent or must be served.
Covenant marriage

A.R.S. § 25-903

Dissolving a covenant marriage requires proving one of the limited grounds in A.R.S. § 25-903:

  • Adultery.
  • A felony conviction with imprisonment.
  • Abandonment of a year or more.
  • Abuse or domestic violence.
  • Two years of continuous separation.
  • One year following legal separation.
  • Habitual substance abuse.
  • Mutual agreement.
The forms, grouped by the route they belong to

Grouped exactly as Arizona labels them, and nothing is added. Every one links to the official PDF.

All  11 forms
  • DRSDS10F-A — Family Court / Sensitive Data Cover Sheet — the version used where there are no minor children
  • DRSDS10F-C — Family Court / Sensitive Data Cover Sheet — the version used where there are minor children
  • DRD16F — Notice of Your Rights About Health Insurance Coverage
  • DR16F — Notice Regarding Creditors
  • DRCVG13F — Affidavit Regarding Minor Children — where there are minor children
  • DRCVG11F — Parenting Plan — where there are minor children
  • DRS81F — Child Support Order — where there are minor children
  • AOCDR97FORM19F — Joint Legal Decision-Making Education Order — where there are minor children
  • AOCDR97FORM20F — Sole Legal Decision-Making Education Order — where there are minor children
  • FEDIWOF — Income Withholding Order for Support (IWO), where support is ordered
  • AOCDFGF1F — Application for Deferral or Waiver of Court Fees or Costs, if needed
Regular dissolution  16 forms
  • DRDA10F — Petition for Dissolution of a Non-Covenant Marriage — without Minor Children
  • DRDC15F — Petition for Dissolution of a Non-Covenant Marriage — with Minor Children
  • DR11F — Summons
  • DR14F — Preliminary Injunction
  • DRRPA10F — Request for Protected Address (if applicable)
  • DR12F — Order and Notice to Attend Parent Education/Information Program Class — where there are minor children
  • DRCVG12H — Parenting Plan Information — where there are minor children
  • DRDA31F — Response to Petition, without Minor Children (the responding spouse files it)
  • DRDC31F — Response to Petition, with Minor Children (the responding spouse files it)
  • DRAD10F — Alternative Dispute Resolution Statement to the Court
  • DRS88F — Current Employer (or Other Payor) Information Form
  • DRD61F — Application and Affidavit for Default — where the other spouse does not respond
  • DRD68F — Motion and Affidavit for Default Decree Without Hearing
  • DRTP52F — Motion to Set Trial Date and Certificate of Readiness
  • DRDA81F — Decree of Dissolution of a Non-Covenant Marriage — without Minor Children
  • DRDC81F — Decree of Dissolution of a Non-Covenant Marriage — with Minor Children
Summary Consent Decree  7 forms
  • DRDSC10F — Notice of Intent to File Consent Decree
  • DRDSC10I — Instructions: Notice of Intent to File Consent Decree
  • DRDSC11F — Petition and Response for Summary Consent Decree
  • DR71F — Consent Decree for Dissolution of Marriage
  • DR71I — Instructions: How to Fill Out the Consent Decree
  • DRS81I — Instructions: Child Support Order — where there are minor children
  • FEDIWOI — Income Withholding — Instructions, where support is ordered
Your choice

You may e-file, but you do not have to

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 Arizona.

Portal
eFileAZ (statewide superior court portal); AZTurboCourt (guided-forms filing)
Paper
Still accepted — you can file over the counter.
What it costs
$6.50 for all documents submitted in a new case submission; $6.50 for each lead document submitted in a post-initiation submission; $3.80 if the filer elects to use electronic service. Card surcharge: the eFiling fee schedule lists a 3% payment processing fee for all transactions.
Account
Yes, a free account is required if the self-represented party chooses to e-file. No registration fee is published.
Worth knowing
Arizona draws the attorney/pro se line explicitly in the code itself — the single clearest sentence of any state in this batch. A self-represented divorce filer may e-file through eFileAZ or AZTurboCourt but is never required to, and may file at the clerk's counter. The e-filing application fees ($6.50/$3.80 + 3%) are separate from the statutory filing fee.
The sequence

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.

