Missouri divorce at a glance
Confirm with your county before filing — fees and rules can vary.
Dissolution of marriage in Missouri
Missouri is built for speed: the residency requirement is just 90 days, and the waiting period after filing is only 30 days — one of the shortest in the country. You file the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with the Circuit Court in the county where you live, and an uncontested case can move from filing to final decree in under four months.
The state is no-fault only. The sole ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken under RSMo § 452.305, which requires no proof of wrongdoing and no separation period. Property is divided equitably, and maintenance follows the factors in RSMo § 452.335.
Child support follows the Missouri Child Support Guidelines under RSMo § 452.340, which calculate support from the paying parent’s income and the number of children. Custody is decided under the best interests standard in RSMo § 452.375, which presumes joint custody is in the child’s best interest. The petition forms come from Missouri Courts, and filing runs about $133 to $225.