Divorce in Ohio, start to finish
See a different stateOhio
Ohio at a glance
- Two routes with opposite clocks. Dissolution (both spouses agree on everything) has a ceiling: the final hearing must happen 30 to 90 days after filing, or the court can dismiss and you start over (R.C. 3105.64). Divorce has a floor: nothing can be finalized until 42 days after your spouse is served (Civ.R. 75(K)).
- Filing fees depend on the county. Franklin: divorce $275, dissolution $225. Cuyahoga: divorce $200 to $300, dissolution $150 to $200. Hamilton: $325 without children, $375 with children.
- Residency: 6 months in Ohio and 90 days in the county where you file.
- E-filing is county by county. There is no statewide trial-court portal.
- Forms come from the Ohio Supreme Court’s statewide Uniform Domestic Relations Forms. 20 of 21 link straight to the official document.
Every figure is from the sections below and carries its source. Sources last checked 19 October 2026. Spot something out of date? See our corrections or email hello@thecusp.app.
Ohio doesn’t have one divorce process — it has two, and they work almost nothing alike. One has a floor (nothing happens before day 42). The other has a ceiling (everything must happen before day 90, or you lose your filing and start over). Mixing them up is the expensive mistake. That’s what this guide is built to stop.
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.
Which forms do you actually need?
Your route and its conditions, the forms grouped by route, how filing actually works in Ohio, and the sequence with its costs.
First, which route you are on. Each one opens to the conditions the rule actually sets.
Dissolution
R.C. 3105.64
Available only where both of these are true:
- Both spouses have worked out a complete agreement — how property and debts are divided, and, where there are minor children or a child due, parenting time and support — and both are ready to sign it.
- Both will sign the petition as co-petitioners and appear at the final hearing together.
Where to file. A dissolution is filed in the proper county under the Civil Rules (R.C. 3105.62; Civ.R. 3). Both spouses count as defendants, so either spouse’s county works, and because both have agreed, the Ohio Supreme Court’s dissolution checklist treats the county as not important. A divorce complaint is stricter: the plaintiff must have lived in the county for at least 90 days (Civ.R. 3(C)(9)). Check the clerk’s local filing rules before you file.
Divorce
Civ.R. 75(K); Civ.R. 12(A)(1)
This is the route where any of these is true:
- The spouses haven’t fully agreed on everything yet.
- One spouse won’t co-file, even while cooperating and not contesting.
- The case is contested, or the other spouse won’t engage.
Grouped exactly as Ohio labels them, and nothing is added. 20 of 21 link straight to the official document; the rest are listed by name so you can find them in the state’s own catalog or ask the clerk for them.
Both 3 forms
- Affidavit 1 — Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses
- Affidavit 2 — Affidavit of Property and Debt
- Fee Waiver — Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit and Order — if you can’t afford the fee
Both — minor children 5 forms
- Affidavit 3 — Parenting Proceeding Affidavit
- Affidavit 4 — Health Insurance Affidavit
- Form 20 — Shared Parenting Plan — on the Divorce route, if proposing one now
- Form 21 — Parenting Plan — the alternative to Form 20 where one parent will be residential parent
- JFS 07768 — Child Support Computation Worksheet
Dissolution 3 forms
Divorce 6 forms
- Form 6 — Complaint for Divorce without Children
- Form 7 — Complaint for Divorce with Children
- Form 10 — Answer to Complaint for Divorce Without Children — due 28 days from service
- Form 11 — Answer to Complaint for Divorce With Children — due 28 days from service
- Form 14 — Judgment Entry — Decree of Divorce Without Children
- Form 15 — Judgment Entry — Decree of Divorce With Children
Divorce — where the spouse cooperates 1 form
- Form 30 — Waiver of Service of Summons
Divorce — where the spouse is served 3 forms
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 Ohio.
- Portal
- No statewide trial-court portal. E-filing is adopted county by county by each Court of Common Pleas (and its Domestic Relations Division) by local rule and administrative order. The Supreme Court of Ohio operates its own separate e-filing system for its own docket only.
- Paper
- Still accepted — you can file over the counter.
- What it costs
- No portal fee published.
- Account
- Varies by county. Hamilton County states: "Individuals can register as pro se filers and use this system. It is no longer limited to attorneys only." Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations permits but does not require self-represented e-filing.
- Worth knowing
- Real named counties confirmed from official .gov sources: CUYAHOGA — Domestic Relations Division mandates e-filing for attorneys in all DR case types except domestic violence, and expressly lets self-represented parties file conventionally in paper. HAMILTON — Clerk of Courts e-filing covers Appellate, Common Pleas Civil and Criminal, Domestic Relations, and specified Municipal Civil types, and accepts pro se registrations. FRANKLIN — the Clerk publishes e-filing resources including a “Fifth Amended Domestic Relations eFiling Administrative Order,” but the resources index page does not itself state the mandate or the pro se rule. The range across Ohio therefore runs from attorney-mandatory-with-pro-se-paper-exemption (Cuyahoga DR) to open-to-pro-se-filers (Hamilton) to counties with no e-filing at all. A self-represented filer must check that county’s Domestic Relations local rule.
