All California courts use the same basic set of forms for divorce. You can find the most commonly-used forms on this page. If you are not sure which forms to use, talk to your Self-Help Center or a lawyer.
Some courts have special local forms too. To see if you will need any special local forms, contact your court clerk or check your court’s website.
Looking for copies of divorce papers? Contact the court where you or your spouse filed the case. PRINT EMAILYou can get a divorce without a lawyer. This guide can help you with the process. Your court's Self-Help Center staff can help you with forms and offer legal information. If you have a lot of property or debt, you can hire a lawyer to help with all or part of your case.
Knowing which forms you need is not easy, even if it seems like it is. Click the link in the Guide column after each form name and purpose to learn more about each of the forms and when you need them.
One spouse (or domestic partner) files papers to start the case and officially lets the other spouse know. Then the other spouse has a chance to file a response. The spouse that first filed divorce papers must share financial information with their spouse.
Starts a divorce, legal separation, or annulment case if you are married, registered domestic partners, or both. You must identify all the issues you want to include in your final divorce.
Tells your spouse or domestic partner that a court case has started, and what can happen if they don't file a response in 30 days. It has very important orders you both must follow on page 2.
Use only if you and your spouse or domestic partner have children under 18 together. Tells the court where your children were born and live and if there are any other court cases involving them.
Tells the court that you had your spouse or domestic partner served with the legal papers to start your case. Tells when and where the papers were served, and who served them. To start, just fill out the top portion.
Leave this form blank. Allows your spouse to respond to your petition. You'll have to serve a blank copy of this form when you serve your other papers.
Optional form if you have children together. Helps make sure you do not leave anything out of your request. If you use it, attach it to your Petition, FL-100.
You must share financial information with your spouse within 60 days of filing your Petition. This is called preliminary disclosures. If your forms are complete, you can have these served with your Petition and Summons. If not, they can be served by mail later.
| Form Name | Form Number | Purpose | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declaration of Disclosure | FL-140 | This form is a cover sheet for what you’ll share with your spouse. You must sign it. | Gather and share financial information |
| Income and Expense Declaration | FL-150 | This form asks about how much money you earn and how you spend your money. You need to attach proof of your income from the past two months to the form. | Gather and share financial information |
| Schedule of Assets and Debts or a Property Declaration | FL-142 or FL-160 | This tells your spouse about what you own and owe. Attach copies of the documents you gathered. You can use either Form FL-142 or the FL-160. | Gather and share financial information |
| Declaration Regarding Service of Declaration of Disclosure | FL-141 | This form tells the court you sent your disclosure documents as required. This is the only financial disclosure-related form you have to file with the court. | File proof you shared financial information |
To respond to divorce or legal separation papers (a Petition), your first step is to fill out a Response form. This tells the court how you want things like custody of children, property and support handled.
If you have an agreement or don't want to let your spouse move the case forward without your input, explore your options.
| Form Name | Form Number | Purpose | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Response — Marriage/Domestic Partnership | FL-120 | This form asks for basic information about your marriage and the type of orders you want the court to be able to make. | Respond to Divorce Papers |
| Optional: Property Declaration | FL-160 | You can attach this optional form to your Response if you need more space to list your property and debts. In the form, you list all your property and debts and state whether you think it is community or separate property. | Understand Community vs. Separate Property |
| Proof of Service by Mail or Proof of Personal Service | FL-335 or FL-330 | Tells the court that you had your spouse served by mail (FL-335) or in person (FL-330). Lists the papers that were served and tells when and where the papers were served, as well as who served them. | How to serve your Response by mail |
If you and your spouse have children together, fill out:
| Declaration under Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) | FL-105 | This form tells the court where your children were born and live and if there are any other court cases involving them. You must fill out this form if your children are under 18. |
| Optional: Child Custody and Visitation (Parenting Time) Application Attachment | FL-311 | This optional form may help you ensure you do not leave anything out of your request. |
You must share your financial information if you filed a Response. If you did not file a Response, but you want the court to approve an agreement (called a default with agreement) you also must share your financial information.
| Form Name | Form Number | Purpose | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declaration of Disclosure | FL-140 | This form is a cover sheet for what you’ll share with your spouse. You must sign it. | Gather and share financial information |
| Income and Expense Declaration | FL-150 | This form asks about how much money you earn and how you spend your money. You need to attach proof of your income from the past two months to the form. | Gather and share financial information |
| Schedule of Assets and Debts or a Property Declaration | FL-142 or FL-160 | This tells your spouse about what you own and owe. Attach copies of the documents you gathered. You can use either Form FL-142 or the FL-160. | Gather and share financial information |
| Declaration Regarding Service of Declaration of Disclosure | FL-141 | This form tells the court you sent your disclosure documents as required. This is the only financial disclosure-related form you have to file with the court. | File proof you shared financial information |
To finish your divorce or legal separation, you need to decide how you'll divide property and debts, whether anyone will pay spousal support, and how you will care for and support your children (if you have them).
You can do this by working with your spouse (or domestic partner) to reach an agreement. If you can't agree you can ask the court to decide.
To finish your divorce or legal separation, you must turn in a set of final forms. If you have any court orders or an agreement, you submit those as well. The court will review these forms to be sure nothing is missing and no mistakes on the forms. If not, the judge will sign the final form (the judgment). If you asked for a divorce, the judgment will state the exact day your marriage or domestic partnership officially ends.
The steps you need to take and forms you need to fill out vary a bit depending on:
- If there's a default
- If you have a written agreement
- If your final orders address child custody or child support
Answer 2 questions and get the right instructions for finishing your divorce based on your situation.
Use this form to tell the court what orders you want and why the court should order grant your orders
This form asks how much money you earn and how you spend your money. Attach proof of your income (like paystubs) from the past two months to the form. You will also serve a blank copy of this form with your other papers.
This form asks you for the information the judge needs to make a decision about long-term support. It has all the factors a judge must consider when making decisions about long-term support. This form is optional, but if you don’t use it, you will need to explain in a separate document the same factors.
Findings and Order After Hearing (Family Law — Custody and Support — Uniform Parentage)