Washington State Uncontested Divorce (2025): A Top Lawyer’s Step‑by‑Step Online Filing Guide

This guide is designed for individuals seeking to complete an uncontested divorce in Washington—ideally online or with minimal time spent at the courthouse. It’s practical, plain‑English, and reflects current statutes and county procedures as of November 2025. This is general information, not legal advice tailored to your specific situation.

The 5‑minute overview (what really matters)

  • Washington is no-fault. If one spouse says the marriage is “irretrievably broken,” the court does not look at blame or misconduct. The judge signs your final papers 90 days after both filing and service/joinder have occurred, whichever is later. That 90-day wait is mandatory and cannot be waived.
  • Residency is simple. You can file if either spouse is a Washington resident (or stationed here in the armed forces) on the day you file; there’s no minimum time in state. File in the Superior Court of a Washington county where the petitioner resides.
  • Uncontested means agreement on everything: property and debt division, any spousal maintenance, parenting plan, and child support (if you have children). If you agree, the judge’s job is to confirm that the paperwork is in order and the terms are lawful.
  • Community property + “just and equitable” division. Most assets and debts acquired during marriage are community property. But Washington judges don’t split everything 50/50 by default—they divide all property and liabilities (community and separate) in a way that is “just and equitable,” and they must do so “without regard to misconduct.”
  • Children? You’ll need a parenting plan and a child support order calculated under the statewide guidelines and worksheets, and (in most counties) a parenting seminar certificate before final orders are entered.

Step 1: Confirm you truly have an uncontested case

If you and your spouse have already reached agreement on every key issue, you are well-placed for a streamlined filing. This includes who will keep the house or car, how to divide accounts or retirement, and whether there will be any spousal maintenance (alimony). It also covers the parenting schedule, decision-making, and support. If you are almost but not quite there, consider a brief mediation or a limited-scope attorney consultation to close the gaps. It’s still far cheaper than litigating.
Why agreement matters: Washington’s no‑fault system gives judges broad discretion. If you don’t present a full agreement, the court must decide unresolved issues using the “just and equitable” standard, which introduces uncertainty and delay.

Step 2: Choose where and how to file (e‑filing vs. by mail)

You file in a county Superior Court. Washington allows a lot of remote filing and finalizing for uncontested cases:

Full e-filing counties:

  • King County (Seattle/Bellevue): Robust e-filing through the KC Script Portal; attorneys must e-file, and self-represented parties are encouraged to. A case schedule is generated automatically when you start a managed case.
Spokane County: Uses TrueFiling for all Superior Court case types (rolled out in 2021).

Partial e-filing counties:

  • Pierce County (Tacoma): E-file through LINX (you need a LINX account/PIN). The Clerk’s site explains formats and help contacts.
  • Snohomish County (Everett): Odyssey File & Serve e-filing. Attorneys must e-file; self-represented parties are encouraged but not required. See SCLGR 30 for what can’t be e-filed.

Mail-only counties:

  • Lincoln County (Davenport) & Wahkiakum County: Known for allowing divorce by mail in agreed cases—no appearance required if your paperwork is complete. Wahkiakum’s page publishes clear mail‑-n instructions.

Pro tip: Regardless of county, you can track your case via the statewide Odyssey Portal / Name & Case Search to confirm filings and calendars.

Step 3: Gather the mandatory forms

Washington uses statewide pattern forms, free on the Washington Courts’ website. For an uncontested divorce, expect to use most of these:
To start the case
  • FL Divorce 201 – Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (or 203 for legal separation).
  • FL Divorce 200 – Summons: Notice about a Marriage (skip if filing jointly).
  • FL All Family 001 – Confidential Information Form.
  • DOH 422‑027 – Certificate of Dissolution (vital statistics form).
If you’re qualifying it as truly agreed (best for online/remote flow)
  • FL All Family 119 – Agreement to Join Petition (Joinder) – your spouse signs to join your petition (this eliminates formal service). Alternatively, your spouse can sign FL All Family 117 – Service Accepted.
If you have children under 18
  • FL All Family 140 – Parenting Plan (Final).
    • Child Support Order (FL All Family 130) and Child Support Worksheets (WSCSS).
To finish the case
  • FL Divorce 231 – Findings and Conclusions about a Marriage.
  • FL Divorce 241 – Final Divorce Order (Decree).

Formatting note: Courts require single‑sided printing under GR 14; check your county for any local add‑on forms (e.g., Lincoln County’s notarized Verification Form).

Step 4: File and pay the filing fee (or request a fee waiver)

Filing fees are set by statute and may vary with local surcharges, depending on the county. As of mid‑2025, King County lists $364 to file a dissolution, and Snohomish County lists $364; Wahkiakum notes the dissolution filing fee $364 plus a $30 ex parte fee for certain mail‑in submissions. If you can’t afford the fee, ask the clerk about a fee waiver (motion to waive civil fees).

Step 5: Serve your spouse (or use Joinder to skip service)

You must prove your spouse received the papers unless they sign FL All Family 119 (Joinder).
  • Best-case scenario (fastest): Your spouse signs the Joinder when you file or shortly after. No formal service and fewer steps.
  • Second best: Your spouse signs FL All Family 117 (Service Accepted) after you file—still no need to hire a process server.
  • Personal service: Anyone over 18 and not a party (often a professional process server) hand‑delivers the filed documents; the server completes FL All Family 101 (Proof of Personal Service).
  • Alternative service: If you can’t locate your spouse after diligent efforts, you can ask the court to allow service by mail or publication using the Washington forms and a motion. (Use WashingtonLawHelp’s form library for those motions and orders.)
Response deadlines if you do not use Joinder:
  • Served in Washington: spouse generally has 20 days to respond.
  • Served outside Washington (or by publication): 60 days (publication and some mail orders use 60–90 days—your county’s instructions will specify). These timelines appear on the Summons form itself.

