Fort Lauderdale Divorce Papers: Forms, Filing & Cost (2026)

If you're getting divorced in Fort Lauderdale, the forms come from the Florida courts. They're free to download. They're also long and unforgiving — one missing signature can send the whole packet back from the clerk.

This guide walks through every form a Fort Lauderdale divorce requires, where to get it, how to fill it out, and the most common mistakes that send a packet back from the Broward County Courthouse (Family Division) clerk.

The Fort Lauderdale Divorce Paperwork Checklist

Every uncontested Fort Lauderdale divorce uses the same core forms. The names vary by Florida statute, but the function is identical state to state:

• Petition for Dissolution of Marriage — this is what starts the case officially. Includes both spouses' information, Florida residency facts, the no-fault basis, and the relief requested.

• Marital Settlement Agreement — the binding agreement between spouses covering property division, debts, support, and custody if children are involved. The court incorporates it into the final decree.

• Financial Disclosure Forms — the financial transparency layer — both spouses swear to their income, asset, and debt picture. Florida usually uses a standardized affidavit form.

• Summons — the notice served on the responding spouse (skipped when filing jointly or with a waiver of service).

• Parenting Plan + Child Support Worksheet — required when minor children are involved. Spells out custody, parenting time, decision-making, and the calculated child support number.

• Proposed Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage — the proposed final order. You write what you want the court to rule; the judge reviews and signs.

Many Florida counties layer on local forms (case information sheets, child-related notices, service contact forms). Always confirm the local addenda with the Broward County Courthouse (Family Division) clerk before submission.

Getting the Right Forms for Your Fort Lauderdale Divorce

You can get the Florida divorce packet from three sources, in order of cheapest-to-most-convenient:

• The Florida courts website (free). Every required form is published as a fillable PDF. You'll need to identify the correct forms for your situation, download them, and fill them out yourself.

• The Broward County Courthouse (Family Division) self-help center (free). Many Florida courthouses staff a self-help clerk who can hand you a paper packet and answer non-legal questions about which forms apply.

• Online divorce services like Divorce.com™ (flat fee). The service prepares the entire packet from a guided questionnaire, so you never see a blank state form. Saves the most time; not free.

Avoid generic "divorce form" downloads from random websites — they're often outdated, missing local addenda, or formatted for the wrong state. The Broward County Courthouse (Family Division) clerk will reject these.

How to Fill Out Florida Divorce Papers

The hard part of Florida divorce paperwork isn't finding the forms — it's filling them out so the Broward County Courthouse (Family Division) clerk accepts them on the first try. A few rules:

• Use legal names, not nicknames. The name on the petition has to match the name on your marriage certificate and on every supporting document.

• State the Florida residency requirement on the petition. 6 months in Florida. The petition typically requires a sworn statement that you meet it.

• Cite the no-fault ground. Florida is no-fault; the ground is irretrievable breakdown. An uncontested filing should reference this language directly.

• Match dollar amounts across forms. The financial affidavit, settlement agreement, and (if applicable) child support worksheet should all reconcile — clerks check for this.

• Sign and date in front of a notary where required. Several forms — settlement agreements, financial affidavits — require notarized signatures. Don't sign in advance.

• Don't leave any field blank. Write "N/A" or "None" rather than skipping a question. Blanks are interpreted as incomplete forms.

Submitting Fort Lauderdale Divorce Papers to the Court

Your packet goes to Broward County Courthouse (Family Division). Florida supports e-filing through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com), so most Fort Lauderdale filers submit electronically rather than walking the papers into the clerk.

Broward County Courthouse (Family Division)
201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

• Filing fee: approximately $408–$415, paid at submission. Florida accepts fee waiver applications for filers under income limits.

• E-filing system: the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com). Most Florida counties now accept the full divorce packet electronically.

• Paper filing alternative: still available in most counties for filers who prefer to walk the packet into the clerk's office.

Next Steps Once Your Fort Lauderdale Papers Are Filed

Submitting the divorce papers starts the case — it doesn't finish it. The remaining sequence:

• Service on the responding spouse — accomplished by Acceptance of Service (signed by the spouse), by sheriff, or by process server. Skipped entirely for joint petitions in counties that allow them.

• Florida waiting period — 20-day waiting period from filing. Used to finalize the settlement agreement and exchange any required financial disclosures.

• Submission of the signed settlement + proposed decree — after the wait expires. Most uncontested cases are decided on the documents without a hearing.

• Certified copies of the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage — issued by the clerk after the judge signs. Order multiple; you'll need them for DMV, banks, retirement accounts, and beneficiary updates.

Common Mistakes With Fort Lauderdale Divorce Papers

Most Fort Lauderdale divorce papers are rejected for the same handful of reasons. Avoid these and your packet typically clears on the first review:

• Missing signature or notary block. The most common single rejection reason. Every signature line needs to be completed; notary stamps need to be present on forms that require them.

• Inconsistent financial figures. If the income on your financial affidavit doesn't match the income on the child support worksheet, the clerk will catch it.

• Using outdated form versions. State courts revise forms periodically. Always download from the official site within a few days of filing.

• Wrong court/wrong venue. Filings need to go to the correct Florida court for your county of residence. The Broward County Courthouse (Family Division) handles Fort Lauderdale divorce cases.

• Incomplete settlement agreement. The agreement should resolve every issue — property, debts, support, custody (if applicable). Vague language gets bounced back.

• Wrong filing fee. Fees change. Check the current schedule at the clerk's office before submitting.

What Fort Lauderdale Divorce Papers Actually Cost

• DIY (free forms, you fill out): $408–$515 total. Filing fees, notary, certified copies.

• Divorce.com™ (flat-fee form prep + filing): $907–$1514 total. Service fee $499–$999 plus court filing fee.

• Attorney-prepared papers (full retainer): $1,500–$3,500 for uncontested cases; $7,500+ for contested.

Skip the Paperwork Headache

When the forms feel like too much, Divorce.com™ is the alternative — a guided questionnaire that generates the full Florida packet, e-files it with the Broward County Courthouse (Family Division), and gives you a real Case Manager to ask when something feels off. Flat fee.