Fastest Way to Get a Divorce in Florida: The Uncontested Path.
What is the fastest way to get a divorce finalized in Florida? The short answer: a simplified dissolution of marriage, which can wrap up in as little as 20 to 30 days after filing for qualifying couples. If both spouses agree on everything and meet Florida’s specific eligibility criteria, the process is genuinely fast. For qualifying couples who work with an online service like Divorce Harmony, led by Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator Dori Shwirtz, document preparation and e-filing can be completed within 48 hours of payment, though Florida’s mandatory 20-day waiting period still applies before a judge may enter the final judgment. This guide covers who qualifies, what paperwork is required, what a realistic timeline looks like, and what most couples do that slows everything down.
Key takeaways
- Fastest legal route: Simplified dissolution of marriage can wrap up in 30 to 60 days, with best-case timelines starting at 20 to 30 days after filing.
- Mandatory waiting period: Florida law requires at least 20 days between filing and the final judgment, with no exceptions except in rare injustice cases.
- All eight requirements must be met: Missing even one eligibility rule for simplified dissolution pushes your case into the regular uncontested process.
- Regular uncontested is still fast: If you don’t qualify for simplified dissolution, a regular uncontested divorce typically takes one to three months.
- Disputes are the biggest delay: A single unresolved issue can move a case from the uncontested track, measured in weeks, to the contested track, which can take many months to a year or more.
- Mediation compresses the timeline: A certified mediator who also handles filing removes the main sources of delay in one step.
What is the fastest way to get a divorce finalized in Florida? Start here.
Florida’s simplified dissolution is the fastest legal path to ending a marriage, but it comes with strict eligibility rules. Every single requirement below must be met. Failing even one means your case moves to the regular uncontested dissolution process, which is still fast, just not quite as fast.
The eight requirements you must meet
To use a simplified dissolution of marriage in Florida, both spouses must satisfy all of the following:
- At least one spouse has lived in Florida for six months immediately before filing.
- Both spouses agree the marriage is irretrievably broken.
- There are no minor or dependent children together, no adopted children under 18, no dependent children born during the marriage, and the wife is not pregnant.
- Both spouses have fully agreed on how to divide all marital assets and debts.
- Neither spouse is seeking alimony or spousal support.
- Both spouses agree to waive their right to a trial and to appeal.
- Both spouses sign the joint petition before a notary or clerk.
- Both spouses agree to attend the final hearing together.
The court also requires proof of Florida residency and payment of the applicable filing fee. Filing fees vary by circuit and may include additional local charges. Check with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in your county for the exact amount before you file.
What happens if you don’t fully qualify?
Failing any one requirement doesn’t mean a long legal battle. It means using the regular uncontested dissolution process instead, which is still relatively fast. Couples with minor children, alimony needs, or more complex assets can pursue an uncontested path. They just use different forms and procedures. The key distinction is simple: simplified dissolution is the fastest lane, but regular uncontested dissolution is still far faster than any contested divorce.
What does the Florida divorce timeline actually look like?
Before you plan anything, set realistic expectations. The timeline depends heavily on which type of dissolution applies to your case, and Florida law builds in a mandatory delay that even the most prepared couple cannot skip.
The 20-day waiting period is mandatory, no exceptions
Florida law requires a minimum of 20 days between filing the petition and the judge signing the final judgment. This applies to simplified dissolutions too. A judge may shorten the waiting period only upon finding that waiting would cause an injustice, a narrow and rarely granted exception. Ordinary convenience, mutual agreement, or wanting to remarry sooner is not enough. Even a perfectly prepared case with zero disputes cannot be finalized the day you file under the standard court process.
