Divorce in California, start to finish
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California gives you the forms for free. What it doesn’t give you is the order, the deadlines, the trap almost everyone falls into on the six-month wait, or anyone to tell you which of three very different paths you’re actually on. That’s this.
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.
1 · The three routes, and what the rule requires
California actually has three routes, not two, as of January 1, 2026. The difference between them is set by statute and by Judicial Council rule, not by preference — and each one is defined by conditions that can be checked against the facts. Getting it wrong wastes months: petitions filed for Summary Dissolution without meeting the dollar thresholds get kicked back, and the full adversarial process gets used in cases that never needed it.
Before any of the three routes is available, California requires 6 months of state residency and 3 months of residency in the county where the case is filed — both. There is no way around it; until both thresholds are met, the case belongs in a state or county where one spouse already qualifies.
Summary Dissolution
Fam. Code §§ 2400–2406
The fastest route California offers. No service of process, one joint petition, and no court hearing in most counties.
Available only where all of these are true:
- There are no minor children of the relationship, neither spouse is pregnant, and there is no minor child born during the marriage.
- The marriage or registered domestic partnership, from its start to the date of separation, lasted 5 years or less.
- Neither spouse owns any interest in real estate.
- Community property, not counting cars or what is owed on them, is under $57,000.
- Community debt, not counting car loans, is $7,000 or less.
- Neither spouse has separate property worth more than $57,000.
- Neither spouse is asking for spousal support.
- Both spouses sign the same joint petition.
The 6-month wait still applies. It runs from the date of filing rather than from a service date.
Spousal support is permanently waived on this route. There is no asking for it later.
Form FL-810, the free official information booklet, sets out exactly what is being given up on this route. It is meant to be read, not filed.
Joint Petition
Effective January 1, 2026 under SB 1427
A new process for spouses who agree and will file together, but who fall outside the Summary Dissolution limits. Because both are petitioners from day one, formal service of process is skipped anyway.
The route exists precisely for the cases Summary Dissolution cannot take: children, a marriage longer than five years, property or debts above the thresholds, or a spousal support request.
Available only where all of these are true:
- Both spouses agree and will sign and file one joint petition together.
- There has been no domestic violence and no restraining order between the spouses — the Judicial Council explicitly says this process is not right where either applies, and Regular Dissolution is used instead.
The 6-month wait runs from the filing date, not from a service date, because both spouses are petitioners from day one — “six months and one day” per the court’s own instructions.
This is a brand-new process. Confirm the exact finalization packet with your court’s self-help center or family law facilitator, since local practice is still settling.
Regular Dissolution
Fam. Code § 2300 and following
The route for every case the other two do not cover. It is more steps, and it involves actual service of process — but it is entirely doable without a lawyer where the spouses agree on the substance.
This is the route wherever any of these is true:
- The spouses are not both signing and filing one petition together — one files, and the other is served or responds.
- There has been domestic violence or a restraining order between the spouses, which the Judicial Council says rules out the Joint Petition process.
A cooperating spouse can skip a process server entirely by signing Form POS-015, Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt, and mailing it back. That saves the service fee — and service is legally complete the day they sign it, which is the date the 6-month clock starts.
2 · Every form California 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 date clerks actually check. Every one is free from the California courts.
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 California handles divorce, and every form below is published free by California itself — you do not have to buy anything from anyone to get them. If your situation is not straightforward, a consultation with a California family lawyer costs far less than fixing a filing that went wrong.
| Form | What it is | Route | Rev. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL-800 | Joint Petition for Summary Dissolution | Summary Dissolution | 04/28/25 | Download ↓ |
| FL-810 | Summary Dissolution Information — read this, don’t file it | Summary Dissolution | 04/28/25 | Download ↓ |
| FL-825 | Judgment of Dissolution and Notice of Entry of Judgment — Summary Dissolution | Summary Dissolution | new 01/12 | Download ↓ |
| FL-830 | Notice of Revocation of Joint Petition for Summary Dissolution — only where one spouse changes their mind | Summary Dissolution | 07/01/15 | Download ↓ |
| FL-395 | Ex Parte Application for Restoration of Former Name — optional | Summary Dissolution | — | Download ↓ |
| FL-700 | Joint Petition — Marriage or Domestic Partnership | Joint Petition | new 01/26 | Download ↓ |
| FL-700-INFO | Information Sheet for the Joint Petition Process — read this first | Joint Petition | new 01/26 | Download ↓ |
| FL-710 | Summons — Joint Petition | Joint Petition | new 01/26 | Download ↓ |