#StepForms it namesCost
1Confirm residencyNone named—
2File your petition packet the injunction starts hereDR14F—
3Get your spouse served their clock starts on serviceNone named$16 · $2.40 · $8 · $200
4Response due 20 days (in-state) / 30 days (out-of-state)DRD61FDRD68F—
5Parent education class before the decree, if you have childrenNone named$25–45
6Wait out the 60 days from service or acceptanceNone named—
7Submit or set the decreeNone named—
8Get the signed decreeNone named—
What it costs

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, statewide base (A.R.S. § 12-284)$261
Filing fee, actual total — Maricopa County$376
Filing fee, actual total — Pima County (eff. 6/1/2026)$436
Filing fee, actual total — Pinal County (eff. 12/28/2024)$321
Response/initial appearance, statewide base$172
Sheriff service of process, Maricopa (base + mileage + notary, $200 deposit)~$25–60
Parent education class, per parent (if children)$25–45
Typical all-in, doing it yourselves, uncontested$300–500
What this cannot do for you. It cannot tell you which forms your case needs — that depends on facts only you, and if you need one your lawyer, can weigh. Nothing here is new: every route condition, form label and figure is taken from this page’s own verified sections below. Download every form fresh, because clerks reject superseded revisions.
The short version8 points · tap one to jump to it
  1. The three routes, and what the rule requires — Arizona has a genuine fast lane most people never hear about — the Summary Consent Decree — and the regular dissolution docket everyone else uses.
  2. Every form Arizona publishes for a divorce — Every one is free from the Arizona Judicial Branch.
  3. Getting the forms and filling them in — Every Arizona form on this list is free, most are fillable, and self-represented filing is completely normal — Arizona's court system is unusually good at supporting it.
  4. Your deadlines, calculated — Almost everything in an Arizona dissolution counts from service of the petition (or your spouse's acceptance of it) — not from the day you filed.
  5. The order it actually happens in
  6. Arizona's trap: the injunction you never see anyone sign — Most restraining orders require a judge's signature before they're enforceable.
  7. What this costs — A.R.S. § 12-284 sets a statewide base, but county Boards of Supervisors are separately authorized (A.R.S. § 11-251.08) to add local surcharges on top — law library funding, conciliation court, document storage.
  8. The rejection-proofing checklist — Arizona's free self-service petition and Summary Consent Decree forms are written for non-covenant marriages.
In this subject 8

1 · The three routes, and what the rule requires

Arizona has a genuine fast lane most people never hear about — the Summary Consent Decree — and the regular dissolution docket everyone else uses. There is also a separate statutory track for covenant marriages, which the free statewide packets are not written for. Both dissolution routes are bound by the same 60-day floor under A.R.S. § 25-329, so “fast” here means fewer steps and no process server, not a shorter clock.

Before any route is available, A.R.S. § 25-312 requires one spouse to have lived in Arizona for 90 days before filing, or to be an active-duty service member stationed here for 90 or more continuous days. There is no way around it.

Summary Consent Decree

Arizona Judicial Branch statewide packet · 60-day wait under A.R.S. § 25-329

Arizona’s real fast lane. There is no process server; both spouses file together as petitioners, and many counties allow the case to finish without a hearing once the 60-day clock has run.

Available only where all of these are true:

  • The marriage is a regular, non-covenant marriage.
  • Both spouses agree on everything — dividing property and debts, and, where there are minor children, legal decision-making, parenting time and child support.
  • Both spouses sign on as co-petitioners.
  • Where there are minor children: at least one attempt at Conciliation Services counseling has been made, or there is a documented reason it would be futile, and the children have lived in Arizona at least 6 months before filing.

The 60-day wait under A.R.S. § 25-329 still applies on this route. Sources are not fully consistent on exactly what date starts that clock for a joint filing where nobody is formally served — confirm with your clerk when you file.

