California Divorce Papers: Forms and Document Checklist

For a standard divorce case, the initial California divorce papers are the Petition—Marriage/Domestic Partnership (FL-100) and Summons (FL-110), usually plus a child-related declaration if you have minor children together. Additional forms cover service, financial disclosures, and the final judgment; the exact packet depends on your children, finances, county, and whether your spouse responds. Use current forms from California Courts and your county superior court—not a generic nationwide divorce packet.

Which California divorce papers do you need?

There is no single packet that takes every California divorce from beginning to end. Think of the paperwork in stages: opening the case, notifying your spouse, exchanging financial information, and requesting a judgment.

These are the main forms used at the beginning of a standard case:

Form	What it does	Who generally uses it
FL-100: Petition—Marriage/Domestic Partnership	Starts the case and identifies the relief requested	The spouse filing first, called the petitioner
FL-110: Summons	Notifies the other spouse and includes automatic restraining orders	The petitioner submits it for issuance and service
FL-105/GC-120: Declaration Under UCCJEA	Gives information about children's residences and related custody proceedings	Generally, each spouse when minor children together are involved
FL-120: Response—Marriage/Domestic Partnership	Gives the responding spouse's position and requests	The respondent, if participating through a formal response
FL-115: Proof of Service of Summons	Documents legally completed service of the opening papers	The person who serves the papers completes it
FL-117: Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt	Supports a permitted acknowledgment-by-mail service method	Used when the receiving spouse cooperates with that method

You may also need local cover sheets, attachments, or additional requests. For example, opening a divorce case does not automatically produce an immediate child support or custody order. Requesting orders while the case is pending generally requires separate paperwork, often beginning with a Request for Order (FL-300).

Different procedures use different packets. California also has joint-petition and summary-dissolution procedures with their own rules and forms. Check the current court instructions before using the standard petition-and-response process described here.

Where can you get official divorce forms?

Start with the California Courts Self-Help Guide and the Judicial Council forms directory. Then visit the website of the superior court in the county where you will file.

Statewide forms are free to download. A business may charge for document preparation or software, but you do not have to buy the official blank forms.

Look for three things:

• The correct case type: Divorce, legal separation, and nullity can appear on the same form. Select the option you actually want.
• Current versions: Download forms from an official source rather than reusing an old packet someone saved.
• County instructions: Local courts may require additional forms, specific submission methods, or particular judgment-packet arrangements.

If filing fees are unaffordable, review Request to Waive Court Fees (FW-001) and the related court instructions. Fee waivers do not automatically cover private attorney fees or every outside expense.

A court self-help center or family law facilitator may help identify forms and explain procedures. Services vary, and these offices do not act as your personal attorney. Ask whether document review is available before you submit your packet.

How do you complete the opening paperwork correctly?

Before filling out forms, gather your marriage information, proposed separation date, addresses, information about your children, and a basic inventory of assets and debts.

Make your requests clear

FL-100 is not just a notice that you want a divorce. It identifies issues the court may need to resolve, including property division, support, and custody.

Do not assume you can leave important requests blank and address everything later without consequences. This is especially important if your spouse never responds: the relief available in a default judgment is generally limited by what was properly requested and noticed.

Get advice before waiving spousal support, asking to terminate the court's ability to award it, or labeling significant property as separate. Those choices can have lasting effects.

Treat the separation date carefully

California's date of separation can affect property and financial issues. It is not automatically the day someone moved out or the day the petition was filed.

If the date is disputed, describe your circumstances to a California divorce attorney rather than choosing a date simply to finish the form.

Complete child information accurately and safely

FL-105 generally asks for a child's residence history over the past five years, along with information about other custody proceedings and people claiming custody or visitation rights. Gather the information before starting, and follow the instructions for children younger than five.

If revealing an address could create a safety risk, ask a self-help center or attorney about confidentiality protections before filing. Do not put a protected location in a public document without understanding the options.

Review before signing

Check names, dates, attachments, signature lines, and every selected box. After a case number is assigned, use it consistently on later documents. Keep copies of everything, including the versions returned by the clerk with filing stamps.

Which papers must be served, and what if you received them?

Filing papers with the court and serving papers on your spouse are different steps. Filing creates the court record; valid service provides legally required notice.

If you are starting the case

In a standard case, the initial service packet generally includes:

• The filed petition and issued summons.
• Any required child-related declaration and filed attachments.
• A blank Response (FL-120).
• A blank child-related declaration when required.
• Any other documents specified by the court's instructions.

You cannot serve your own opening papers. Personal service generally must be performed by someone who is at least 18 and is not a party to the case. The server completes the appropriate proof, which must be filed.

Mailing papers yourself is not a substitute for proper service. If using acknowledgment-by-mail service, follow the FL-117 procedure; the receiving spouse must sign and return the acknowledgment for that method to work.