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 residency | None named | — |
| 2 | Negotiate and sign your Separation Agreement together | Form 19 | — |
| 3 | File the joint Petition, together | Form 17 | $150–$450 |
| 4 | Clerk schedules your hearing 30–90 days out | None named | — |
| 5 | Both of you appear, together, at the final hearing | None named | — |
| 6 | Judge incorporates your agreement and signs the decree | Form 18 | — |
| 7 | Confirm residency | None named | — |
| 8 | File your Complaint for Divorce | Form 7Form 6 | $200–$550 |
| 9 | Get your spouse served their answer is then due in 28 days | Form 30 | — |
| 10 | Spouse’s Answer is due 28 days from service | Form 11Form 10Form 8 | — |
| 11 | Exchange financial disclosure | Affidavit 2Affidavit 1 | — |
| 12 | If you have children, file the parenting paperwork | Affidavit 4Affidavit 3 | — |
| 13 | Earliest possible final hearing 42 days from service | None named | — |
| 14 | Final hearing or trial | Form 15Form 14 | — |
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 — Franklin County (Divorce $275 · Dissolution $225) | $225–275 |
| Filing fee — Cuyahoga County (Divorce $200–300 · Dissolution $150–200, by kids) | $150–300 |
| Filing fee — Hamilton County (no children $325 · with children $375) | $325–375 |
| Sheriff or process server service, per person (Divorce only) | $30–50 |
| Remote online notarization, per session | ~$25 |
| Parenting class, per parent, if your county requires one | $25–75 |
| Typical all-in, doing it yourselves | $150–450 |
The short version8 points · tap one to jump to it
- Dissolution and Divorce, and what each one requires — This is the single biggest fork in Ohio family law.
- Every form Ohio publishes for a divorce or dissolution — Every form here is free and comes straight from the Ohio Supreme Court’s statewide Uniform Domestic Relations Forms.
- Getting the forms and filling them in — Ohio is less centralized than some states — there's no single statewide portal — so here's how the pieces actually fit together.
- Your deadlines, calculated — Dissolution and Divorce run on entirely different clocks in Ohio, so we compute a different timeline for each — then you can add the whole thing to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook in one click.
- The order it actually happens in
- The rejection-proofing checklist — These are the specific things that get Ohio filings bounced, delayed, or — in dissolution's case — thrown out entirely.
- Financial disclosure — what to gather — Ohio doesn't have one uniform, statewide "mandatory disclosure" list the way some states do.
- What this costs — Call your county Clerk of Courts or check their fee schedule before you budget for this.
In this subject 8
1 · Dissolution and Divorce, and what each one requires
The short version8 points · tap one to jump to it
- Dissolution and Divorce, and what each one requires — This is the single biggest fork in Ohio family law.
- Every form Ohio publishes for a divorce or dissolution — Every form here is free and comes straight from the Ohio Supreme Court’s statewide Uniform Domestic Relations Forms.
- Getting the forms and filling them in — Ohio is less centralized than some states — there's no single statewide portal — so here's how the pieces actually fit together.
- Your deadlines, calculated — Dissolution and Divorce run on entirely different clocks in Ohio, so we compute a different timeline for each — then you can add the whole thing to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook in one click.
- The order it actually happens in
- The rejection-proofing checklist — These are the specific things that get Ohio filings bounced, delayed, or — in dissolution's case — thrown out entirely.
- Financial disclosure — what to gather — Ohio doesn't have one uniform, statewide "mandatory disclosure" list the way some states do.
- What this costs — Call your county Clerk of Courts or check their fee schedule before you budget for this.
In this subject 8
This is the single biggest fork in Ohio family law. Dissolution is a cooperative, joint filing — both spouses show up together with an agreement already signed. Divorce is one spouse filing against the other, used for anything contested, one-sided, or where full agreement can’t be reached before filing. They run on completely different clocks and completely different forms.
Residency, on two clocks. Ohio requires one spouse to have lived in the state for 6 months before filing, and also requires 90 days of residence in the specific county where the case is filed — a separate clock from the 6-month statewide one. There’s no way around either threshold. Ohio does let a case be filed where either spouse meets the residency test, so a spouse’s county of residence is worth checking before waiting.
Dissolution
R.C. 3105.64
The cooperative, faster path — no service of process, no contested hearing, and both spouses file together as co-petitioners.
Available only where both of these are true:
- Both spouses have worked out a complete agreement — how property and debts are divided, and, where there are minor children or a child due, parenting time and support — and both are ready to sign it.
- Both will sign the petition as co-petitioners and appear at the final hearing together.
It has a ceiling Divorce doesn’t: the final hearing must happen between 30 and 90 days after filing (R.C. 3105.64), and if it hasn’t happened by day 90, the court can dismiss the petition and the case starts over — filing fee included. The Separation Agreement has to be fully signed and notarized before filing; dissolution is not a path for “we’ll work it out later.”
Divorce
Civ.R. 75(K); Civ.R. 12(A)(1)
One spouse files against the other. Divorce runs on a floor, not a ceiling: nothing can be finalized before 42 days after the other spouse is served (Civ.R. 75(K)), and their Answer is due 28 days after service (Civ.R. 12(A)(1)). There’s no 90-day wall to worry about — but there’s also no fast track.
This is the route where any of these is true:
- The spouses haven’t fully agreed on everything yet.
- One spouse won’t co-file, even while cooperating and not contesting.
- The case is contested, or the other spouse won’t engage.
A cooperative spouse can sign Form 30, the Waiver of Service of Summons, which skips formal service and its cost entirely. It still doesn’t shrink the 42-day and 28-day clocks — those run from the date of service or waiver, not from filing.