Regular dissolution docket

A.R.S. § 25-312 and following · 60-day wait under A.R.S. § 25-329

The route for every non-covenant case the Summary Consent Decree conditions do not cover.

It does not mean contested. Most regular-docket dissolutions in Arizona are entirely uncontested and self-represented once the paperwork is in. It means the service and 60-day machinery in Section 5 applies in full.

This is the route wherever any of these is true:

  • The spouses have not agreed on everything.
  • The other spouse will not sign on as a co-petitioner — whether they will cooperate as a respondent or must be served.

A cooperating spouse can often sign a written Acceptance of Service instead of being formally served by a process server — ask the clerk’s office for their local form.

Covenant marriage

A.R.S. § 25-903

A covenant marriage is one where both spouses signed a covenant marriage declaration at the courthouse when they got the license — a small percentage of Arizona marriages.

Arizona’s free statewide petition and Summary Consent Decree packets are written for non-covenant marriages, and the forms in the table below are those packets.

Dissolving a covenant marriage requires proving one of the limited grounds in A.R.S. § 25-903:

  • Adultery.
  • A felony conviction with imprisonment.
  • Abandonment of a year or more.
  • Abuse or domestic violence.
  • Two years of continuous separation.
  • One year following legal separation.
  • Habitual substance abuse.
  • Mutual agreement.

There is not a single clean statewide form for this. Your county’s self-service center, or an attorney, is where to confirm the right petition for the grounds being alleged before filing.

2 · Every form Arizona 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 whether the form is statewide or federal. Every one is free from the Arizona Judicial Branch.

This is information, not legal advice

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 Arizona handles divorce, and every form below is published free by Arizona itself — you do not have to buy anything from anyone to get them. If your situation is not straightforward, a consultation with an Arizona family lawyer costs far less than fixing a filing that went wrong.

FormWhat it isRouteScope
DRDSC10FNotice of Intent to File Consent DecreeSummary Consent DecreeStatewideDownload ↓
DRDSC10IInstructions: Notice of Intent to File Consent DecreeSummary Consent DecreeStatewideDownload ↓
DRDSC11FPetition and Response for Summary Consent DecreeSummary Consent DecreeStatewideDownload ↓
DR71FConsent Decree for Dissolution of MarriageSummary Consent DecreeStatewideDownload ↓
DR71IInstructions: How to Fill Out the Consent DecreeSummary Consent DecreeStatewideDownload ↓
DRS81IInstructions: Child Support Order — where there are minor childrenSummary Consent DecreeStatewideDownload ↓
FEDIWOIIncome Withholding — Instructions, where support is orderedSummary Consent DecreeFederal/StatewideDownload ↓
DRDA10FPetition for Dissolution of a Non-Covenant Marriage — without Minor ChildrenRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRDC15FPetition for Dissolution of a Non-Covenant Marriage — with Minor ChildrenRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DR11FSummonsRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DR14FPreliminary InjunctionRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRRPA10FRequest for Protected Address (if applicable)Regular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DR12FOrder and Notice to Attend Parent Education/Information Program Class — where there are minor childrenRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRCVG12HParenting Plan Information — where there are minor childrenRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRDA31FResponse to Petition, without Minor Children (the responding spouse files it)Regular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRDC31FResponse to Petition, with Minor Children (the responding spouse files it)Regular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRAD10FAlternative Dispute Resolution Statement to the CourtRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRS88FCurrent Employer (or Other Payor) Information FormRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRD61FApplication and Affidavit for Default — where the other spouse does not respondRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRD68FMotion and Affidavit for Default Decree Without HearingRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRTP52FMotion to Set Trial Date and Certificate of ReadinessRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRDA81FDecree of Dissolution of a Non-Covenant Marriage — without Minor ChildrenRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRDC81FDecree of Dissolution of a Non-Covenant Marriage — with Minor ChildrenRegular dissolutionStatewideDownload ↓
DRSDS10F-AFamily Court / Sensitive Data Cover Sheet — the version used where there are no minor childrenAllStatewideDownload ↓
DRSDS10F-CFamily Court / Sensitive Data Cover Sheet — the version used where there are minor childrenAllStatewideDownload ↓
DRD16FNotice of Your Rights About Health Insurance CoverageAllStatewideDownload ↓
DR16FNotice Regarding CreditorsAllStatewideDownload ↓
DRCVG13FAffidavit Regarding Minor Children — where there are minor childrenAllStatewideDownload ↓
DRCVG11FParenting Plan — where there are minor childrenAllStatewideDownload ↓
DRS81FChild Support Order — where there are minor childrenAllStatewideDownload ↓
AOCDR97FORM19FJoint Legal Decision-Making Education Order — where there are minor childrenAllStatewideDownload ↓
AOCDR97FORM20FSole Legal Decision-Making Education Order — where there are minor childrenAllStatewideDownload ↓
FEDIWOFIncome Withholding Order for Support (IWO), where support is orderedAllFederal/StatewideDownload ↓
AOCDFGF1FApplication for Deferral or Waiver of Court Fees or Costs, if neededAllStatewideDownload ↓

