The key points
- Use current official Judicial Council forms.
- FL-100 and FL-110 start the standard case.
- FL-700 and FL-710 start the joint petition route.
- Your county may require local forms in addition to the statewide set.
Start with the opening forms
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| Form | Purpose | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| FL-100 | Petition, Marriage/Domestic Partnership. Starts the standard case and identifies the issues. | Court PDF ↗ |
| FL-110 | Summons. Read the notice and the orders as well as the response instructions. | Court PDF ↗ |
| FL-120 | Response, Marriage/Domestic Partnership. The respondent’s initial response in the standard case. | Court PDF ↗ |
| FL-105 | Declaration Under UCCJEA. Required when you have children under 18 together. | Court PDF ↗ |
These links go to California Courts. No forms are hosted on this website. Check the official site for current revisions and instructions before completing or signing a saved copy.
FL-100 does not cover every later step. The petition and response guide explains what those opening documents do and what they do not decide.
Filing together uses a separate opening set
The joint petition route uses Joint Petition, Marriage or Domestic Partnership (FL-700), and Summons, Joint Petition (FL-710). FL-700-INFO explains the process. Both spouses begin the case together, without initial service of process.
If that joint procedure is revoked, FL-720 is the relevant notice in the catalog and the case changes to the standard process. Do not swap between opening sets without following the court instructions.
Summary dissolution uses FL-800 and its own information and judgment forms. It has separate eligibility conditions. The joint filing guide distinguishes the two routes.
Record service and exchange financial information
For standard cases, Proof of Service of Summons (FL-115) records service. Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt (FL-117) applies to a particular service method. A proof form does not replace completing service correctly.
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| Disclosure paper | Its role |
|---|---|
| FL-140 | Declaration of Disclosure |
| FL-150 | Income and Expense Declaration |
| FL-142 or FL-160 | Schedule of Assets and Debts or Property Declaration |
| FL-141 | Declaration Regarding Service of Declaration of Disclosure |
| FL-144 | Stipulation and Waiver of Final Declaration of Disclosure, when permitted |
Preliminary disclosure is required even for spouses who agree. The papers have different service and filing requirements. Follow the current instructions rather than filing the entire financial exchange as one public packet.
Add the papers that fit your circumstances
Children require more than adding their names to a petition. The California catalog includes custody and support attachments, such as FL-341 and FL-342, and other child-related papers depending on the orders. Our guide for parents explains how those stages connect.
If you need a court fee waiver, the forms named in the state data are Request to Waive Court Fees (FW-001) and Order on Court Fee Waiver (FW-003). The court decides the request.
Local forms can also apply. The statewide catalog is a starting reference, not a declaration that every county uses an identical packet. Check the Superior Court where the case will be filed.
Finish with a judgment package
Common final papers in an agreed case include Declaration for Default or Uncontested Dissolution or Legal Separation (FL-170), Judgment (FL-180), and Notice of Entry of Judgment (FL-190). The written agreement and relevant attachments must be included.
Additional forms depend on whether a Response was filed, whether a default is involved, and what orders are requested. Judgment Checklist (FL-182) is useful for checking the required pieces.
A form number is a label, not an instruction to file it in every case. Read the official directions for your exact posture. The filing roadmap puts the document stages in order.
Who signs, and which signatures need special attention
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| Document | Signature or review responsibility |
|---|---|
| FL-100 | The petitioner reviews and signs the Petition. |
| FL-700 | Both spouses sign the Joint Petition. |
| FL-115 | The server completes and signs the proof for the service performed. |
| FL-117 | The respondent signs the acknowledgment, following the mail-service instructions. |
| Disclosure set | Each disclosing party completes the required declarations and signs where indicated. |
| FL-144 | Both parties sign a permitted waiver of final disclosure. |
| Written settlement | Both spouses sign. Default-with-agreement instructions can require the respondent’s signature to be notarized. |
| FL-180 | Prepare the proposed Judgment for judicial review and signature. It is not an order merely because a filer completed it. |
Do not apply one notarization statement to an entire case. Judgment signatures, settlement signatures on a particular route, and a deed transferring a home have different requirements. Use the actual form and court instructions.
The Judgment article explains the proposed-paper and entered-order distinction.
Compare a case with children to a case without them
Both kinds of cases need the opening route, financial disclosures, resolution of the issues, and final Judgment papers. Having no minor children together does not remove the financial steps.
With children under 18 together, add FL-105 at the relevant opening stage. The final set also needs the appropriate parenting and child support orders, with FL-341 and FL-342 among the identified attachments. FL-191 registers a child support order, and income-withholding documents may apply. Additional notices or findings depend on the order requested.
Support should be calculated under the applicable rules, not selected solely because both parents prefer a number. Read the children and support article for the questions to resolve before completing the final attachments.
In either set, use the correct posture-specific checklist. A joint opening, a filed Response, and a default do not produce identical final packets.
Common questions
Which California divorce forms do I need to start a case?
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.
Are FL-100 and FL-110 the whole packet?
No. FL-100 and FL-110 usually start a standard divorce case, but they do not complete it. If you have children under 18 together, FL-105 is generally needed with the opening papers. You may also need local forms, proof of service, financial disclosures, and a separate Judgment package. Use the court’s instructions for your route and check each stage before submitting forms.
Which forms do we use if we file together?
The joint petition uses FL-700 and FL-710, with FL-700-INFO explaining the process. FL-105 also applies if you have children under 18 together. Summary dissolution is a separate route with FL-800 forms.
Can I use an old downloaded form?
Check the official court site for the current version before you complete it. A saved PDF can become outdated. Also check local instructions and attachments rather than judging a packet only by its main form number.
Can an online service file these forms for me?
Do not assume so. Ask the provider whether it only prepares documents or also offers filing, then check whether your county Superior Court accepts electronic filing for your case. You remain responsible for reviewing the forms, signing where required, arranging service when your route requires it, and following court notices. Get filed copies or a confirmation from the court so you can verify what was actually submitted.
Official California references
Requirements and forms can change. Check the current instructions and your local court’s requirements. This page is not an attorney-reviewed legal opinion.