2 · Every form Ohio publishes for a divorce or dissolution
The complete list, not a shortlist — because which forms are needed depends on facts only you and, if you need one, your lawyer can weigh. Every form here is free and comes straight from the Ohio Supreme Court’s statewide Uniform Domestic Relations Forms. Ohio courts can also require their own local forms on top of these — this list is the statewide floor, not necessarily the whole packet a given county wants.
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 Ohio handles divorce, and every form below is published free by Ohio itself — you do not have to buy anything from anyone to get them. If your situation is not straightforward, a consultation with an Ohio family lawyer costs far less than fixing a filing that went wrong.
| Form | What it is | Route | Signed / filed by | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 17 | Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and Waiver of Service of Summons | Dissolution | Both spouses | Download |
| Form 19 | Separation Agreement — must be notarized | Dissolution | Both spouses | Download |
| Form 6 | Complaint for Divorce without Children | Divorce | Plaintiff | Download |
| Form 7 | Complaint for Divorce with Children | Divorce | Plaintiff | Download |
| Summons | Issued automatically by the clerk when you file — no separate UDRF number | Divorce — where the spouse is served | Clerk issues | see clerk |
| Form 30 | Waiver of Service of Summons | Divorce — where the spouse cooperates | Spouse signs | Download |
| Form 10 | Answer to Complaint for Divorce Without Children — due 28 days from service | Divorce | Spouse | Download |
| Form 11 | Answer to Complaint for Divorce With Children — due 28 days from service | Divorce | Spouse | Download |
| Form 8 | Counterclaim for Divorce Without Children — if they contest and raise their own claims | Divorce — where the spouse is served | Spouse | Download |
| Form 9 | Counterclaim for Divorce With Children — if they contest and raise their own claims | Divorce — where the spouse is served | Spouse | Download |
| Affidavit 1 | Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses | Both | Dissolution: both, one each · Divorce: plaintiff | Download |
| Affidavit 2 | Affidavit of Property and Debt | Both | Dissolution: both, one each · Divorce: plaintiff | Download |
| Affidavit 3 | Parenting Proceeding Affidavit | Both — minor children | Dissolution: both, one each · Divorce: plaintiff, filed with the complaint | Download |
| Affidavit 4 | Health Insurance Affidavit | Both — minor children | Whoever carries coverage · Divorce: plaintiff | Download |
| Form 20 | Shared Parenting Plan — on the Divorce route, if proposing one now | Both — minor children | Dissolution: both · Divorce: plaintiff, proposed | Download |
| Form 21 | Parenting Plan — the alternative to Form 20 where one parent will be residential parent | Both — minor children | Dissolution: both · Divorce: plaintiff, proposed | Download |
| JFS 07768 | Child Support Computation Worksheet | Both — minor children | Dissolution: both, jointly prepared · Divorce: plaintiff, proposed | Download |
| Form 18 | Judgment Entry — Decree of Dissolution of Marriage | Dissolution | Court signs | Download |
| Form 14 | Judgment Entry — Decree of Divorce Without Children | Divorce | Court signs | Download |
| Form 15 | Judgment Entry — Decree of Divorce With Children | Divorce | Court signs | Download |
| Fee Waiver | Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit and Order — if you can’t afford the fee | Both | Filer | Download |
Every one of these is free. Download fresh each time — check the effective date printed on the form, and confirm your county doesn’t require an additional local form on top of it.
3 · Getting the forms and filling them in
Ohio is less centralized than some states — there’s no single statewide portal — so here’s how the pieces actually fit together.
You may e-file, but you do not have to Your choice
- Portal
- No statewide trial-court portal. E-filing is adopted county by county by each Court of Common Pleas (and its Domestic Relations Division) by local rule and administrative order. The Supreme Court of Ohio operates its own separate e-filing system for its own docket only.
- Paper
- Still accepted — you can file over the counter.
- What it costs
- No portal fee published.
- Account
- Varies by county. Hamilton County states: "Individuals can register as pro se filers and use this system. It is no longer limited to attorneys only." Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations permits but does not require self-represented e-filing.
- Worth knowing
- Real named counties confirmed from official .gov sources: CUYAHOGA — Domestic Relations Division mandates e-filing for attorneys in all DR case types except domestic violence, and expressly lets self-represented parties file conventionally in paper. HAMILTON — Clerk of Courts e-filing covers Appellate, Common Pleas Civil and Criminal, Domestic Relations, and specified Municipal Civil types, and accepts pro se registrations. FRANKLIN — the Clerk publishes e-filing resources including a “Fifth Amended Domestic Relations eFiling Administrative Order,” but the resources index page does not itself state the mandate or the pro se rule. The range across Ohio therefore runs from attorney-mandatory-with-pro-se-paper-exemption (Cuyahoga DR) to open-to-pro-se-filers (Hamilton) to counties with no e-filing at all. A self-represented filer must check that county’s Domestic Relations local rule.
Step one — download them free
The Ohio Supreme Court publishes the statewide Uniform Domestic Relations Forms (UDRF) here, at no cost:
supremecourt.ohio.gov — Domestic Relations and Juvenile Standardized Forms
The Supreme Court’s own page is explicit about this: “these forms are provided by the Supreme Court of Ohio, [but] they should be filed in the local county court,” and “the local court may have additional forms that must be filed.” Unlike Florida’s single statewide packet, Ohio’s 88 counties layer their own local-rule forms — a case information cover sheet, a local financial disclosure form, a case management statement — on top of the UDRF. Check your specific county Domestic Relations (or Common Pleas) Court’s website before you file, every time.
