Every Florida Divorce Document and Form You Need: Complete List

If you are staring at the Florida Courts website wondering which forms to download, which ones to skip, and what order everything needs to be filed in, you are not alone. In my practice, the single most common reason people delay filing for divorce is not emotional hesitation. It is paperwork paralysis. They open the family law forms page, see dozens of options, and close their browser.

Here is the straightforward answer: a Florida divorce requires a minimum of four to six core documents to get started, but a typical case involves ten to fifteen forms before it reaches a final judgment. The exact Florida divorce documents forms list depends on whether you have children, own property, or need temporary relief from the court. Below, I have organized every form you may need, explained when each one is required, and given you the step-by-step filing order so you can move forward with confidence.

The Core Florida Divorce Documents Forms List

Every dissolution of marriage case filed in Florida begins with the same foundational documents. Whether you are filing in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Orange, or Duval County, these forms are mandatory.

1. Petition for Dissolution of Marriage

The Petition is the document that officially starts your divorce case. It tells the court who you are, who your spouse is, when you were married, and what you are asking for. Florida provides two versions:

• Form 12.901(b)(1): Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor Children
• Form 12.901(b)(2): Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with No Dependent or Minor Children

Under Florida Statute 61.052, the Petition must allege that the marriage is "irretrievably broken" or that one spouse has been mentally incapacitated for at least three years. In my experience, virtually every petition filed in Florida uses the irretrievably broken ground.

2. Summons

Form 12.910(a) is the Summons, which is the court's official notice to your spouse that a divorce action has been filed. The Summons informs your spouse that they have exactly 20 days from the date of service to file a written response with the court. Without proper service of the Summons, the court cannot move forward with your case.

3. Cover Sheet for Family Court Cases

Form 12.928 is required by every circuit in Florida. It is a one-page administrative form that tells the clerk what type of case is being filed and helps route your case to the correct division.

4. Filing Fee Payment

As of 2026, the filing fee for a dissolution of marriage in Florida ranges from approximately $400 to $410 depending on the county. Miami-Dade County charges $409, Broward County charges $401, and most other circuits fall in the same range. If you cannot afford the filing fee, you may file Form 12.910(c), the Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status.

Financial Disclosure Documents Required in Every Florida Divorce

Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.285 requires both parties to make mandatory financial disclosures. This is not optional. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including having your pleadings struck.

5. Financial Affidavit

You will file one of two versions based on your gross annual income:

• Form 12.902(b): Short Form Financial Affidavit, used when individual gross income is under $50,000 per year
• Form 12.902(c): Long Form Financial Affidavit, used when individual gross income is $50,000 or more per year

The Financial Affidavit is a sworn document. You sign it under oath, and providing false information constitutes perjury under Florida law. I always tell clients to spend more time on this form than any other. Judges rely heavily on financial affidavits when making decisions about alimony, child support, and equitable distribution. For a detailed walkthrough on completing this form correctly, see our guide on how to complete the Florida Financial Affidavit Form 12.902.

6. Mandatory Disclosure Documents

In addition to the Financial Affidavit, Rule 12.285 requires you to provide the following to the other party within 45 days of service:

• Your three most recent federal and state tax returns, including all schedules and W-2s
• Your three most recent pay stubs
• A complete listing of all assets acquired during the marriage
• A complete listing of all liabilities or debts
• All bank, brokerage, and retirement account statements for the past three months

These documents are exchanged between the parties. They are not typically filed with the court, but they are absolutely required.

Documents for Divorces with Children

If you and your spouse have minor or dependent children, the forms needed for a Florida divorce expand significantly.

7. Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act Affidavit

Form 12.902(d), known as the UCCJEA Affidavit, is required in every case involving minor children. This affidavit tells the court where your children have lived for the past five years and whether any other court proceedings involving custody exist anywhere in the country. This form is critical because it establishes Florida's jurisdiction over your children under Florida Statute 61.514.

8. Parenting Plan

Florida Statute 61.13 requires a Parenting Plan in every case involving minor children. The court will not enter a final judgment without one. The Parenting Plan addresses:

• Time-sharing schedule, including holidays, school breaks, and summer
• Decision-making authority for education, healthcare, and extracurricular activities
• Communication methods between the child and each parent
• Transportation and exchange logistics

If both parties agree, you file Form 12.995(a), the Parenting Plan. If you cannot agree, the court will create one for you after a hearing or trial, but submitting your proposed plan is still required.

We offer a dedicated Parenting Plan service for clients who need help drafting this document.

