Complete Guide: How to File for Divorce in Washington

To file for divorce in Washington, follow these steps:

The answers to these questions will determine the various legal documents and paperwork needed to begin and ultimately finalize your Washington divorce.

Step 3: Prepare the Necessary Documents

Once you have identified the applicable documents and the appropriate Superior Court, you will need to prepare the documents. If you are pursuing an uncontested divorce, your documents should summarize the agreements you have reached with your spouse on issues such as:

• Property Division
• Debts
• Spousal Maintenance (Alimony)
• Child Support, Custody, and Parenting Plans (if children are involved)

Step 4: File the Petition for Dissolution

The Superior Court clerks can assist you with submitting your Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, which formally begins your divorce case with the court system. However, please be advised that court clerks cannot advise you on whether the information within your documents, specifically your Final Decree of Dissolution, is sufficient for the judge. It is the judge signing your Final Decree that legally ends your marriage and outlines the division of marital property and debts. If your case involves children, the Final Decree will incorporate a Parenting Plan that details child support and parenting time.

Finalizing Your Divorce in Washington

Finalizing your divorce is the ultimate goal. However, reaching this goal can be tedious, time-consuming, and expensive unless you have the proper knowledge. There may be multiple steps between filing your divorce and finalizing it, especially if:

• Your spouse is uncooperative
• You and your spouse have complex financial matters
• You need to locate a missing spouse

Even in a simple, uncontested divorce case, finalizing your divorce can be challenging if your Final Decree of Dissolution is not properly drafted or deemed legally sufficient. Many people use online services or non-attorney providers for document preparation. In Washington, judges will not sign off on an insufficient or poorly drafted Final Decree of Dissolution. Some judges may require you to appear at a court hearing to address issues with your documents, leading to delays and additional costs.

Avoid the Headache—Use Washington Divorce Service

You can use Washington Divorce Service to complete your divorce 100% online, or you can use it to receive all your paperwork to sign and mail to the court. Either way, you can be assured your paperwork is prepared by a duly licensed Washington attorney and that your paperwork will be legally accurate and complete. You will not have to make any visits to the courthouse or appear before a judge when you allow us to E-file your case for you.

How It Works

1. Answer Online Questions
   • Provide information about your marriage, property, children, and agreements with your spouse through our user-friendly online interview.
2. Attorney Review and Document Preparation
   • A Washington-licensed attorney reviews your responses and prepares all necessary divorce documents tailored to your situation.
3. Review and Approval
   • You and your spouse review and approve the prepared documents.
4. Sign and Notarize
   • Use our E-Notary service to sign and notarize documents online, or print, sign, and notarize them with a local notary if required by your county.
5. File with the Court
   • Choose to file your documents directly through our platform or mail/drop them off at your local Superior Court.
6. Finalize Your Divorce
   • Our attorney manages communications with the court and judge to ensure your divorce is finalized efficiently.

Cost of Washington Divorce Service

Our comprehensive online divorce service is offered at a pay-per-step pricing model, allowing you to manage the cost of your divorce according to your financial ability:

• Step 1: Case Initiation - $195
• Qualification: Answer questions to determine if you qualify for a divorce in Washington and complete an agreed divorce online.
• Online Questionnaire: Provide detailed information about your situation and agreements with your spouse.
• Attorney Review and Paperwork Preparation: A Washington-licensed attorney drafts all necessary documents.
• Review and Approval: Both you and your spouse review and approve the prepared documents.
• Step 2: Case Finalization - $344
• Step 3: Case Court Filing - $75:
  • Our team of experienced attorneys and paralegals will conduct a thorough review of all final documents to ensure accuracy and completeness.
  • File all required documents with the court (typically via mail), and coordinate any remaining procedures required for Final Judgement.
  
• Signing and Notarization:
  • Most counties accept online notarization, allowing you to sign and notarize documents via smartphone, tablet, or computer.
  • For counties that do not accept online notarization, use a local notary to sign and notarize documents.
• Court Communications: Our attorney manages all communications with the court and judge to finalize your divorce.
• Divorce Granted: The judge will sign your Final Decree of Dissolution, legally ending your marriage.

Note: There is a mandatory court filing fee, which is separate from our service fees. The court filing fee varies by county in Washington, typically around $300 to $400. You can verify the actual fee for your local Superior Court. Most clients choose to pay the court fee at the same time they pay their Step 2 service fee. The court fee is paid to us, and we remit the entire amount to the court when we E-file your paperwork.

Court fees are non-refundable once paid to the court. Our service fees are also non-refundable, but we may offer partial refunds based on how far you progress in Step 1 or Step 2 before deciding to discontinue the service.

$5 administrative payment processing fee applies at checkout for credit card or manual payment handling (Zelle/money order).

Additional Pay-Per-Need Optional Services

• Quitclaim Deed: $99
• Vehicle Power of Attorney: $25
• Unnotarized Document Revisions: $50
• Notarized Document Revisions: $150
• Attorney Notice of Appearance: $250
• Attorney Zoom Hearing: $500
• Attorney In-Person Hearing: $1,000
• Motion to Dismiss: $45
• Filing Fee Waiver: $0

Complete Guide: How to File for Divorce in Washington

To file for divorce in Washington, follow these steps:

1. Determine Residency: Ensure that at least one spouse has been a resident of Washington for at least 90 days.
2. File the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage: Submit the petition to the Superior Court in the appropriate county.
3. Serve the Petition: Properly serve the other spouse with divorce papers.
4. Respond to the Petition: The other spouse has 20 days to respond.
   
5. Negotiate and Reach an Agreement: If possible, agree on all terms to proceed with an uncontested divorce.
   
6. Finalize the Divorce: After the mandatory waiting period, obtain the judge’s signature on the Final Decree of Dissolution.