Step two — fill them in on screen
The UDRF PDFs are fillable. Open them in Adobe Acrobat Reader (free), Preview on a Mac, or a browser, type into the fields, and save. Type everything — write “N/A” where something doesn’t apply rather than leaving a field blank, and don’t touch the notary/jurat block at the bottom of any affidavit. That section belongs to the notary.
Use your full legal name, exactly the same way, on every document. Clerks cross-reference names across your filing and small mismatches are one of the most common reasons a packet bounces back.
Step three — get the right documents notarized
Not everything needs a notary, but the documents that matter most in Ohio family law do, because they’re sworn statements: the Separation Agreement (Form 19), the Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses (Affidavit 1), the Affidavit of Property and Debt (Affidavit 2), the Parenting Proceeding Affidavit (Affidavit 3), and the Health Insurance Affidavit (Affidavit 4) — each is signed under oath. Most Ohio Complaint for Divorce and Petition for Dissolution forms also carry a verification/jurat block for the same reason. Check the signature block on your specific form.
Ohio has allowed remote online notarization since 2019 (Ohio’s Online Notarization law, R.C. 147.601 et seq.), and it’s fully legal for these documents. You do it by video call — show government ID, answer identity-verification questions, sign electronically, and the notary applies their seal. It takes about fifteen minutes. The same national services that work for other states operate in Ohio too:
| Service | Typical cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Proof (formerly Notarize) | ~$25 first seal, $10 each additional | Open ↗ |
| BlueNotary | ~$25 per session | Open ↗ |
| OneNotary | ~$25 first seal | Open ↗ |
| NotaryCam | ~$25 per session | Open ↗ |
| Notarize with your bank | Usually free for account holders | walk in |
| Your county clerk’s office | Small fee, when you file | in person |
You sign in the notary’s presence, with valid photo ID in hand. A form signed the night before is not notarized, it’s just signed — and a Separation Agreement that’s “signed but not notarized” is one a magistrate will refuse to incorporate. If you’re doing a Dissolution, notarize the Separation Agreement and the Petition on the same day, so the signature dates line up. A magistrate who notices your agreement was signed weeks after your petition will ask questions you don’t want to answer.
Step four — file them
Ohio has no single statewide e-filing portal the way Florida does. Each county runs its own system, or contracts with a private e-filing vendor — Hamilton County’s Clerk of Courts has its own e-filing system, Cuyahoga County runs its own, and many smaller counties use a third-party vendor. Some counties still require paper filing in person. There is no way around checking your specific county’s Clerk of Courts or Domestic Relations Court website before you file.
Ask the clerk for the Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit and Order — a real statewide form from the Ohio Supreme Court’s Office of Court Services. If you qualify as indigent, the fee can be waived or deferred. The clerk’s office can tell you the local income threshold they apply.
4 · Your deadlines, calculated
Pick your track, then enter your dates. Dissolution and Divorce run on entirely different clocks in Ohio, so we compute a different timeline for each — then you can add the whole thing to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook in one click.
5 · The order it actually happens in
Because the two tracks don’t share a timeline, here’s each one laid out separately.
If you’re filing for Dissolution
If you’re filing for Divorce
6 · The rejection-proofing checklist
This is the part that’s genuinely worth paying attention to. These are the specific things that get Ohio filings bounced, delayed, or — in dissolution’s case — thrown out entirely.
Divorce in Ohio has a floor: nothing can happen before 42 days from service. Dissolution has a ceiling: your final hearing has to happen by day 90 or the court can dismiss your petition — the 90-day ceiling is R.C. 3105.64(A), and the dismissal power is R.C. 3105.65(A) — and if it’s dismissed, you don’t get a second hearing on the same filing. You refile from scratch, including the filing fee. Most courts try to schedule you well inside the window, but if a hearing gets continued, if you or your spouse are unavailable, or if the paperwork isn’t ready, that 90-day wall doesn’t move for you. Track it from day one.
Signing and notarizing
Forms people forget
Timing
Local forms aren’t optional just because they’re not on the state’s list. A county cover sheet or local financial disclosure form that your court requires by local rule will get your filing rejected just as fast as a missing UDRF form. And service isn’t optional in a contested divorce — if you can’t locate your spouse and try service by publication, the court can grant the divorce but its power to award property, support, or custody against them may be limited. Talk to the clerk or an attorney before you go that route.
7 · Financial disclosure — what to gather
Ohio doesn’t have one uniform, statewide “mandatory disclosure” list the way some states do. What’s constant statewide is that both the Affidavit of Basic Information, Income, and Expenses (Affidavit 1) and the Affidavit of Property and Debt (Affidavit 2) exist as standardized forms and get used in nearly every case. What’s not constant is how much documentation your county’s local rules require behind them — some domestic relations courts (Franklin, Cuyahoga, and Hamilton County among them) have their own local rules spelling out additional exchange requirements or case management deadlines. Treat the list below as the typical core, and confirm your county’s exact local rule before you rely on it.
In a dissolution you’re handing the court an agreement you already reached — the affidavits mostly confirm what you’ve already settled. In a divorce, the affidavits (and whatever backs them up) are often what your spouse’s side uses to check your numbers, and what the court leans on if you can’t agree. Incomplete or inconsistent numbers are one of the most common reasons a divorce that started “uncontested” turns contested.