Every one of these is free. Download fresh each time — form revisions change, and your county may have its own preferred version (see Section 3). Full catalog: azcourts.gov/selfservicecenter.

3 · Getting the forms and filling them in

Nobody explains this part, so here it is. Every Arizona form on this list is free, most are fillable, and self-represented filing is completely normal — Arizona’s court system is unusually good at supporting it.

You may e-file, but you do not have to Your choice

Portal
eFileAZ (statewide superior court portal); AZTurboCourt (guided-forms filing)
Paper
Still accepted — you can file over the counter.
What it costs
$6.50 for all documents submitted in a new case submission; $6.50 for each lead document submitted in a post-initiation submission; $3.80 if the filer elects to use electronic service. Card surcharge: the eFiling fee schedule lists a 3% payment processing fee for all transactions.
Account
Yes, a free account is required if the self-represented party chooses to e-file. No registration fee is published.
Worth knowing
Arizona draws the attorney/pro se line explicitly in the code itself — the single clearest sentence of any state in this batch. A self-represented divorce filer may e-file through eFileAZ or AZTurboCourt but is never required to, and may file at the clerk's counter. The e-filing application fees ($6.50/$3.80 + 3%) are separate from the statutory filing fee.
Authority: Arizona Code of Judicial Administration (ACJA) § 1-901, Electronic Filing ('E-Filing'). Attorneys are required to e-file superior court civil and family law case-initiation and post-initiation documents; legal paraprofessionals are required to e-file family law documents. The rule states:

Step one — download them free, and check your county

The statewide catalog lives at the Arizona Judicial Branch Self-Service Center:

azcourts.gov/selfservicecenter — Family Law Forms

Arizona forms aren’t as uniform as some states’

Arizona’s own site says its statewide forms “may be accepted by courts statewide,” which is a softer promise than a guarantee. Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Mohave, Yavapai, Coconino, Gila, Navajo, and Yuma counties all maintain their own local self-help packets and law library resource centers, and some clerks prefer their county’s version even when the content is nearly identical. If you’re not filing in Maricopa, search “[your county] superior court law library forms” before you assume the statewide PDF is what your clerk wants.

Step two — fill them in on screen

Arizona’s family law forms are fillable Word documents distributed through the court’s SharePoint library — open them in Microsoft Word (or Word Online, free with a Microsoft account) or Google Docs, type directly into the fields, and print or upload the finished document. Type everything; write “N/A” where something doesn’t apply rather than leaving a line blank.

If you qualify for the Summary Consent Decree

This is Arizona’s real fast lane — no process server, no formal service deadline math, both spouses file together, and you can often finish without a hearing. It’s built for full agreement only (see Section 1). AZTurboCourt, the state’s guided e-filing tool, can also walk you through document assembly and e-filing in participating counties — azcourts.gov/efilinginformation/AZTurboCourt — though it isn’t available for every case type in every county, so confirm it covers yours first.