9. Child Support Guidelines Worksheet

Form 12.902(e), the Child Support Guidelines Worksheet, calculates the presumptive child support amount based on both parents' incomes, the time-sharing schedule, healthcare costs, and daycare expenses. Florida follows an income shares model under Florida Statute 61.30. For a deeper explanation of how child support is calculated, read our article on child support calculation and the Florida guidelines worksheet.

Documents for Uncontested Divorces

An uncontested divorce is one where both spouses agree on every issue: property division, alimony, time-sharing, and child support. If you have reached a full agreement, you will need these additional forms:

10. Marital Settlement Agreement

Form 12.902(f)(1) (with children) or Form 12.902(f)(2) (without children) is the Marital Settlement Agreement, or MSA. This is the document that lays out every term of your divorce. It covers who gets what property, who pays what debts, whether alimony will be paid, and all issues related to children if applicable.

The MSA is the most important document in an uncontested divorce. Once the judge approves it, it becomes a court order. I have seen clients come back months or years later trying to modify poorly drafted agreements, and it is almost always more expensive than getting it right the first time. We prepare comprehensive settlement agreements through our Settlement Agreement service.

11. Answer and Waiver

Form 12.903(a) is the Answer and Waiver. In an uncontested divorce, the responding spouse files this to acknowledge the Petition and waive the 20-day response period. This speeds up the process significantly.

12. Notice of Filing

Once the signed MSA and other documents are ready, a Notice of Filing is submitted to alert the court that the documents are in the record.

Documents for the Final Hearing

Before the judge can grant your divorce, several final documents must be prepared and filed.

13. Motion to Set Final Hearing

This motion asks the court to schedule your final hearing. In uncontested cases, the final hearing typically lasts five to fifteen minutes. Some Florida circuits, including Miami-Dade, now allow uncontested final hearings by Zoom.

14. Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage

Form 12.990(a) (without children) or Form 12.990(b)(1) (with children) is the Final Judgment. This is the document that actually ends your marriage. In many circuits, the petitioner or their attorney drafts the proposed Final Judgment and submits it to the judge for review.

15. Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure

Form 12.932 certifies that you have complied with Rule 12.285 mandatory disclosure requirements. The court will not enter a final judgment without this form.

Documents You Might Need: Situational Forms

Depending on the specifics of your case, you may also need one or more of the following:

• Form 12.941(a): Motion for Temporary Support, Time-Sharing, and Other Relief. Filed when you need immediate orders before the divorce is final.
• Form 12.920(a): Motion for Referral to General Magistrate. Used when the court refers your case to a magistrate for hearings.
• Form 12.931: Notice of Social Security Number. Required in many circuits for processing the final judgment.
• Form 12.902(j): Notice of Related Cases. Required if there are other court cases involving the same family, such as domestic violence injunctions.
• Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO): Not a standard court form, but required if you are dividing retirement accounts. This is a specialized document that must comply with federal ERISA requirements.

Step-by-Step Filing Order for Florida Divorce Documents

Here is the order in which documents are typically filed and served in a Florida divorce:

The entire process takes a minimum of 28 days from the date of service. Florida Statute 61.19 requires a mandatory 20-day waiting period from the date the Petition is filed before a final hearing can be held. In practice, most uncontested divorces take 45 to 90 days from filing to final judgment.

A Real-World Example: Getting the Documents Right the First Time

A recent client came to us after attempting to file her own divorce in Broward County. She had downloaded what she thought were the correct forms from the Florida Courts website, filled them out, and e-filed everything. The clerk accepted the filing and she paid the $401 fee. But when she attempted to serve her husband, she realized she had used the wrong version of the Petition. She had filed Form 12.901(b)(2), the no-children version, even though they had a three-year-old daughter.

The mistake meant she had to file an amended petition, pay additional fees, and re-serve her husband. What should have taken 60 days turned into nearly five months. She eventually found us, and we prepared a corrected Divorce Petition Package for $495 that included the Petition, Summons, Cover Sheet, and e-filing with the court. We also provided her with clear service instructions so the rest of the process went smoothly.

This scenario is more common than you might think. The forms needed for a Florida divorce look similar, and selecting the wrong version can derail your entire case.

How We Help: The Divorce Petition Package

At Divorce.law, we offer a Divorce Petition Package for $495 that handles the most critical step of the divorce process: getting your case started correctly. Here is what is included:

• Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, correctly completed with all required allegations
• Summons prepared and ready for service
• Cover Sheet for Family Court Cases
• E-filing with the court on your behalf
• Filing confirmation sent to you
• Detailed service instructions so you know exactly how to serve your spouse
• One round of revisions if anything needs to be adjusted
• Access to the Divorce.law Client Portal for secure document upload and real-time case tracking
• 24/7 access to Victoria, our AI assistant, for case questions at any time

Turnaround time is 2 to 3 business days. You provide us with the information, we prepare the documents, e-file them, and send you everything you need to take the next step.

