Ohio · Uncontested divorce · Updated Oct 2026

Uncontested divorce in Ohio

What couples who agree need to know in Ohio: who can use the process for agreed cases, the residency rule, the waiting period, the official forms, the fee waiver, how your spouse can sign instead of being served and mediation.

The short answer

Here is how Ohio handles a divorce when both spouses agree. Dissolution of marriage: if you agree on everything, you file a joint petition with a separation agreement (Uniform Domestic Relations Form 17) and attend one hearing 30-90 days later.

Who can file (residency)
6 months
Waiting period
See the rule
Filing fee
Check with your court

Who can use the process for agreed cases in Ohio

  • Dissolution of marriage: if you agree on everything, you file a joint petition with a separation agreement (Uniform Domestic Relations Form 17) and attend one hearing 30-90 days later.
  • No grounds needed. (Ohio Rev. Code 3105.61-3105.65)

Before you file in Ohio

Who can file (residency)
The person filing for divorce must have lived in Ohio for at least 6 months right before filing (for a dissolution, either spouse). You usually file in a county where you or your spouse has lived for at least 90 days.
Waiting period
Dissolution (you agree on everything): both spouses go to a hearing 30 to 90 days after filing the petition (the 30-day minimum does not apply if you finished a collaborative family law process first). Divorce: no fixed waiting period, but your spouse has 28 days to answer and contested cases take longer.
Law
Ohio Rev. Code 3105.03, 3105.62; Ohio Civ. R. 3 (venue) · Ohio Rev. Code 3105.64; Ohio Legal Help

Forms, fees and filing in Ohio

Official forms
Divorce forms (Ohio courts)
Court self-help
Divorce self-help (Ohio courts)
If you can't afford the fee
Poverty Affidavit (Affidavit of Indigency) to file without paying the deposit up front; you may still owe costs at the end: https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/forms/all-forms/affidavits-of-indigency/166

If your spouse agrees to sign

In a dissolution, both spouses sign a waiver of service.

If you agree on only some issues

Set by each county court's local rules; mediation of parenting issues is common. Ask your Domestic Relations court.

An uncontested divorce in Ohio, step by step

  1. Check that you can file in Ohio

    The person filing for divorce must have lived in Ohio for at least 6 months right before filing (for a dissolution, either spouse).

  2. See if you qualify for the simpler process

    Dissolution of marriage: if you agree on everything, you file a joint petition with a separation agreement (Uniform Domestic Relations Form 17) and attend one hearing 30-90 days later.

  3. Fill in the official forms

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

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

    Can't afford it? Poverty Affidavit (Affidavit of Indigency) to file without paying the deposit up front; you may still owe costs at the end: https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/forms/all-forms/affidavits-of-indigency/166.

  5. Have your spouse sign or be served

    In a dissolution, both spouses sign a waiver of service.

  6. Wait out the waiting period

    Dissolution (you agree on everything): both spouses go to a hearing 30 to 90 days after filing the petition (the 30-day minimum does not apply if you finished a collaborative family law process first).

  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 Ohio

Is there a simplified divorce for agreed cases in Ohio?

Dissolution of marriage: if you agree on everything, you file a joint petition with a separation agreement (Uniform Domestic Relations Form 17) and attend one hearing 30-90 days later. No grounds needed. (Ohio Rev. Code 3105.61-3105.65)

How long does an uncontested divorce take in Ohio?

Dissolution (you agree on everything): both spouses go to a hearing 30 to 90 days after filing the petition (the 30-day minimum does not apply if you finished a collaborative family law process first). Divorce: no fixed waiting period, but your spouse has 28 days to answer and contested cases take longer.

Who can file for an uncontested divorce in Ohio?

The person filing for divorce must have lived in Ohio for at least 6 months right before filing (for a dissolution, either spouse). You usually file in a county where you or your spouse has lived for at least 90 days.

Does my spouse have to be served if we agree in Ohio?

In a dissolution, both spouses sign a waiver of service.

Is mediation required in Ohio?

Set by each county court's local rules; mediation of parenting issues is common. Ask your Domestic Relations court.

More about divorce in Ohio

Uncontested divorce in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.