Step three — the Preliminary Injunction is not optional paperwork

Every dissolution petition in Arizona comes bundled with Form DR14F, the Preliminary Injunction. Unlike most court orders, this one takes legal effect automatically — see the trap in Section 5. There’s no signature ceremony required for it to bind you; filing the petition does it.

Step four — file them, in person or online

Arizona doesn’t have one single statewide e-filing portal open to every self-represented filer the way Florida does — AZTurboCourt covers many counties and case types but not all of them uniformly. Paper filing at the Clerk of the Superior Court in your county is always available and, if AZTurboCourt doesn’t yet support your case type in your county, is often the simpler route. Bring your forms, valid photo ID, and the filing fee (see Section 7) or a completed fee waiver application.

Avoiding a process server

If your spouse is cooperative, ask the clerk’s office about signing a written Acceptance of Service instead of being formally served — Arizona’s civil procedure rules (Rule 4.1) allow it, and it’s common practice, but the exact local form and process differ enough by county that it’s genuinely a “check with your clerk” item rather than a single statewide PDF.

4 · Your deadlines, calculated

Almost everything in an Arizona dissolution counts from service of the petition (or your spouse’s acceptance of it) — not from the day you filed. Put in your dates and we’ll turn every rule into an actual date on your calendar — then add the whole thing to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook in one click.

Date you filed the petition
Leave blank if you haven’t filed yet
Date your spouse was served (or accepted service)
Or the date you filed jointly, if it’s a Summary Consent Decree
Do you have minor children?

5 · The order it actually happens in

1
Confirm residency
A.R.S. § 25-312: one of you must have lived in Arizona at least 90 days before filing, or be an active-duty service member stationed here 90+ continuous days.
2
File your petition packet the injunction starts here
Superior court in your county — statewide base filing fee is set by A.R.S. § 12-284, but each county’s Board of Supervisors adds local surcharges on top (see Section 7). The moment you file, Form DR14F’s Preliminary Injunction already binds you under A.R.S. § 25-315 — before anyone signs anything.
3
Get your spouse served their clock starts on service
A licensed process server, the county sheriff (Maricopa: roughly $16 base plus $2.40/mile and an $8 notary fee, against a $200 deposit — confirm your county’s rate), or — if they’re cooperative — a written Acceptance of Service instead. The injunction takes effect against them on service or actual notice, whichever is sooner.
4
Response due 20 days (in-state) / 30 days (out-of-state)
If your spouse doesn’t respond in time, you can move for default using Form DRD61F, and potentially get a decree without a hearing via DRD68F.
5
Parent education class before the decree, if you have children
A.R.S. § 25-352. Required of both parents in any dissolution involving minor children. Court-approved online options typically run $25–45 per parent, but the specific approved-provider list is set county by county — check yours before you pay for a class that won’t count.
6
Wait out the 60 days from service or acceptance
A.R.S. § 25-329: the court cannot hold a hearing or enter a decree until 60 days after service of process or acceptance of process — whichever happens first. This is a floor, not a target, and it applies to the Summary Consent Decree track too.
7
Submit or set the decree
If you have a full written agreement, many counties let you submit the decree for a judge’s signature without a hearing — that’s the entire point of the Summary Consent Decree route. Otherwise, request a hearing date through the clerk once the 60 days have run.
8
Get the signed decree
Once a judge signs the Decree of Dissolution, the marriage is over. The clerk’s office can issue certified copies for a small per-copy fee — you’ll want at least one for banks, Social Security, and name-change paperwork.

6 · Arizona’s trap: the injunction you never see anyone sign

The Preliminary Injunction binds you before a judge ever looks at it

Most restraining orders require a judge’s signature before they’re enforceable. Arizona’s dissolution Preliminary Injunction (A.R.S. § 25-315, Form DR14F) is different: it takes effect against the petitioner the moment the petition is filed, and against the respondent on service or actual notice — whichever comes first. Nobody has to sign it in the moment; filing does it.

