Connecticut · Uncontested divorce · Updated Oct 2026

Uncontested divorce in Connecticut

For spouses in Connecticut who agree on everything: who can use the process for agreed cases, the residency rule, the waiting period, the official forms, the filing fee, the fee waiver, e-filing and mediation.

Quick answer

When both spouses agree, this is the route in Connecticut. Nonadversarial dissolution (joint petition): available if you've been married 9 years or less, have no children together and neither is pregnant, own no real estate, have combined property worth under $80,000, no defined-benefit pension, no bankruptcy, no restraining or protective order between you, and meet residency.

Who can file (residency)
1 year (with exceptions)
Waiting period
See the rule
Filing fee
$360
E-filing
Yes

Who can use the process for agreed cases in Connecticut

  • Nonadversarial dissolution (joint petition): available if you've been married 9 years or less, have no children together and neither is pregnant, own no real estate, have combined property worth under $80,000, no defined-benefit pension, no bankruptcy, no restraining or protective order between you, and meet residency.
  • You both must give up any right to alimony and to a trial or appeal.
  • The court can grant it without a hearing 30+ days after filing.

Before you file in Connecticut

Who can file (residency)
You can file as soon as either spouse lives in Connecticut. But the divorce can be granted only if (1) one of you has lived in Connecticut for 12 months before filing or before the decree, or (2) one of you lived in Connecticut when you married and moved back intending to stay, or (3) the marriage broke down after one of you moved to Connecticut.
Waiting period
If you reach a full agreement, the court can enter judgment soon after the return date (the date set when you file). Otherwise: a default judgment (spouse served at home or in hand and doesn't appear) can't be entered until at least 30 days after the return date; a contested trial can't start until at least 90 days after it. A nonadversarial (joint) divorce gets a decision date at least 30 days after filing.
Law
Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-44 · Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-67, 46b-44c

Forms, fees and filing in Connecticut

Official forms
Divorce forms (Connecticut courts)
Court self-help
Divorce self-help (Connecticut courts)
Filing fee
$360 entry fee for a divorce complaint (civil cause, Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-259; Judicial Branch fee schedule effective Sept. 21, 2023)
If you can't afford the fee
Ask the court to waive fees with the Application for Waiver of Fees/Payment of Costs - Family (form JD-FM-75): https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/forms/fm075.pdf
E-filing
Yes. Self-represented parties can enroll in Judicial Branch E-Services to file family cases online (see the E-Filing Manual for self-represented parties).

If you agree on only some issues

Common but not required. The Judicial Branch's Family Services offers free help, and the court uses a 'Pathways' process to sort cases toward agreement: https://jud.ct.gov/family/pathwaysprocess.htm

An uncontested divorce in Connecticut, step by step

  1. Check that you can file in Connecticut

    You can file as soon as either spouse lives in Connecticut.

  2. See if you qualify for the simpler process

    Nonadversarial dissolution (joint petition): available if you've been married 9 years or less, have no children together and neither is pregnant, own no real estate, have combined property worth under $80,000, no defined-benefit pension, no bankruptcy, no restraining or protective order between you, and meet residency.

  3. Fill in the official forms

    Use the court's official divorce forms: Divorce forms (Connecticut courts)

  4. File, and pay the fee or ask for a waiver

    $360 entry fee for a divorce complaint (civil cause, Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-259; Judicial Branch fee schedule effective Sept. 21, 2023) Can't afford it? Ask the court to waive fees with the Application for Waiver of Fees/Payment of Costs - Family (form JD-FM-75): https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/forms/fm075.pdf. Yes. Self-represented parties can enroll in Judicial Branch E-Services to file family cases online (see the E-Filing Manual for self-represented parties).

  5. Have your spouse sign or be served

    A state marshal must serve your spouse with the summons and complaint, in hand or at their home (abode service), before the return date.

  6. Wait out the waiting period

    If you reach a full agreement, the court can enter judgment soon after the return date (the date set when you file).

  7. Get the final decree

    The judge signs the final decree (judgment), which ends the marriage. Get a certified copy and keep it.

Questions about uncontested divorce in Connecticut

Is there a simplified divorce for agreed cases in Connecticut?

Nonadversarial dissolution (joint petition): available if you've been married 9 years or less, have no children together and neither is pregnant, own no real estate, have combined property worth under $80,000, no defined-benefit pension, no bankruptcy, no restraining or protective order between you, and meet residency. You both must give up any right to alimony and to a trial or appeal. The court can grant it without a hearing 30+ days after filing.

How long does an uncontested divorce take in Connecticut?

If you reach a full agreement, the court can enter judgment soon after the return date (the date set when you file). Otherwise: a default judgment (spouse served at home or in hand and doesn't appear) can't be entered until at least 30 days after the return date; a contested trial can't start until at least 90 days after it. A nonadversarial (joint) divorce gets a decision date at least 30 days after filing.

Who can file for an uncontested divorce in Connecticut?

You can file as soon as either spouse lives in Connecticut. But the divorce can be granted only if (1) one of you has lived in Connecticut for 12 months before filing or before the decree, or (2) one of you lived in Connecticut when you married and moved back intending to stay, or (3) the marriage broke down after one of you moved to Connecticut.

Can we file for divorce online in Connecticut?

Yes. Self-represented parties can enroll in Judicial Branch E-Services to file family cases online (see the E-Filing Manual for self-represented parties).

How much does it cost to file an uncontested divorce in Connecticut?

$360 entry fee for a divorce complaint (civil cause, Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-259; Judicial Branch fee schedule effective Sept. 21, 2023)

Is mediation required in Connecticut?

Common but not required. The Judicial Branch's Family Services offers free help, and the court uses a 'Pathways' process to sort cases toward agreement: https://jud.ct.gov/family/pathwaysprocess.htm

More about divorce in Connecticut

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Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.