How Long Does an Uncontested Divorce Take in Florida? (2026)

An uncontested divorce in Florida typically takes 4 to 12 weeks from filing to final judgment. The legal minimum is 20 days, because Florida Statute 61.19 bars any final judgment until 20 days after the petition is filed. A simplified dissolution can finish in 3 to 6 weeks; a regular uncontested case usually runs 2 to 4 months. Our firm prepares uncontested divorces for a $750 flat attorney fee statewide (court costs ~$408-$410 and notary separate).

That speed is the entire appeal of an uncontested case. When both spouses agree on every issue, there is no litigation, no discovery battle, and no contested final hearing to wait for on a crowded judge's calendar. The remaining question is simply how fast the paperwork moves and how quickly your county clerk can set a brief final hearing. Below, we break down exactly what controls the timeline, how the two uncontested paths compare, and where most of the waiting actually happens.

How Long Does an Uncontested Divorce Take in Florida?

For most couples, the realistic answer to how long an uncontested divorce takes in Florida is 4 to 12 weeks. The single hard legal floor is the 20-day rule. Under F.S. 61.19, a court cannot enter a Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage until at least 20 days have passed since the petition was filed, unless the judge finds that waiting would cause an injustice. Waivers of that 20-day period are rare and require a compelling reason, so plan around 20 days as your minimum.

Florida is unusual nationally because it imposes no separation period and no cooling-off period before you may file. There is no "wait six months after separating" rule. The only pre-filing timing requirement is residency: under F.S. 61.021, at least one spouse must have lived in Florida for 6 months before filing. Once that residency requirement and the 20-day post-filing period are satisfied, the clock is governed almost entirely by paperwork and the clerk's hearing calendar.

What Is Florida's Divorce Waiting Period?

Florida's divorce waiting period is widely misunderstood, so it is worth stating precisely. There are two distinct timing concepts, and only one is a true waiting period.

• Pre-filing waiting period: zero days. Florida imposes no mandatory separation or cooling-off period before you file. You do not have to be separated for any length of time to file a petition for dissolution of marriage.
• Post-filing minimum before judgment: 20 days. Under F.S. 61.19, the court cannot finalize your divorce until 20 days after the petition is filed.

The 6-month residency requirement under F.S. 61.021 is not a waiting period either — it is a jurisdictional requirement that one spouse already lived in Florida long enough for the court to have authority. Residency is proven by a Florida driver's license, voter registration, or a sworn corroborating witness who knows you are a Florida resident. If you have lived in Florida for years, this requirement is already met and adds nothing to your timeline. For a deeper breakdown, see our Florida divorce residency requirements guide.

What Is the Fastest Divorce Possible in Florida?

The fastest divorce in Florida is a simplified dissolution that finalizes shortly after the 20-day minimum under F.S. 61.19. In a best-case scenario — both spouses cooperating, paperwork filed correctly, and a clerk who can set an early hearing — a simplified dissolution can close in roughly 3 to 6 weeks.

Simplified dissolution exists under F.S. 61.052(2) and uses Form 12.901(a) (Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage). It is the fastest path because it strips out the slowest steps of a normal case. There is no Answer period to wait through, the spouses agree to waive financial disclosure, and both parties file and appear together rather than serving each other.

That speed comes with trade-offs. To use the simplified track, you must have no minor or dependent children, neither spouse may seek alimony, you must agree on dividing property and debts, and both spouses must attend the final hearing in person. You also waive your right to a trial and your right to receive financial disclosure from the other spouse. For couples with genuinely simple finances and no children, those waivers are usually acceptable. For everyone else, the regular uncontested track is the right tool even though it takes a bit longer.

Simplified vs. Regular Uncontested Divorce: Timeline Comparison

Both uncontested paths are far faster than a contested divorce, but they are not identical. The table below shows how the two tracks compare on the factors that drive timing.

The core difference is scope. Simplified dissolution is built for childless couples with simple assets who are comfortable waiving disclosure and trial rights. The regular uncontested track handles children, alimony, retirement accounts, and real property — anything that needs a thorough Marital Settlement Agreement and, where children are involved, a Parenting Plan. For a fuller comparison of both, read our complete uncontested divorce in Florida guide.

Step-by-Step: The Uncontested Divorce Timeline in Florida

Knowing where the time goes helps you plan. Here is how a regular uncontested case typically unfolds, week by week.

Most of the variability lives in steps 2, 4, and the clerk's calendar. A spouse who delays signing, a busy circuit, or a required mediation slot can each add weeks. For a complete walkthrough, see our Florida divorce process step-by-step guide.

What Makes an Uncontested Divorce Take Longer in Florida?

Even "uncontested" cases can stall. The most common timeline-extenders are administrative, not legal disputes.

• Slow service or an unsigned waiver. If your spouse will not promptly sign the Answer and Waiver and must be formally served, you may wait the full 20-day response window before moving forward.
• Incomplete or incorrect forms. A missing signature, an unnotarized document, or the wrong petition form (12.901(a) vs. 12.901(b)) sends paperwork back and restarts portions of the process. This is where attorney-prepared documents save the most time.
• Mandatory parenting class. When minor children are involved, both parents must complete a court-approved Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course before the final judgment. The certificate must be filed.
• County hearing backlogs. The court controls scheduling. Some circuits set uncontested final hearings within two weeks; others take a month or more. No firm can guarantee a specific hearing date.
• Financial affidavit gaps. If disclosure is required and one spouse is slow to produce income and asset information, the 45-day disclosure window under Florida Family Law Rule 12.285 can become the bottleneck.

None of these are about whether you agree — they are about execution. Clean, correctly prepared paperwork is the single biggest factor you can control to keep a case near the 4-week end of the range rather than the 12-week end.

How Does an Attorney-Prepared Uncontested Divorce Speed Things Up?

The slowest uncontested cases are almost always the ones where paperwork is wrong and has to be redone. That is the value of having a licensed Florida attorney prepare and review your documents at a flat fee.

When our firm handles your uncontested divorce, we select the correct petition form for your situation, draft a Marital Settlement Agreement that actually covers property, debts, time-sharing, child support, and alimony, prepare the Parenting Plan and child support guidelines worksheet when children are involved, and confirm the financial affidavit or a proper Form 12.902(k) waiver is in place. Each of those is a step that, done wrong, costs you weeks.

This is different from a non-lawyer document-preparation or typing service. Those services cannot give legal advice, cannot tell you whether your settlement terms are enforceable, and cannot catch a substantive error that a judge will reject at the final hearing. We prepare your uncontested divorce for a $750 flat attorney fee — the same price in every one of Florida's 67 counties — with court costs (~$408-$410) and notary disclosed separately and up front. To compare full-representation pricing with self-help options, see our affordable divorce representation in Florida guide and our uncontested divorce cost breakdown.

An uncontested flat-fee divorce is the right fit when both spouses genuinely agree on all issues. If your spouse disputes property, alimony, or time-sharing, the case is contested, the flat fee does not apply, and the timeline changes significantly — that is a different process entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Detailed answers to the most common questions about Florida's uncontested divorce timeline appear below.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information about Florida divorce law and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. Divorce Law PLLC can prepare your uncontested divorce for a $750 flat attorney fee (court costs and notary separate); contact our office to confirm whether your case qualifies as uncontested.