Online divorce
in California.

You can prepare California divorce papers online, but electronic filing depends on the county where you file. Check your Superior Court’s current options and local forms before submitting documents. Online preparation does not replace service where required, financial disclosures, or final court papers. A judge must enter a Judgment before the marriage can end. Completing a questionnaire neither finalizes a divorce nor starts the statutory waiting period.

For a standard California divorce, the opening papers usually include the Petition (FL-100) and Summons (FL-110). If you have children under 18 together, the UCCJEA declaration (FL-105) is also relevant. Check residency first, generally 6 months in California and 3 months in the filing county for either spouse, with exceptions. Local forms may also be required. Joint petitions and summary dissolution use different opening forms, so choose the instructions for your route.

Start by separating court filing fees from optional document preparation, service, and legal help. The usual standard petition filing fee is $435 to $450. Confirm the current amount with the court clerk, since local charges and the filing route can affect the total. A Response generally has its own first-paper fee. If you cannot afford court fees, ask about a fee waiver. There is no single total that fits every divorce.

California has a statutory 6-month minimum before marital status can end. In a standard case, it runs from service of the summons and petition or the respondent’s appearance, whichever happens first. Joint petition and summary dissolution routes follow filing-based instructions. The minimum is not a promised completion date. Financial disclosures, unresolved issues, corrections, and court review can take longer. Check the Judgment for the actual date the marriage ends.

An uncontested divorce generally means the spouses have resolved the issues that need court orders, including property, debts, support, and parenting arrangements where relevant. Agreement does not remove the required disclosures, final paperwork, court review, or statutory minimum waiting period. It is also different from no-fault divorce, which concerns the legal ground for ending the marriage. Use the instructions for your procedural route rather than assuming every agreed case uses identical forms.

California permits self-representation, so a lawyer is not required for every divorce. You still have to select the right procedure, complete current forms, meet deadlines, exchange required disclosures, and submit final papers for court approval. Court self-help centers can explain forms and procedures. They do not choose settlement terms for you. Online document preparation is also different from legal representation. Consider individual legal advice if property, support, parenting, or an agreement’s consequences are unclear.

Yes. Having children does not by itself prevent an agreed divorce, but the agreement and final papers must address custody, parenting time, and child support as well as the other issues. The UCCJEA declaration (FL-105) provides information about the children’s residence and related proceedings. It does not create a custody or support order by itself. The court still reviews the proposed orders. California summary dissolution is a separate route and is not available with minor children together.