| FL-720 | Notice of Revocation of Joint Petition — only where one spouse changes their mind | Joint Petition | new 07/26 | Download ↓ |
| FL-100 | Petition — Marriage/Domestic Partnership | Regular Dissolution | 01/20 | Download ↓ |
| FL-110 | Summons (Family Law) | Regular Dissolution | 01/15 | Download ↓ |
| POS-015 | Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt — Civil (the responding spouse signs and returns it) | Regular Dissolution | — | Download ↓ |
| FL-115 | Proof of Service of Summons — where the other spouse is served | Regular Dissolution | 01/21 | Download ↓ |
| FL-120 | Response — Marriage/Domestic Partnership (the responding spouse files it) | Regular Dissolution | 01/20 | Download ↓ |
| FL-165 | Request to Enter Default — only where the other spouse never responds | Regular Dissolution | 07/25 | Download ↓ |
| FW-001 | Request to Waive Court Fees — if needed | Regular Dissolution | — | Download ↓ |
| FL-105 | Declaration Under UCCJEA — where there are children, a pregnancy, or a child born during the marriage | Joint Petition, Regular Dissolution | 01/25 | Download ↓ |
| FL-311 | Child Custody and Visitation (Parenting Time) Application Attachment — where there are children | Joint Petition, Regular Dissolution | 01/26 | Download ↓ |
| FL-141 | Declaration Regarding Service of Declaration of Disclosure | Joint Petition, Regular Dissolution | — | Download ↓ |
| FL-144 | Stipulation and Waiver of Final Declaration of Disclosure — where both spouses agree to skip the final round | Joint Petition, Regular Dissolution | 01/07 | Download ↓ |
| FL-170 | Declaration for Default or Uncontested Dissolution | Joint Petition, Regular Dissolution | — | Download ↓ |
| FL-180 | Judgment (Family Law) | Joint Petition, Regular Dissolution | 07/01/12 | Download ↓ |
| FL-190 | Notice of Entry of Judgment | Joint Petition, Regular Dissolution | — | Download ↓ |
| FL-140 | Declaration of Disclosure — cover sheet, exchanged not filed | All | 07/01/13 | Download ↓ |
| FL-142 | Schedule of Assets and Debts (or FL-160, not both) | All | 07/01/25 | Download ↓ |
| FL-150 | Income and Expense Declaration | All | 09/01/24 | Download ↓ |
On the Joint Petition route: this is a brand-new process — confirm the exact finalization packet with your court’s self-help center or family law facilitator, since local practice is still settling.
Every one of these is free. Download fresh each time — clerks reject superseded revisions, and saved copies go stale.
3 · Getting the forms and filling them in
Nobody explains this part, so here it is. Every California Judicial Council form is free, most are fillable on screen, and — unlike what a lot of people assume — almost none of them need a notary.
You may e-file, but you do not have to Your choice
- Portal
- No statewide portal. Each superior court that adopts e-filing designates one or more electronic filing service providers (EFSPs) — e.g., Odyssey eFileCA (Tyler), File & ServeXpress, Green Filing, InfoTrack.Track.Track.
- Paper
- Still accepted — you can file over the counter.
- What it costs
- No portal fee published.
- Account
- Only if the self-represented party chooses to e-file; each EFSP has its own account process and pricing.
- Worth knowing
- California has the single most explicit statewide pro se exemption in the country — it is written into the Rules of Court, not left to local orders. A self-represented divorce filer in California can always file on paper, and is served on paper, even in a court that has made e-filing mandatory for attorneys, unless the pro se party affirmatively opts in. Rule 2.253 adds that 'Any fees charged by the court or an electronic filing service provider shall be consistent with the fee provisions of Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6.'ttorneys, unless the pro se party affirmatively opts in. Rule 2.253 adds that ‘Any fees charged by the court or an electronic filing service provider shall be consistent with the fee provisions of Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6.’e of Civil Procedure section 1010.6.’he court or an electronic filing service provider shall be consistent with the fee provisions of Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6.’ttorneys, unless the pro se party affirmatively opts in. Rule 2.253 adds that 'Any fees charged by the court or an
Step one — download them free
Every mandatory and optional Judicial Council family law form lives here, at no cost:
selfhelp.courts.ca.gov — Divorce Forms (individual PDFs are also hosted directly at courts.ca.gov/documents/[form].pdf)
Don’t reuse a saved copy or one a friend sent you. Forms get revised on a rolling basis — FL-142 was revised July 2025, FL-150 September 2024, FL-105 January 2025 — and clerks reject superseded versions. The revision date is printed in the footer of every form, e.g. “FL-100 [Rev. January 1, 2020].”
Step two — fill them in on screen
Nearly all Judicial Council family law forms are fillable PDFs. Open them in Adobe Acrobat Reader (free), Preview on a Mac, or a browser, type into the fields, and save. Type everything — a form filled out by hand at 11pm is not doing you any favors, and clerks bounce illegible submissions.
Fill in every field, writing “N/A” where something doesn’t apply rather than leaving it blank. And use the exact same legal name — spelled the same way — on every single form.
California courts publish a free self-help interview tool at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/divorce that walks you through the basics question by question. It’s a good sanity check before you commit to Summary Dissolution or the new Joint Petition process — this kit exists for the parts that tool doesn’t hold your hand through: the deadlines, the disclosure requirements, and the traps.