Fastest ways to finalize a Florida divorce: simplified vs. uncontested vs. contested
All timelines below run from filing to final judgment. Keep in mind that the six-month residency requirement must be satisfied before you can file at all, so that clock runs separately. In high-volume counties like Miami-Dade, Broward, and Orange, court scheduling alone can push hearing wait times to four to ten weeks, even for straightforward cases.
| Divorce type | Best-case timeline | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Simplified dissolution | 20–30 days after filing | 30–60 days |
| Regular uncontested dissolution | 4–6 weeks | 1–3 months |
| Contested (settled before trial) | Approximately 6 months | 6–12 months |
| Contested (requires trial) | Rarely under several months | 12–24+ months |
What forms and steps does a simplified Florida divorce require?
Getting the paperwork right the first time is where most couples either save weeks or lose them. The Florida Supreme Court provides all required forms free through its Family Law Forms page, and your county clerk typically offers a local packet with additional instructions specific to your circuit.
Core Florida Supreme Court forms for a simplified dissolution
The primary documents you’ll need for a simplified dissolution of marriage in Florida are:
- Joint Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage (Form 12.901(a))
- Marital Settlement Agreement (Form 12.902(f)(3))
- Family Court Cover Sheet (Form 12.928)
- Notice of Social Security Number (Form 12.902(j))
- Notice of Related Cases (Form 12.900(h))
- Designation of Current Address and E-mail Address (Form 12.915)
- Affidavit of Corroborating Witness (Form 12.902(i)), required if residency is proven through a witness
- Florida Office of Vital Statistics worksheet (Form DH513)
- Final Judgment of Simplified Dissolution of Marriage (Form 12.990(a)), for the judge to sign
Local circuits sometimes require additional county-specific cover sheets or standing orders. Always confirm with the clerk of court for the county where you’re filing before submitting anything.
Can you skip the final court hearing entirely?
Worth clarifying: simplified dissolution actually requires both spouses to appear at a final hearing. It doesn’t eliminate the hearing. Some Florida counties do allow a regular uncontested divorce to be finalized without an in-person hearing, provided all documents are properly filed, both spouses sign a waiver affidavit, and the judge approves deciding the case on the paperwork alone. Whether a hearing is required depends on your county and the type of dissolution. Confirm with the local clerk before assuming no appearance is needed.
What causes Florida divorces to take longer than they should?
The 20-day waiting period isn’t the main reason divorces drag on. The real culprits are avoidable, and knowing them in advance keeps you in control of your timeline.
The most common delay triggers
Incomplete or incorrectly completed forms are the single most common cause of delay. Missing notarization and omitted financial affidavits send cases backward just as reliably. Failing to satisfy the six-month residency requirement before filing is another frequent stumble. Court scheduling backlogs add time in high-volume counties, sometimes weeks. Even one disputed issue, whether it’s a single piece of property or a disagreement on debt allocation, immediately disqualifies the simplified route and can extend the total timeline by months. If your case involves minor children, failing to complete the required parent education course before the final judgment is a preventable delay that many couples overlook entirely.
How a single dispute reshapes the entire case
Once a case becomes contested, the timeline is no longer driven by paperwork. It’s driven by negotiation, discovery, motions, and court scheduling. A case that might have wrapped up in 30 days as an uncontested dissolution can stretch to many months or longer if it goes to trial. Resolving disagreements before filing, rather than hoping they get sorted out during the process, is the single biggest lever a couple has over their own timeline.
How does divorce mediation speed up the process?
Mediation isn’t just an alternative to court. For couples who aren’t yet fully aligned, it’s the tool that makes the fast track possible in the first place.
What certified divorce mediation actually does for the timeline
Mediation helps couples reach full agreement on all issues, assets, debts, support, and parenting arrangements, before or alongside filing. When both spouses arrive ready to resolve things, the entire case structure shifts. There’s no waiting for the other side to respond to disputes, no back-and-forth on terms, and no need for contested hearings. A Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator can guide couples through the key issues efficiently, though the number of sessions needed will vary depending on how complex the issues are and how ready both parties are to engage. Reaching agreement before filing is far faster than working through disagreements after the case is already open.