8 · What this costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing fee — Franklin County (Divorce $275 · Dissolution $225) | $225–275 |
| Filing fee — Cuyahoga County (Divorce $200–300 · Dissolution $150–200, by kids) | $150–300 |
| Filing fee — Hamilton County (no children $325 · with children $375) | $325–375 |
| Sheriff or process server service, per person (Divorce only) | $30–50 |
| Remote online notarization, per session | ~$25 |
| Parenting class, per parent, if your county requires one | $25–75 |
| Typical all-in, doing it yourselves | $150–450 |
Ohio’s 88 counties each set their own domestic relations filing fees by local rule, so the number you’ll actually pay depends entirely on where you file — the range above (drawn from Franklin, Cuyahoga, and Hamilton counties) is representative, not universal. Call your county Clerk of Courts or check their fee schedule before you budget for this.
Ask the clerk for the statewide Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit and Order. If you qualify as indigent under your county’s standard, the fee can be waived or deferred.
Does cheating change the money in Ohio?
The statute says nothing either way, which is not the same as permission. What we read: § 3105.18(C)(1) omits misconduct, but ends in a catch-all. How all fifty states answer this.
Reconciled, and it did not work? Ohio 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 Ohio’s own process, built from the Ohio Revised Code (Chapter 3105), the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure (Civ.R. 75, Civ.R. 12), and the Ohio Supreme Court’s Uniform Domestic Relations Forms and Domestic Relations Bench Cards. The forms themselves are free from supremecourt.ohio.gov 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 Ohio requires of each path. Filing fees, local forms, e-filing systems, and whether a parenting class is required all vary by county; verify specifics with your county Clerk of Courts or Domestic Relations Court before you file. 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 one hour of advice is cheaper than one mistake.
Free alternatives you should know about. Ohio Legal Help and several individual county courts (Cuyahoga County’s self-help site among them) publish free guided form assistants and step-by-step packets for uncontested cases. If your case is simple and cooperative, look there first — you may not need us.
Four things can happen to the house in an Ohio divorce
Ohio 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 Ohio?
Browse The Cusp’s professional directory — rated only by verified clients, never ranked by who paid the most.
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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 Ohio specifically. Every figure on these pages is quoted from Ohio’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 21 Ohio divorce forms, listed by the number the clerk will ask for — 21 with an official form number, 20 linked straight to the state’s own file, each with its revision date where the state publishes one. Open the Ohio form list →
Common questions about filing for divorce in Ohio
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 Ohio?
This page sets out the order it happens in for Ohio: 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 Ohio?
The form list on this page gives the official Ohio 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 Ohio?
$200 – $550 to open the case, depending on the county, and that is only the filing fee — it does not cover service, copies, any required class, or a lawyer. The full breakdown for Ohio, with every figure traced to the court’s own published schedule and dated, is at what it costs to file in Ohio.
What gets an Ohio divorce filing rejected?
This page has a section on exactly that — the specific mistakes that get a filing returned in Ohio 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 Ohio?
There is a timeline on this page built from Ohio’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?
Ohio’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 Ohio?
Probably not, but for a different reason than you might think: Ohio’s support statute contains no misconduct factor at all. Silence is not permission and it is not a prohibition — seventeen states are in this position, and in them the written rule simply does not address it. 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 — joint & agreed, No minor children
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Petition filed, jointly | The day you file | Both of you filed together. This single date drives your entire timeline. |
| Earliest date the court can hold your final hearing | 30 days after filing | R.C. 3105.64 — a floor. Courts sometimes schedule collaborative-law cases earlier; ask if that applies to you. |
| Deadline for your final hearing to happen | 90 days after filing | R.C. 3105.64(A); dismissal under R.C. 3105.65(A). If your hearing hasn’t happened by this date, the court can dismiss your petition — and you refile from scratch, filing fee included. |
Dissolution — joint & agreed, With minor children
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Petition filed, jointly | The day you file | Both of you filed together. This single date drives your entire timeline. |
| Earliest date the court can hold your final hearing | 30 days after filing | R.C. 3105.64 — a floor. Courts sometimes schedule collaborative-law cases earlier; ask if that applies to you. |
| Deadline for your final hearing to happen | 90 days after filing | R.C. 3105.64(A); dismissal under R.C. 3105.65(A). If your hearing hasn’t happened by this date, the court can dismiss your petition — and you refile from scratch, filing fee included. |
Divorce — contested or one-sided, No minor children
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint filed | The day you file | The clock for filing-based deadlines starts here. |
| Spouse served (or Waiver signed) | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | Their clock — and the case’s real clock — starts now. |
| Spouse’s Answer is due | 28 days after service | Civ.R. 12(A)(1) — 28 days from service. No answer generally lets you pursue default, but confirm your county’s exact process with the clerk. |
| Earliest possible final hearing | 42 days after service | Civ.R. 75(K) — a floor, not a target. Contested cases routinely run well past this date. |
Divorce — contested or one-sided, With minor children
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint filed | The day you file | The clock for filing-based deadlines starts here. |
| Spouse served (or Waiver signed) | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | Their clock — and the case’s real clock — starts now. |
| Spouse’s Answer is due | 28 days after service | Civ.R. 12(A)(1) — 28 days from service. No answer generally lets you pursue default, but confirm your county’s exact process with the clerk. |
| Earliest possible final hearing | 42 days after service | Civ.R. 75(K) — a floor, not a target. Contested cases routinely run well past this date. |
| Have your parenting paperwork ready by now | 42 days after service | Parenting Proceeding Affidavit, Health Insurance Affidavit, and child support worksheet should already be on file by the time a hearing is realistic. |
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.