It bars either of you from transferring, hiding, or disposing of community or joint property outside “the usual course of business or the necessities of life” without written consent or a court order, from harassing or disturbing the peace of the other spouse or the children, from removing the children from Arizona, and from canceling or removing the other spouse or children from any existing insurance coverage — all automatically, all before anyone’s had a hearing. People routinely violate it without realizing it applies yet — moving money between accounts, changing a beneficiary, or taking a planned out-of-state trip with the kids the week after filing are the most common ways this turns into a contempt problem instead of a formality.

Community property doesn’t mean automatic 50/50

Arizona is one of a handful of true community property states — under A.R.S. § 25-211, nearly everything either of you acquired during the marriage belongs to the “community,” not to either spouse individually. But A.R.S. § 25-318 directs courts to divide that property equitably, though not necessarily in kind — meaning fairly, not a mechanical 50/50 split of every asset. If you’re used to how other states frame this, don’t assume the math is as simple as “cut everything in half.”

7 · What this costs

ItemCost
Filing fee, statewide base (A.R.S. § 12-284)$261
Filing fee, actual total — Maricopa County$376
Filing fee, actual total — Pima County (eff. 6/1/2026)$436
Filing fee, actual total — Pinal County (eff. 12/28/2024)$321
Response/initial appearance, statewide base$172
Sheriff service of process, Maricopa (base + mileage + notary, $200 deposit)~$25–60
Parent education class, per parent (if children)$25–45
Typical all-in, doing it yourselves, uncontested$300–500
Why the county totals don’t match the “statewide” fee

A.R.S. § 12-284 sets a statewide base, but county Boards of Supervisors are separately authorized (A.R.S. § 11-251.08) to add local surcharges on top — law library funding, conciliation court, document storage. That’s the real reason Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal each land on a different final number for what is nominally “the same” filing fee. Your county’s clerk of court website will have the current combined figure; the numbers above were current as of the effective dates listed.

If you can’t afford the filing fee

File the statewide Application for Deferral or Waiver of Court Fees or Costs (Form AOCDFGF1F). Receiving SSI generally qualifies you for a full waiver; income between roughly 150%–225% of the federal poverty level, or receipt of TANF, SNAP, or legal-aid assistance, generally qualifies you for a deferral. A second form, the Supplemental Application (AOCDFGF9F), is required once your decree is entered — this is a genuine two-step process, not a one-time filing.

8 · The rejection-proofing checklist

These are the specific things that stall Arizona filings or draw a judge’s questions at the decree stage.

Forms people forget

Before you file

If you’re in a covenant marriage

Arizona’s free self-service petition and Summary Consent Decree forms are written for non-covenant marriages. If yours is a covenant marriage, dissolution is limited to the specific grounds in A.R.S. § 25-903 — adultery, a felony conviction with imprisonment, abandonment for a year or more, abuse or domestic violence, two years of continuous separation, one year post-legal-separation, habitual substance abuse, or mutual agreement of both spouses. There isn’t a clean statewide covenant-marriage petition form to point you to, and getting the grounds wrong is not a paperwork fix — talk to an attorney or your county’s self-service center staff before you file.

Does cheating change the money in Arizona?

No — the court is forbidden to weigh it at all. The rule: “shall be made without regard to marital misconduct” (§ 25-319(C)). How all fifty states answer this.

Reconciled, and it did not work? Arizona has written the old forgiveness doctrine out of its code: 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 Arizona’s own process, built from Arizona Revised Statutes Title 25 (including §§ 25-211, 25-312, 25-315, 25-318, 25-329, 25-352, and 25-901 through 25-903), and the official forms and instructions published by the Arizona Judicial Branch Self-Service Center at azcourts.gov and by the Maricopa County Law Library Resource Center. 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 Arizona requires of each path. If your case involves contested legal decision-making, a business, hidden assets, domestic violence, a covenant marriage, or a spouse with a lawyer, talk to an attorney; many offer free consultations, and one hour of advice is cheaper than a filing that stalls for weeks. Court staff, including self-service center staff, can point you to the right form but cannot tell you which one to choose.