How Divorce Harmony handles qualifying cases from start to finish
Divorce Harmony is led by Dori Shwirtz, a licensed attorney, Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator, and Divorce Coach. The service handles document preparation, e-filing, online notarization, and certified mediation entirely online. Documents are drafted and filed within 48 hours of payment, and the entire process runs remotely. Whether a court appearance is required depends on the county and the type of dissolution, simplified dissolutions ordinarily require both spouses to appear at the final hearing, while some counties permit certain uncontested cases to be resolved on paperwork alone. We offer a free initial consultation to help you confirm whether you qualify and which track your case follows.
A practical checklist to keep your Florida divorce moving forward
Work through this checklist before you file anything. These are the steps that prevent the most common delays, and skipping them is how a 30-day case becomes a 90-day one.
Before you file
- Confirm six-month Florida residency and gather proof, such as a Florida ID or a corroborating witness if needed.
- Reach full written agreement with your spouse on all financial issues before filing.
- Prepare all required forms using the Florida Courts official forms page or a professional service.
- Get the joint petition notarized.
- Verify filing fees and e-filing procedures with your county clerk.
- If minor children are involved, confirm parenting plan, child support, and parent education course requirements for your county.
After you file
- Track the 20-day waiting period from the filing date.
- Confirm the hearing date with the clerk’s office.
- Bring required identification and any county-specific documentation to the final hearing.
- Follow up on the Final Judgment (Form 12.990(a)) to confirm it has been signed and entered by the judge.
- If using an online service like Divorce Harmony, confirm that e-filing confirmation has been received and that all signed documents are accounted for.
The bottom line on finalizing your Florida divorce fast
If you’re asking what is the fastest way to get a divorce finalized in Florida, the answer is the simplified dissolution of marriage. It realistically wraps up in 30 to 60 days, or faster with the right preparation and professional support. The biggest variable isn’t Florida law, it’s whether both spouses are fully aligned before filing. For couples ready to move quickly, working with a certified mediator who also handles document prep and filing removes the main sources of delay in a single step.
Divorce Harmony offers a free consultation to help you determine exactly where your case stands and how quickly it can move forward. Whether you qualify for simplified dissolution, need mediation to reach full agreement, or have minor children and require a different filing path, the process can be handled entirely online with one-on-one attention from Dori Shwirtz. Reach out to find out which track fits your situation and how to get moving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we skip Florida’s 20-day waiting period after filing for divorce?
No, you cannot skip the mandatory 20-day waiting period except in very rare injustice cases. We state that even simplified dissolutions require at least 20 days between filing and the judge signing the final judgment, and ordinary convenience or agreement to hurry is not sufficient to shorten it.
Will a simplified dissolution work if we have minor children together?
No, a simplified dissolution cannot be used if you have minor or dependent children together. We explain that any minor or adopted children under 18, or a dependent child born during the marriage, disqualify you from the simplified route and push the case into the regular uncontested process instead.
Do both spouses always have to appear at the final hearing for a simplified dissolution?
Yes, both spouses must appear at the final hearing for a simplified dissolution. We note that simplified dissolution requires both spouses to attend the final hearing, while some counties may allow certain regular uncontested cases to be decided on paperwork alone depending on local rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we skip Florida's 20-day waiting period after filing for divorce?
No. Florida requires at least 20 days between filing the petition and the judge signing the final judgment, and this applies to simplified dissolutions too. A judge may shorten the waiting period only if waiting would cause an injustice, which is rarely granted. Convenience or a mutual agreement to hurry is not enough.
Will a simplified dissolution work if we have minor children together?
No. A simplified dissolution cannot be used if you have minor or dependent children together, including adopted children under 18 or a dependent child born during the marriage, or if the wife is pregnant. In that case, your divorce follows the regular uncontested process instead, which is still relatively fast.
Do both spouses always have to appear at the final hearing for a simplified dissolution?
Yes. A simplified dissolution requires both spouses to attend the final hearing. Some Florida counties allow certain regular uncontested divorces to be decided on paperwork alone, depending on local rules, so confirm with your county clerk before assuming no appearance is needed.