| County | What to know | Contact, links and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Allen County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Ashland County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Ashtabula County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Athens County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Auglaize County | Own Domestic Relations judge; A-OK parenting program, local standing orders and Marital History sheet required with complaints, $350 filing fee, and mandatory e-filing for registered filers under a rule revised Feb 2026. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Court: 201 Willipie Street, Suite 119, Wapakoneta, OH 45895; court 419-739-6775; clerk 419-739-6765; 8:00-4:30 M-F. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www2.auglaizecounty.org/courts/domestic-relations-court |
| Belmont County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Brown County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Butler County | Court-run E-Submission portal and a Case Management Office that reviews pleadings before clerk filing; DR-numbered local forms; mandatory parent class via approved providers (register within 15 days of filing); fee schedule updated Aug 17, 2026 (divorce $350, dissolution $300). Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://drcourt.bcohio.gov |
| Carroll County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Champaign County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Clark County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Clermont County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Clinton County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Columbiana County | Separate Domestic Relations Court. Rules require a proposed judgment entry and court approval at filing, pre-registration for e-filing, and a $300 deposit for divorce or dissolution. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Clerk of Courts, 105 South Market, Lisbon, OH 44432; (330) 424-7777; 8:00-4:00 Mon-Fri Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://ccclerk.org/common-pleas-court |
| Coshocton County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Crawford County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Cuyahoga County | Court-specific Domestic Relations Help Center and online judgment-entry/form assistants; parenting seminar tied to filing (ideally within 30 days of filing) with certificate filed with Clerk; $300 advance deposit with children, $200 without; contested answer triggers pretrial about 30-45 days after service. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://ccdrc.ohiolegalhelp.org/topic/cuyahoga-county-divorce-process |
| Darke County | Mandatory ‘Helping Children Succeed After Divorce’ seminar in every case with minor children. A yellow Questionnaire is required at filing, and there is no e-filing portal (filing in person, or by fax or email for some papers). Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Common Pleas Court, 504 South Broadway, Second Floor Courthouse, Greenville, OH 45331; (937) 547-7325; fax (937) 547-7323; commonpleas@co.darke.oh.us; 8:00-4:30 Mon-Fri. Clerk of Courts: 937-547-7335. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://darkecountycommonpleas.com/ |
| Defiance County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Delaware County | Separate DR court with June 27, 2025 local rules, Case Classification Form required for new cases, mandatory ‘For the Children’ seminar via OSU Extension, checklists per case type, and Rule 38 e-filing. Mediation governed by Rule 31 with a dispute-resolution coordinator. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://domestic.co.delaware.oh.us/ |
| Erie County | Court may order an online parenting course (certificate before final hearing) and there is a local e-filing administrative order. GAL fee is $150/hour with $2,000 deposit. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Common Pleas Court, General Division, 323 Columbus Ave., 2nd Floor, Sandusky, OH 44870; (419) 627-7732; toll-free 1-888-399-6065; Assignment Commissioner 419-627-7777. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.eriecounty.oh.gov/DomesticRelations.aspx |
| Fairfield County | Separate Domestic Relations Division with its own local rules and forms. The Division sponsors the $25 online ‘Children In Between’ class. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Hall of Justice, 224 East Main Street, 4th Floor, Lancaster, OH 43130; 740-652-7440; 8-12 and 1-4 Mon-Fri. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.co.fairfield.oh.us/dr/ |
| Fayette County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Franklin County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Fulton County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Gallia County | Separate DR Division with its own rules (4.01-4.47). Local rules set a $500 deposit for domestic cases with children and $450 without. Parenting seminar and mediation rules exist. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Clerk of Courts , Courthouse, 18 Locust St., Room 1290, Gallipolis, OH 45631; (740) 446-4612. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://galliacountyoh.gov/clerk-of-courts/ |
| Geauga County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Greene County | Separate DR Court with pre-filing compliance review. A court-approved parenting seminar is required before final hearing, and court-connected mediation is free. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.greenecountyohio.gov/1600/Domestic-Relations-Forms |
| Guernsey County | Separate DR Division with a magistrate and a packet for each case type. Clerk offers eFiling to attorneys and registered pro se users. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Clerk of Courts, 801 Wheeling Ave., D200, Cambridge, OH 43725; 740-432-9230; fax 740-432-7807; 8:30-12 and 1-4 Mon-Fri. DR office: 740-432-9352; assignment commissioner 740-432-9386. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://guernseycounty.gov/clerk-of-courts/domestic-relations-division/ |
| Hamilton County | Rule 2.9 sets firm parenting-class deadlines (42 days) with dismissal risk; plaintiff must request merit setting within 75 days of service (Rule 1.10); free Early Intervention Mediation; local numbered forms (e.g., 1.30, 7.2, 7.3, 14.15). Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://hamiltoncountyohio.gov/government/courts/court_of_domestic_relations/forms___procedures |
| Hancock County | Parenting class is required in cases with minor children and the case cannot be finalized until the certificate is filed. A court mediator takes a $50 deposit per party. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Court 419-424-7008; DR/parenting education questions 419-424-7818; Clerk on 3rd floor, 300 S Main St, Findlay. Hours on the court page: Mon-Thu 8:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:45, Fri 8:00-12:00. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.co.hancock.oh.us/197/Common-Pleas-Court |
