California divorce at a glance
Confirm with your county before filing — fees and rules can vary.
Dissolution of marriage in California
California runs on community property, and the rule is strict: everything acquired during the marriage — income, the house, retirement funds — belongs equally to both spouses and is split 50/50 unless you agree otherwise. The divorce process starts with the FL-100 Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, filed with the Superior Court in the county where you or your spouse lives. Your spouse must be served with the FL-110 Summons within 60 days of filing.
Eligibility takes time: you need six months as a California resident and three months in the county where you file. Then the state imposes its signature rule — no divorce is final until at least six months and one day after service. Even with a signed settlement, you wait out that clock before the judgment is entered.
Child support follows the statewide uniform guideline under Cal. Fam. Code § 4055, spousal support is decided under § 4320, and custody uses “legal and physical custody” with a parenting plan. Since January 2026, couples who agree on everything can file jointly using the new FL-700 form. The filing fee is $435, and all forms come from California Courts Self-Help.