District of Columbia · Uncontested divorce · Updated Oct 2026

Uncontested divorce in District of Columbia

For spouses in District of Columbia who agree on everything: who can use the process for agreed cases, the residency rule, the waiting period, the official forms, the fee waiver, e-filing, how your spouse can sign instead of being served and mediation.

In short

Agreed cases in District of Columbia, according to the official sources: Uncontested divorce: your spouse can sign a Consent Answer to Complaint for Divorce, and you can file a Joint Request for Uncontested Divorce hearing (forms on the court's divorce page).

Who can file (residency)
6 months (with exceptions)
Waiting period
No set waiting period
Filing fee
Check with your court

Who can use the process for agreed cases in District of Columbia

Uncontested divorce: your spouse can sign a Consent Answer to Complaint for Divorce, and you can file a Joint Request for Uncontested Divorce hearing (forms on the court's divorce page).

Before you file in District of Columbia

Who can file (residency)
You or your spouse must have lived in D.C. for at least 6 months before you file. It doesn't matter where you married. Same-sex couples married in D.C. who live where their marriage isn't recognized can file here without this rule.
Waiting period
There is no required period of separation and no set waiting period before you file. The case still takes time: your spouse must be served and have a chance to answer, and the court schedules a hearing.
Law
D.C. Code 16-902 · D.C. Code 16-904(a) (as amended by D.C. Law 25-115, 2024); D.C. Superior Court Family Court

Forms, fees and filing in District of Columbia

Official forms
Divorce forms (District of Columbia courts)
Court self-help
Divorce self-help (District of Columbia courts)
If you can't afford the fee
Ask the Family Court Self-Help Center or clerk for the Application to Proceed Without Prepayment of Costs, Fees or Security (in forma pauperis).
E-filing
The Superior Court has online filing; see https://www.dccourts.gov/superior-court/file-online-efiling

If your spouse agrees to sign

Your spouse can instead sign the Consent Answer.

If you agree on only some issues

The Superior Court's Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division offers family mediation for custody, support and property issues: https://www.dccourts.gov/superior-court/superior-court-divisions/multi-door-dispute-resolution-division/mediation

An uncontested divorce in District of Columbia, step by step

  1. Check that you can file in District of Columbia

    You or your spouse must have lived in D.C. for at least 6 months before you file.

  2. See if you qualify for the simpler process

    Uncontested divorce: your spouse can sign a Consent Answer to Complaint for Divorce, and you can file a Joint Request for Uncontested Divorce hearing (forms on the court's divorce page).

  3. Fill in the official forms

    Use the court's official divorce forms: Divorce forms (District of Columbia courts)

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

    Can't afford it? Ask the Family Court Self-Help Center or clerk for the Application to Proceed Without Prepayment of Costs, Fees or Security (in forma pauperis). The Superior Court has online filing; see https://www.dccourts.gov/superior-court/file-online-efiling.

  5. Have your spouse sign or be served

    Your spouse can instead sign the Consent Answer.

  6. Wait out the waiting period

    There is no required period of separation and no set waiting period before 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 District of Columbia

Is there a simplified divorce for agreed cases in District of Columbia?

Uncontested divorce: your spouse can sign a Consent Answer to Complaint for Divorce, and you can file a Joint Request for Uncontested Divorce hearing (forms on the court's divorce page).

How long does an uncontested divorce take in District of Columbia?

There is no required period of separation and no set waiting period before you file. The case still takes time: your spouse must be served and have a chance to answer, and the court schedules a hearing.

Who can file for an uncontested divorce in District of Columbia?

You or your spouse must have lived in D.C. for at least 6 months before you file. It doesn't matter where you married. Same-sex couples married in D.C. who live where their marriage isn't recognized can file here without this rule.

Does my spouse have to be served if we agree in District of Columbia?

Your spouse can instead sign the Consent Answer.

Can we file for divorce online in District of Columbia?

The Superior Court has online filing; see https://www.dccourts.gov/superior-court/file-online-efiling

Is mediation required in District of Columbia?

The Superior Court's Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division offers family mediation for custody, support and property issues: https://www.dccourts.gov/superior-court/superior-court-divisions/multi-door-dispute-resolution-division/mediation

More about divorce in District of Columbia

Uncontested divorce in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.