SIMPLIFYING YOUR DIVORCE

Which Illinois Divorce Forms Will You Need?

The exact forms in your case depend on your circumstances, including whether you have minor children, whether your spouse responds, and whether you reach an agreement. Illinois organizes its standardized forms into suites, such as Divorce with Children, Divorce No Children, and Child Support and Maintenance, rather than numbering them individually. You will not find a sequential CCDR or CCFD form number printed on the face of the official statewide forms. Below is a plain-language look at the documents commonly used in an Illinois dissolution of marriage, grouped by what they do.

Starting the Case

These forms open your dissolution case and put your spouse on notice.

• Petition for Divorce with Children
  This form is used to initiate a dissolution of marriage when minor children are involved.

• Petition for Divorce
  This form is used to initiate a dissolution of marriage when there are no minor children. It appears in the Divorce No Children Under 18 suite.

• Other Information about Children
  A supplemental form that provides additional child-related information required at filing.

• Divorce Summons
  This form notifies the respondent spouse that a dissolution action has been filed.

Responding to the Case

If you are the spouse who was served, these are the forms used to enter the case and respond.

• Divorce Appearance (Entry of Appearance)
  This form is the respondent's formal entry into the case.

• Answer or Response
  This form is the respondent's answer to the petition for dissolution.

• Counterclaims
  This form is used when the respondent wants to file a counterclaim for dissolution.

Financial and Disclosure Forms

Illinois requires both spouses to be transparent about their finances.

• Financial Affidavit (with supplemental schedules)
  This form provides full financial disclosure, including employment, income, assets, debts, child support, insurance, and retirement. It is required of both parties. Note that the Financial Affidavit comes with numerous supplemental schedules that function as a form suite rather than a single document.

Forms for Divorces With Children

When minor children are part of the case, additional forms come into play to address parenting and support.

• Parenting Plan
  This form allocates parental responsibilities (decision-making) and sets the parenting time schedule. A Parenting Plan is a required filing in all Illinois cases involving minor children.

• Order for Support
  This form establishes child support and/or maintenance (spousal support) obligations.

• Income Withholding for Support (Federal Form IWO, OMB 0970-0154)
  This form directs an employer to withhold child or spousal support from wages.

A note on calculations: Illinois child support is figured using the Income Shares guidelines (750 ILCS 5/505) through a worksheet. There is no separately numbered court form for the calculation itself.

Settlement or Agreement

When spouses agree on the terms, that agreement gets documented.

• Certification Agreement
  This form is signed by both parties to confirm the agreed terms of the dissolution.

Finalizing Your Case

These forms bring the case to a close and create the official record.

• Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage/Civil Union with Children
  This form is the final decree of dissolution when minor children are involved.

• Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage/Civil Union (No Children)
  This form is the final decree of dissolution when no minor children are involved.

• Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage/Civil Union (IDPH Form)
  This is an Illinois Department of Public Health vital records form filed with the court to record the dissolution.

• Motion for Default / Order for Default
  This form is used when a respondent fails to appear. The motion requests a default judgment, and the order grants it.

Where to Get Illinois Divorce Forms

Illinois divorce papers are available from several sources, and the right one for you depends on how much support you want along the way.

Official State Courts Website

The Illinois Courts publish the full set of statewide standardized divorce forms online, organized in suites. You can review and download them directly from the official forms page: Illinois Courts Divorce, Child Support and Maintenance forms. These forms were updated as recently as March through June 2025.

County Circuit Court Clerk

Your local Circuit Court Clerk's office can confirm filing procedures and fees. Keep in mind that Cook County and some other large circuits have their own local supplemental forms and procedures (for example, Cook County's parent education through Family Court Services) in addition to the statewide forms.

Legal Aid and Self-Help Resources

Illinois Legal Aid Online and court-based self-help centers offer guided tools and explanations for people handling their own paperwork. These resources can help you understand the forms without charge.

Online Divorce Services

If you want the paperwork prepared for you based on your answers, an online service can save time and reduce guesswork. Divorce.com walks you through a simple questionnaire and helps assemble your Illinois forms, so you are not piecing together a suite of documents on your own.

Hire an Attorney

For complex finances, contested issues, or situations where you simply want professional guidance, an attorney can prepare and file your documents and advise you on your specific situation.

The Illinois Divorce Process

While every case has its own rhythm, an Illinois dissolution generally moves through these stages.