Step three — signing: penalty of perjury, not a notary
This is the biggest thing people get wrong coming from another state’s process. California family law forms are not notarized. Every signature line reads something close to: “I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.” You sign it yourself, dated the day you actually sign, and that’s it — no notary, no witness, no stamp.
If your settlement transfers real estate — an interspousal transfer deed moving a house into one spouse’s name, for example — that deed needs to be notarized and recorded with the county recorder, because recording law requires it, not family law. The petition, response, disclosures, and settlement agreement itself don’t need it. Don’t pay a notary to sign something that only needs your own signature under penalty of perjury.
Step four — file them
Filing is county by county — there’s no single statewide portal like some states use. Most Superior Courts now accept e-filing through a vendor (commonly Odyssey eFileCA, or a county’s own e-filing partner); a growing number make it mandatory for represented parties and optional for people representing themselves, but this varies court to court. Check your specific county’s Superior Court website for its e-filing rules and vendor, or file in person at the courthouse — you’re never required to e-file as a self-represented litigant.
File Form FW-001, Request to Waive Court Fees, with Information Sheet FW-001-INFO. If you qualify — generally household income at or under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or you receive benefits like Medi-Cal, CalFresh, or SSI — the court issues an order (FW-003) waiving your filing fee and other court costs. The clerk cannot refuse to accept your fee waiver request.
4 · Your deadlines, calculated
Everything in a California divorce runs off dates most people track wrong. Put yours in 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.
5 · The order it actually happens in
6 · The rejection-proofing checklist
This is the part that’s genuinely worth paying for. These are the specific things that get California filings bounced or judgments unwound — every one of them costs weeks or worse.
Signing and dates
People plan their lives around “6 months from when I filed.” That is not what California law says. Fam. Code §2339(a) counts from the date your spouse was served, or the date they appeared in the case — whichever happens first — never from your filing date. If you filed on January 1 but didn’t get your spouse served until March 1, your earliest possible divorce date is roughly September 1, not July 1. Waiting to serve someone directly delays your own freedom.
Forms people forget
Timing
Summary Dissolution requires both spouses to waive spousal support — for good. You cannot ask for it later, even if circumstances change, and you cannot appeal the judgment. If there is any chance you’ll want support down the line, or any dispute about the numbers, this is the wrong path even if you technically qualify on the dollar thresholds.
7 · Financial Disclosure — Preliminary and Final
Every path except a fully-qualifying Summary Dissolution runs through this twice — once early (Preliminary), once before judgment (Final, unless jointly waived on Form FL-144). These go to your spouse, not the court file. Only the certification (FL-141) gets filed.
You disclose your assets and debts on either FL-142 (Schedule of Assets and Debts) or FL-160 (Property Declaration) — not both. FL-142 is the standard choice for most cases; FL-160 is a simpler community/separate-property format some courts and self-represented filers prefer. Pick one and stay consistent between your Preliminary and Final disclosures.
8 · What this costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing fee, statewide (Riverside, San Bernardino & San Francisco add local surcharges) | $435 |
| Response filing fee, if your spouse files one | $435 |
| Process server or sheriff, per person served | $50–150 |
| Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt by mail (cooperative spouse) | $0–5 postage |
| Request for Order (motion), if you need one | $60 |
| Notarizing an interspousal transfer deed, if real property is involved | $15–25 |
| Certified copy of your final judgment | $25–40 |
| Typical all-in, doing it yourselves, uncontested | $450–650 |
File Form FW-001, Request to Waive Court Fees, with the Information Sheet FW-001-INFO. If your household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or you receive Medi-Cal, CalFresh, SSI, or a few other public benefits, the fee is waived by court order (Form FW-003) — and so, generally, are later fees in the same case.
What this is. A guide to California’s own process, built from the California Family Code (particularly §§ 2104–2105, 2339, 2400–2406), the California Rules of Court, the Judicial Council of California’s mandatory and optional family law forms, and California Courts Self-Help Center guidance. The forms themselves are free from selfhelp.courts.ca.gov and this kit 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 California 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; the Joint Petition process explicitly isn’t recommended where there’s been domestic violence or a restraining order. Many attorneys offer free consultations, and one hour of advice is cheaper than one mistake.
Free alternatives you should know about. California courts publish a free self-help interview tool and county-specific family law facilitator offices that offer free guidance to self-represented litigants — search “[your county] family law facilitator.” If your situation is simple, start there before paying for anything, including this kit.
Numbers that move. The Summary Dissolution property and debt thresholds ($57,000 / $57,000 / $7,000) and the statewide filing fee ($435) are current as of this kit’s publication date but are periodically adjusted by the Judicial Council and Legislature — reconfirm them against the FL-800/FL-810 forms or your court’s fee schedule before you rely on them for a filing months from now.
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Everything we have written about California specifically. Every figure on these pages is quoted from California’s own statute or its courts’ own published schedule, and carries the date we last checked it.
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.