| Hardin County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Harrison County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Henry County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Highland County | The court site has a DR page with Appendix A fees, Appendix G parenting-time schedule, and a published 2026 parenting class schedule. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Court DR office (937) 393-3676, Mon-Fri 8:30-4:00 (closed noon-1). Clerk of Courts (937) 393-9957. Common Pleas address 105 N High St, Hillsboro, OH 45133 (Ohio Legal Help, main (937) 393-2422). Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.hccpc.org/domestic-relations |
| Hocking County | Local rules (revised Aug 2025) say papers shall be filed electronically. Deposits are $300 for dissolution and for divorce with or without children. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Court website Sources: https://hocking.oh.gov/sites/default/files/2025-08/Hocking%20County%20Common%20Pleas%20Court%20Local%20Rules%20Revised%202025-08.pdf |
| Holmes County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Huron County | COPE parenting class (2.5 hr, $40 per person) is required before a divorce or dissolution with minor children is finalized; children 5-17 take K.I.D.D.S. ($20 per child). Domestic mediation is generally required in custody or visitation cases at no added cost. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.huroncountycommonpleas.org/ |
| Jackson County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Jefferson County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Knox County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Lake County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Lawrence County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Licking County | Required ‘Helping Children Succeed After Divorce’ seminar (online or in person, run by The Woodlands); mediation optional with court mediation coordinator; local Rules of Court (2026) and local ex parte, interpreter and relocation forms. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/default.htm |
| Logan County | Separate Domestic Relations Division within a Family Court; mandatory Common Ground parenting program with certificate filing; court-ordered mediation limited to child issues; local DR-numbered forms. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Family Court: 101 S. Main St., Bellefontaine OH 43311; 937-292-4043 (fax 937-292-4121); Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30. Clerk of Courts Legal Dept: 101 S. Main St., Room 218; 937-599-7275; Family Court line at clerk 937-599-7249. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.logancountyohio.gov/domestic-relations-court.html |
| Lorain County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Lucas County | Clerk online e-filing ‘DR Efiling’. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://lucascountyoh.gov/163/Domestic-Relations-Court |
| Madison County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Mahoning County | Has its own DR local rules with Rule 46 e-filing (effective Nov 6, 2023), a mutual restraining order required before filing, local affidavits (Affidavit 1, 2, 5), and a low-income self-help center. Parent education and mediation are judge-ordered rather than blanket. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.mahoningcountyoh.gov/699/Domestic-Relations-Court |
| Marion County | Combined Family Court; parenting education within 60 days of filing/service; local deposit schedule and Affidavits 1-4 required with divorce pleadings; e-filing portal linked. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: 222 W. Center St., Marion OH 43302; (740) 223-4060; fax (740) 382-3798; Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://marioncountyohio.gov/elected_offices/common_pleas_court_family_division/index.php |
| Medina County | Little county-specific procedure could be verified. Clerk sets DR deposits (divorce with children $400), and the court runs periodic divorce clinics with Community Legal Aid. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://medinadr.org/ |
| Meigs County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Mercer County | Magistrate hears DR matters in the general court. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: 101 N. Main St., Room 301, Celina OH 45822; (419) 586-2122 or (419) 586-4000; Mon 8:30-5, Tue-Fri 8:30-4, closed noon-1. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.mercercountyoh.gov/common-pleas-court/ |
| Miami County | Domestic relations handled in General Division by magistrates; 45-day parenting seminar deadline; mandatory e-filing (including pro se) per court notice effective June 1, 2026; local DR mediation rule repealed. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Common Pleas Court, Safety Building, 201 W. Main St., 3rd Floor, Troy OH 45373; (937) 440-6010; fax (937) 440-6011. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.miamicountyohio.gov/?p=1547 |
| Monroe County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Montgomery County | Self-represented filers go through a Compliance Office review and Court Navigator before in-person filing; filing fee $475; online parent education class required before decree; continuance motions due 3 business days before hearing. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://mcdrc.ohiolegalhelp.org/topic/divorce-children |
| Morgan County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Morrow County | Separate Domestic Relations Division with its own local rules (updated 1/3/2024); parenting seminar before final hearing; mediation required for post-decree parental rights changes; e-filing registration rule. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://cms9files.revize.com/morrowcooh/Common%20Pleas/LOCAL_DOMESTIC_RELATIONS_RULES-Updated_01-03-2024.pdf |
| Muskingum County | Separate DR division with its own judge, 66 posted forms, online co-parenting course and a separate 6-week cooperative parenting class; e-filing rule 5.09 with registration. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: 22 N. 5th St., Zanesville OH 43701; 740-455-7190; Mon-Fri 8-4:30. Clerk of Courts hours 8:30-4:30. Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.muskingumcountyoh.gov/Courts/Domestic-Relations/ |
| Noble County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Ottawa County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Paulding County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Perry County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Pickaway County | Local rules (effective 6/30/2026) include Rule 15 for domestic cases, e-mail filing to the clerk (original complaint cannot be e-mailed), numbered forms A-S, and mediation by court encouragement. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Judge (740) 474-6026, 207 S Court St, Circleville, OH 43113; Domestic Magistrate (740) 477-3840; Clerk e-mail ClerkofCourts@pickawaycountyohio.gov Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://pickawaycountyohio.gov/offices/common-pleas/index.html |