This package is ideal for people who are ready to file, are comfortable handling some of the process themselves, and want the peace of mind that comes from knowing the divorce paperwork in Florida was prepared correctly by a licensed attorney.

If your divorce involves complex property, contested custody, or significant disagreements, we also offer a Strategy Session where you can discuss your full situation and get a customized plan.

Common Concerns About Florida Divorce Forms

I found free forms online. Why would I pay for document preparation?

The Florida Courts website does provide free family law forms, and they are legitimate court-approved documents. The issue is not access to the forms. It is knowing which forms apply to your situation, how to complete them correctly, and how to e-file them without errors. Clerks cannot give you legal advice. They cannot tell you which box to check or whether you selected the right form. A single mistake, like the client in Broward County who filed the wrong petition, can cost you weeks or months.

Our $495 Divorce Petition Package eliminates that risk entirely.

What if my spouse will not cooperate?

You do not need your spouse's permission or cooperation to file for divorce in Florida. The Petition is filed by one spouse, and the other is served. If your spouse refuses to sign anything or ignores the proceedings entirely, you can still move forward. After proper service, if your spouse fails to respond within 20 days, you may be eligible for a default judgment. The Florida divorce documents forms list does not change based on your spouse's willingness to participate.

Filing Methods: E-Filing Is Now Mandatory in Florida

As of 2026, all documents in Florida family law cases must be filed electronically through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. Paper filing is generally not accepted unless you qualify for an exemption. The E-Filing Portal can be confusing for first-time users, which is another reason many clients choose to have us handle the filing.

When you use our Petition Package, we e-file everything on your behalf and send you a filing confirmation with your case number.

What Happens After You File

Once the Petition is filed and your spouse is served, the clock starts. Your spouse has 20 days to file a response under Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.100. During this time, you should begin gathering your mandatory disclosure documents and preparing your Financial Affidavit.

For a complete walkthrough of the process after filing, read our guide on what to expect after filing a divorce petition in Florida.

If you and your spouse can reach agreement on all issues, you may be able to finalize your divorce in as little as 30 to 45 days. If your case is contested, the timeline stretches significantly. See our breakdown of the contested divorce timeline in Florida for realistic expectations.

Quick Reference: Complete Florida Divorce Documents Forms List

Here is the consolidated list of every form referenced in this guide:

• Form 12.901(b)(1): Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with Children
• Form 12.901(b)(2): Petition for Dissolution of Marriage without Children
• Form 12.910(a): Summons
• Form 12.928: Cover Sheet for Family Court Cases
• Form 12.902(b): Short Form Financial Affidavit (income under $50,000)
• Form 12.902(c): Long Form Financial Affidavit (income $50,000 or more)
• Form 12.902(d): UCCJEA Affidavit
• Form 12.902(e): Child Support Guidelines Worksheet
• Form 12.902(f)(1): Marital Settlement Agreement with Children
• Form 12.902(f)(2): Marital Settlement Agreement without Children
• Form 12.903(a): Answer and Waiver
• Form 12.932: Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure
• Form 12.990(a): Final Judgment without Children
• Form 12.990(b)(1): Final Judgment with Children
• Form 12.995(a): Parenting Plan
• Form 12.941(a): Motion for Temporary Relief
• Form 12.910(c): Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status
• Form 12.902(j): Notice of Related Cases
• Form 12.931: Notice of Social Security Number

This is the most comprehensive Florida divorce documents forms list available. Not every case requires every form, but this covers the vast majority of situations I encounter in practice.

Do Not Let Paperwork Stop You From Moving Forward

I understand the hesitation. The forms are confusing, the stakes feel enormous, and making a mistake seems easy. But the longer you wait, the longer you stay in a situation you have already decided to leave.

If you are ready to file, our Divorce Petition Package gives you a professionally prepared petition, summons, cover sheet, and e-filing for $495, delivered in 2 to 3 business days. You do not need to figure out which forms to use, how to complete them, or how the e-filing portal works. We handle all of that.

Have questions before you start? Talk to Victoria, our AI assistant, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or schedule a Strategy Session with our team to discuss your specific situation.

Your divorce starts with one document filed correctly. Let us make sure it is done right.

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This article provides general information about Florida divorce law and is not legal advice. Every case is unique. For advice specific to your situation, schedule a consultation with a Florida-licensed attorney.