Confirm current numbers with your clerk. Filing fees, class costs, and sheriff service rates are set locally and change periodically. Where this guide could not verify an exact county-level figure or local procedure with confidence, it says so or points you to your county’s clerk of court rather than guessing.

Authority: A.R.S. tit. 25, ch. 3 — residency and findings at § 25-312, the 60-day wait at § 25-329, covenant marriage at § 25-903 — read it on Arizona’s own site. Checked 15 Sep 2026.
Next step
Before you do anything with the house

Four things can happen to the house in an Arizona divorce

Arizona is one of the twenty. The moment a petition is filed, an automatic order takes effect on both of you, barring either from selling or encumbering property. Nobody is served with it separately and nobody explains it. Breaking it is contempt.

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

If you moved states

Moved to Arizona during the marriage?

For division at divorce, property acquired outside Arizona “shall be deemed to be community property” if it would have been community property had it been acquired here — divided equitably, though not necessarily in kind.

What moving does to your property, state by state →

Need a vetted attorney, mediator, or financial analyst in Arizona?

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The Cusp · All 50 state kits · Find a professional · About

If the house is part of this

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.

Arizona, in full

Everything we have written about Arizona specifically. Every figure on these pages is quoted from Arizona’s own statute or its courts’ own published schedule, and carries the date we last checked it.

The decree is not the last deadline

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.

When people ask what they can do

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.

Every form, by number

All 34 Arizona divorce forms, listed by the number the clerk will ask for — 34 with an official form number, 34 linked straight to the state’s own file, each with its revision date where the state publishes one. Open the Arizona form list →

Sources last checked14 September 2026
Page published18 August 2026
What this means. This is when the sources on this page were last read against their originals — statutes, court rules, official schedules — taken from the date this page was built from its sources. It is not the date the page was last edited. Adding a link or fixing a typo does not move it; re-reading the statute does. Law changes without notice, so treat anything time-sensitive as needing a fresh check. Where we get something wrong we publish it at thecusp.app/corrections with the date, what changed, and how long the error was live.
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Common questions about filing for divorce in Arizona

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 Arizona?

This page sets out the order it happens in for Arizona: 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 Arizona?

The form list on this page gives the official Arizona 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 Arizona?

$261 – $436 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 Arizona, with every figure traced to the court’s own published schedule and dated, is at what it costs to file in Arizona.

What gets an Arizona divorce filing rejected?

This page has a section on exactly that — the specific mistakes that get a filing returned in Arizona 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 Arizona?

There is a timeline on this page built from Arizona’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?

Arizona’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 Arizona?

No, and that is a deliberate choice in the statute rather than a gap in it. Arizona 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.

If the house is being sold as part of an Arizona divorce

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.

No minor children

StepWhenWhat it means
Petition filedThe day you fileThe Preliminary Injunction (A.R.S. § 25-315) takes effect against you right now, automatically.
Spouse served (or accepted service)The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver)The injunction now binds them too, and their response clock starts.
Their response is due (in-state service)20 days after service20 days from service, or 30 if served outside Arizona.
Earliest the court can hold a hearing or enter a decree60 days after serviceA.R.S. § 25-329 — 60 days after service or acceptance, whichever is first. This is a floor, not a target, and it applies to the Summary Consent Decree route too.

With minor children

StepWhenWhat it means
Petition filedThe day you fileThe Preliminary Injunction (A.R.S. § 25-315) takes effect against you right now, automatically.
Spouse served (or accepted service)The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver)The injunction now binds them too, and their response clock starts.
Their response is due (in-state service)20 days after service20 days from service, or 30 if served outside Arizona.
Earliest the court can hold a hearing or enter a decree60 days after serviceA.R.S. § 25-329 — 60 days after service or acceptance, whichever is first. This is a floor, not a target, and it applies to the Summary Consent Decree route too.
Parent education class should be done by now60 days after serviceA.R.S. § 25-352. Required of both parents before the decree if you have minor children.