1. Meet the Residency Requirement

At least one spouse must have been an Illinois resident for 90 days before the court enters the judgment (not before filing). Venue is in the county where either spouse resides. (750 ILCS 5/401)

2. File the Petition

The case begins when a Petition for Divorce (the with-children or no-children version) is filed with the circuit court clerk, along with supporting documents like the Other Information about Children form when applicable.

3. Serve Your Spouse

The Divorce Summons is used to notify the responding spouse. The respondent can then file an Appearance, an Answer or Response, and, if desired, a Counterclaim.

4. Exchange Financial Disclosures

Both spouses complete the Financial Affidavit and its supplemental schedules so the court and both parties have a full picture of income, assets, and debts.

5. Address Children and Support

In cases with minor children, the Parenting Plan, Order for Support, and Income Withholding form are used to set parenting time, decision-making, and support. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 924 also requires all parties in cases involving minor children to complete a court-approved parenting education program (minimum four hours), with the completion certificate filed with the court.

6. Reach Agreement or Proceed

If spouses agree, the Certification Agreement documents the agreed terms. If a respondent does not appear, a Motion for Default and Order for Default may be used.

7. Finalize and Get Certified Copies

The Judgment of Dissolution (with-children or no-children version) is the final decree, and the IDPH Certificate of Dissolution records it with vital records. There is no mandatory statewide pre-filing waiting period, though courts may set their own scheduling timelines.

Illinois-Specific Requirements You Should Know

A few features make Illinois divorce distinctive.

Residency. At least one party must have been an Illinois resident for 90 days before the judgment is entered, not before filing. (750 ILCS 5/401)

Property regime. Illinois is an equitable distribution state. This means marital property is divided in a way the court considers fair, which is not always an even 50/50 split.

Grounds. Illinois is no-fault only. The sole ground is irreconcilable differences (750 ILCS 5/401); all fault grounds were eliminated in 2016. If spouses have lived separate and apart for six continuous months, there is an irrebuttable presumption that irreconcilable differences exist. The six-month separation is a safe harbor, not a requirement, and spouses may still be living in the same home without cohabiting as spouses.

Waiting period. There is no mandatory pre-filing waiting period in Illinois. The six-month separation period is an evidentiary safe harbor, not a cooling-off requirement.

Two procedural paths. Illinois offers a standard dissolution (with or without children) and a Joint Simplified Dissolution (750 ILCS 5/451–452). The simplified path is a streamlined procedure available only when narrow conditions are met, including a marriage of eight years or less, no children born to or adopted by the parties during the marriage (and the wife must not be pregnant by the husband at the time of filing), no real property, combined gross income under $60,000 (neither party over $30,000), combined marital assets under $50,000 after debts, IRA-only retirement accounts under $10,000 combined, and both parties waiving maintenance.

Civil unions. Illinois recognizes civil unions, and the same dissolution forms and procedures apply. Illinois does not have covenant marriage.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming you need to wait six months to file

The six-month separation is a safe harbor that creates a presumption of irreconcilable differences, not a filing requirement. Many people delay unnecessarily because they misunderstand this rule.

Overlooking the parenting education requirement

In cases with minor children, Illinois Supreme Court Rule 924 requires a court-approved parenting education program, and the completion certificate must be filed with the court. Forgetting this step can stall finalization.

Ignoring local Cook County (and other circuit) rules

The statewide forms apply everywhere, but Cook County and some large circuits add their own local supplemental forms and procedures. Checking your county's specific requirements avoids surprises.

Submitting an incomplete Financial Affidavit

The Financial Affidavit relies on its supplemental schedules. Leaving schedules blank or skipping disclosures can create delays, since both parties are expected to provide full financial information.

Assuming you qualify for Joint Simplified Dissolution

The simplified path has tight eligibility limits on income, assets, marriage length, property, children, and maintenance. Many couples assume they qualify when they do not.

How Divorce.com Can Help

Illinois gives you standardized forms, but assembling the right suite, completing the supplemental schedules, and keeping track of county-specific rules can still be a lot to manage on your own. Divorce.com is built to take that weight off your shoulders by guiding you through a simple, plain-language process and helping you produce the documents your situation calls for.

• A guided questionnaire that turns your answers into completed Illinois forms

• Help organizing the form suites and supplemental schedules so nothing gets missed

• Plain-language explanations so you understand what each document does

• A clear, step-by-step path designed to reduce stress and save time

• An affordable alternative to figuring out the paperwork entirely on your own