If you received divorce papers

For a standard California divorce, the response deadline is generally 30 days after service. If you dispute the court's jurisdiction, believe service was defective, or are unsure how the deadline applies, get advice promptly before filing anything.

A response is not a refusal to allow the divorce. It is a way to participate formally and state your own requests. Filing a response and serving the required copy are separate obligations.

Ignoring the papers can allow the petitioner to seek a default. Even if you expect to settle, do not assume negotiations pause a deadline.

Read the summons carefully. Its automatic restraining orders can affect property transfers, insurance changes, and taking minor children out of California. Their effective timing differs for the petitioner and respondent.

What financial disclosure forms are required?

California generally requires financial disclosures even when spouses agree about dividing everything. An agreement is not a reason to skip accurate financial information.

The usual preliminary disclosure documents include:

• FL-140: Declaration of Disclosure, which identifies the disclosure materials.
• FL-142: Schedule of Assets and Debts, or a qualifying FL-160: Property Declaration, to report property and debts.
• FL-150: Income and Expense Declaration, along with required supporting information.
• Required tax returns and information supporting the reported income, assets, and obligations.

Follow the official instructions for all required supporting records. A spreadsheet may help organize your information, but it does not necessarily replace the required forms.

Know the difference between serving and filing

Most of the disclosure packet is served on the other spouse, not filed with the court. Declaration Regarding Service of Declaration of Disclosure and Income and Expense Declaration (FL-141) tells the court that the required exchange occurred.

An Income and Expense Declaration may also need to be filed for support requests or other proceedings. Do not interpret “disclosures are not filed” as permission to omit financial forms required for a particular hearing or judgment packet.

The petitioner generally must serve preliminary disclosures within 60 days after filing the petition; the respondent generally has 60 days after filing the response. Extensions and special procedural circumstances can affect what is required, so confirm your deadline.

Preliminary disclosures cannot simply be waived by mutual agreement. Final disclosures can sometimes be waived when legal conditions are met, commonly using FL-144. A true default case has different requirements from a case resolved through a written agreement.

Which papers actually finalize a California divorce?

The petition starts the divorce; it does not end the marriage. Neither a signed settlement nor the passage of the waiting period automatically makes you divorced.

Your final packet depends on whether the case involves:

• A response and a written agreement.
• No response but a written agreement.
• No response and no agreement—a true default.
• Disputed issues requiring court decisions.

Common final-stage forms include Judgment (FL-180) and Notice of Entry of Judgment (FL-190). Depending on the path, you may also need Request to Enter Default (FL-165), Declaration for Default or Uncontested Dissolution or Legal Separation (FL-170), and additional declarations or waivers.

Include enforceable terms and required attachments

A judgment may need a settlement agreement and attachments addressing property, debts, support, custody, and parenting time. Child support terms may require guideline calculations and additional forms, even when both parents agree.

Avoid vague terms such as “we will divide the accounts fairly.” Identify the accounts or property, who receives or pays what, deadlines, and any documents needed to carry out the division. Some assets, including certain retirement benefits, require separate implementing orders.

Confirm the actual termination date

California generally has a minimum six-month waiting period measured from service of the summons and petition or the respondent's appearance, whichever occurs first. That is a minimum—not a promised completion date.

The court must enter a judgment, and your marital status ends on the date specified in it. Check the entered judgment before remarrying or making decisions that depend on being legally unmarried.

What if your paperwork is rejected or you need a copy?

A rejected submission does not necessarily mean your divorce request was denied. Clerks and judgment-review staff may return documents because something is missing or inconsistent.

Common problems include unsigned forms, missing attachments, mismatched case numbers, inadequate proof of service, incomplete disclosure paperwork, and proposed judgment terms that do not match the procedural path.

Read the rejection notice item by item. Keep it with the returned packet, make the requested corrections, and ask the court's self-help center about anything unclear. Do not repeatedly resubmit the same documents unchanged.

If you need papers from an existing case, contact the superior court where it was filed. Ask whether you need an ordinary copy or a certified copy, especially if another agency requested proof of divorce. Access, copying procedures, and fees vary; some records or information are restricted.

Family laws vary by state, and California counties have their own local procedures. Speak with a local divorce attorney if your paperwork involves disputed property, safety concerns, support waivers, jurisdiction, or a possible default. This guide is general information, not legal advice; Divorcesify is not a law firm.

Key takeaways

• Standard opening California divorce papers usually include FL-100, FL-110, and FL-105 when applicable.
• Download official forms and check your county's local requirements.
• Filing, serving, exchanging disclosures, and obtaining judgment are separate tasks.
• Protect response and disclosure deadlines, even while negotiating.
• A waiting period or signed agreement does not finalize your divorce; an entered judgment controls.