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.

Arizona uses statewide family law rules and a statewide mandatory parent education requirement, so the basic divorce process is similar in every county. Counties differ mainly in how they run conciliation and mediation, which parent class providers they use and what those cost, and in their own local rules. Attorneys and legal paraprofessionals must e-file family law documents, while self-represented people may e-file but are not required to. Details change, so confirm with your county’s clerk or court. See the official local rules index · statewide forms.

Or go straight to your county or court:

Coconino County Superior Court (call to confirm)Maricopa County Superior CourtMohave County Superior CourtPima County Superior CourtPinal County Superior Court (call to confirm)Yavapai County Superior Court

Coconino County Superior Court Call or check the court website to confirm

Coconino’s local rules (amended August 2024) add family court filing requirements. A Parent’s Worksheet goes with a child support modification petition, and an Affidavit of Financial Information goes with requests for temporary spousal maintenance, attorney fees or debts. Hearings are limited to 30 minutes unless the court approves more time. Court contact details and parent class information could not be confirmed.

Local rules · Court website

Where this comes from

Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date

Maricopa County Superior Court

Maricopa requires the Parent Information Program, taken through community providers online, in person or by Zoom for up to $50 per person. A Petition for Conciliation, once accepted, bars filing for divorce or legal separation for 60 days. A judge may order a court-run Parental Conflict Resolution class ($50) or a parenting conference ($300 per person). Uncontested default cases can use the court’s Decree on Demand email review process.

Who to contact: Superior Court Information Center 602-506-3204; PCR class questions 602-506-6124; Central Court Building, 201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003

Local rules · Local forms · Court website

Where this comes from

Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date

Mohave County Superior Court

Mohave’s parent education order requires each parent to attend a separate class within 45 days of being served, at no more than $50, and to file the certificate before judgment. The fee may be waived or deferred if court fees were. The court offers divorce form kits for cases with or without children, temporary orders, legal separation and summary consent decrees.

Who to contact: Mohave County Superior Court, 415 E Spring St, Kingman, AZ 86401, (928) 753-0713; Mediation Center 928-753-0795

Local rules · Local forms · Court website

Where this comes from

Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date

Pima County Superior Court

Pima County requires mediation through its Conciliation Court when legal decision-making or parenting time is disputed. The court’s pages say Conciliation Court services are free, no one has to reach an agreement, and a waiver can be requested through the judge. The pages read did not cover parent education or e-filing, so check those with the clerk.

Who to contact: Conciliation Court, 32 North Stone Avenue (Legal Services Bldg.), Suite 1704, Tucson, AZ 85701-1403; Mon-Fri 8:00-noon and 1:00-5:00 except court holidays

Local rules · Court website

Where this comes from

Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date

Pinal County Superior Court Call or check the court website to confirm

Pinal County’s Conciliation Court page lists counseling, mediation, the required Parent Information Program and online dispute resolution. Several of its service links point to a Yuma County site, so confirm with the Pinal court which provider and fees apply to you.

Who to contact: 520-866-5760; 971 N. Jason Lopez Circle, Bldg A, Florence, AZ 85132

Local rules · Court website

Where this comes from

Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date

Yavapai County Superior Court

Yavapai uses only the Statewide Online Parent Education Course, about 3 hours online in English or Spanish, at $50 per person paid to the Clerk (possibly already covered by filing fees). You register by phone or in person. The court says mediation is required in most cases with child disputes, and an accepted conciliation petition bars filing for 60 days.

Who to contact: Clerk of the Superior Court, Yavapai County Courthouse, 120 South Cortez, Prescott, AZ 86303, 928-771-3312; Camp Verde, 2840 North Commonwealth Drive, Camp Verde, AZ 86322, 928-567-7741

Local rules · Court website

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 Arizona? Sheriff, constable, registered process server, or a court-appointed adult 21 or older; not you. 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 Arizona in our state-by-state serving table.

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.

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 introduction

How 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?