| Pike County | Parents in divorce/dissolution with minor children must take an approved parenting class within 60 days of filing (or 7 days before merits hearing if sooner); $250 advance deposit for divorce/dissolution complaints. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Clerk of Courts: 100 E 2nd St, 2nd Floor, Waverly, OH 45690; 740-947-2715; fax 740-947-1729; clerk@pikecounty.oh.gov. Court main (740) 947-2212 Local rules · Court website Sources: https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/Clerk/Local%20Rules/PikeCoGDandDR.pdf |
| Portage County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Preble County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Putnam County | One parenting class (AOK, $30 per person) required before final hearing, within 60 days of the original pleading; filing fee $300 for divorce/dissolution plus $50 special project fee; rules cover fax filing only, no e-filing rule. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://putnamcountyohio.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-LOCAL-COURT-RULES-COMMON-PLEAS.pdf |
| Richland County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Ross County | Clerk publishes domestic costs (divorce $400, dissolution $350) and an e-filing system open to civil/domestic cases with registration; credit card and 3% fee (min $1). Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Clerk of Courts, 2 N. Paint St., Suite B, Chillicothe, OH 45601; (740) 702-3010. Court: 2 N Paint St; (740) 702-3032 / 3038 Local forms · Court website Sources: https://rosscountyohio.gov/clerk/e-filing.html |
| Sandusky County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | |
| Scioto County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Seneca County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Shelby County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Stark County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Summit County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Trumbull County | Domestic Relations is handled by the Family Court with its own local rules and a Clerk page showing a $301 filing fee and $100 per party mediation fee; DR e-filing is not yet available per the Clerk, though rules allow it later. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Domestic Clerk (330) 675-2627; court main (330) 675-2600; 220 Main Ave SW, Warren, OH 44481 Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/family-court/fc_ffdomestic.html |
| Tuscarawas County | Domestic matters go through the General Division with an in-house mediation program (free pre-filing option). E-filing exists but is attorney-only for now. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Clerk of Courts: (330) 364-8811; 125 E. High Ave, Room 230, New Philadelphia, OH 44663; P.O. Box 628; fax 330-343-4682; clerkfiling@co.tuscarawas.oh.us. Court: 101 E. High Ave. Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.co.tuscarawas.oh.us/government/court_of_common_pleas_court_general_division/court_information.php |
| Union County | Combined general and DR division with a dedicated DR office. E-filing mandatory for attorneys. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Court/DR 937-645-3015, fax 937-645-3149; 215 West Fifth Street, Marysville, OH 43040; Clerk filing fax 937-645-3162; Clerk e-services eservices.co.union.oh.us (per rules) Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://www.unioncountyohio.gov/localrules |
| Van Wert County | Local rules (March 2024 revision) require a parenting class, allow mediation by order, set deposits ($375 divorce, $325 dissolution) and describe fax filing instead of e-filing. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Ohio Legal Help lists 305 Courthouse, Van Wert, OH 45891; (419) 238-6935 (main) Local rules · Court website Sources: https://cms5.revize.com/revize/vanwert//Document_Center/Government/Court/Common%20Pleas%20Court/REVISED%20LOCAL%20RULES%203.22.24.pdf |
| Vinton County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Warren County | Email/fax pre-review filing through the DR office (not a standard portal), mandatory separating-parents seminar within 30 days (fee from deposit), free court mediation, DR Form 7 mutual restraining order filed with complaint, and an Assignment Commissioner hearing date required before motions. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Local rules · Local forms · Court website Sources: https://httpjfwww.co.warren.oh.us/Domestic_Relations_Court/LocalRules.pdf |
| Washington County | County has a domestic magistrate, numbered DR local rules (24-29) and a mediation program that refers all divorces before a contested final hearing. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: 205 Putnam St, Marietta, OH 45750; (740) 373-6623 ext. 2303; fax (740) 373-5713; Legal Division ext. 2503 Local rules · Local forms Sources: https://washingtongov.org/266/Local-Rules |
| Wayne County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Williams County | Court states a 60-day parenting class deadline after filing, with dismissal if not completed, plus a scheduled class calendar. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Court: One Courthouse Square, 3rd Floor, Bryan, OH 43506; 419-636-2644; fax 419-636-9886 Court website Sources: https://www.williamscountyoh.gov/637/General-Domestic-Relations |
| Wood County Call or check the court website to confirm | We could not confirm county-specific rules from an official court page. Use the statewide Supreme Court forms and confirm local requirements with this county’s clerk. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Court website |
| Wyandot County | Combined-division rules require a parenting workshop at Hannah’s House before hearing and limit electronic filing to emergency fax-type transmissions at $2 plus $1 per page. Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date | Who to contact: Per Ohio Legal Help: 109 S Sandusky Avenue, Upper Sandusky, OH 43351; (419) 294-1817 (main) Local rules · Court website Sources: https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/docs/Clerk/Local%20Rules/wyandotCoGDandDR.pdf |
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 Ohio? The clerk serves by certified mail; the sheriff or a process server serves if you ask. Not you. Deadline: within 6 months. (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 Ohio in our state-by-state serving table.
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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?