Local example: Snohomish County warns that if proof of service isn’t filed within the time frames set by local practice, cases can be dismissed; local resources emphasize prompt filing of proof. Always check your county’s local rules.

Step 6: Start (and finish) the mandatory 90‑day wait

The 90‑day clock starts when both (1) the petition is filed and (2) your spouse is served or signs Joinder/Service Accepted—whichever happens later. Courts cannot shorten this wait. After 90 days, if the case is uncontested, the judge shall enter a decree.
Typical timeline: In a cooperative case, expect 3–4 months from filing to final decree—90 days of waiting plus the time to get on your county’s agreed/final orders docket or to submit agreed orders through your county’s process.

Step 7: If you have children, a parenting plan, a seminar, and support

Parenting Plan. Washington replaces “custody” with a detailed parenting plan that allocates decision-making and residential time, along with a dispute-resolution method. Courts give the greatest weight to the child’s stable, nurturing relationships and each parent’s performance of parenting functions.
Safety‑related limits (RCW 26.09.191). If there’s a history of domestic violence, child abuse, or certain conduct, the court must or may limit decision‑making and/or residential time. In 2025, the Legislature strengthened these protections (HB 1620), including new presumptions and clearer standards for professional supervision where supervised visitation is ordered; updated forms reflect the changes.
Parenting seminar. Most counties require a 3–4 hour parent education seminar before finalizing a parenting plan. Examples:
  • King County (“Children & Families in Transition”)—the county runs registration; fee waivers are available.
  • Pierce County (“Impact on Children”)—approved provider list published.
  • Snohomish County—approved online courses listed; certificate must be filed.
Child support. Washington uses a statewide schedule. Courts require Worksheets in the official format, and every order must state the standard calculation and any deviation with written reasons. The law defines gross and net income and excludes new spouses’ income. Low‑income protections are built in; the self‑support reserve (125% of the federal poverty guideline) is $1,630 as of Jan. 15, 2025, which is roughly equivalent to the take-home pay from a full-time job at $12 per hour. This comparison helps make the guideline more tangible, providing a clearer understanding of its real-world implications.

Step 8: Property, debts, and spousal maintenance—how judges think in agreed cases

Even in an uncontested divorce, the court must be satisfied your agreement complies with Washington law.

Property and debts.

Washington is a community property state: most assets and debts acquired during marriage belong to the community. But the judge is not required to divide them equally. The court must divide all property and liabilities—community and separate—in a way that’s “just and equitable,” without regard to misconduct, considering the nature/extent of community and separate property, the marriage length, and each spouse’s economic circumstances at the time of division. In practice, short marriages often “reset” parties toward their pre‑marriage positions; long marriages often result in more even splits.

Spousal maintenance (alimony).

There is no formula in Washington. Courts can order maintenance ‘in such amounts and for such periods of time as the court deems just,’ after weighing statutory factors such as the recipient’s resources, time needed for training, the marital standard of living, marriage duration, ages/health, and the payor’s ability to meet both parties’ needs. Your agreed order should tie maintenance to those factors (even in an uncontested case) so the judge can see it’s fair. For instance, a hypothetical example could be $1,000 per month for 30 months for a marriage that lasted 10 years. This kind of concrete illustration can help in understanding how maintenance might be applied while ensuring fairness without adhering to a strict formula.

Step 9: Finalizing your uncontested case (what finishing looks like)

After the 90‑day wait:
  1. Confirm no objections were filed. If your spouse joined your petition, you’re already aligned.
  2. Prepare final orders (Findings & Conclusions, Final Divorce Order, Parenting Plan, Child Support Order, Worksheets). Attach any addenda (e.g., residential time summary if required locally).
  3. County procedures vary:
    • Some counties permit paper or electronic submission of agreed final orders without a hearing.
    • Others require a brief agreed/final orders docket (often by Zoom or in chambers).
    • A few counties (e.g., Lincoln and Wahkiakum) allow divorce by mail start‑to‑finish for uncontested files if you follow their checklists precisely.
  5. File your parenting seminar certificate if you have children—judges routinely hold final orders if this is missing.

Fees, copies, and practical costs

Expect the base filing fee plus small charges for certified copies of your decree (useful for name changes, titles, and accounts). Current county fee schedules show $364 for dissolution in King and Snohomish; Wahkiakum notes $364 plus a $30 ex parte fee for certain mail processes. If cost is a barrier, apply for a fee waiver at filing; if granted, many counties also waive parenting‑seminar fees.

Doing it yourself vs. hiring help (and the middle ground)

Most uncontested couples can complete the paperwork themselves using Washington’s pattern forms and WashingtonLawHelp’s free, guided “Washington Forms Online” interviews. If either of you wants extra assurance, consider a limited‑scope review (a few hours with a lawyer to sanity‑check the agreement and forms) rather than full representation.

Common pitfalls I see (and how to avoid them)

  1. Starting the 90‑day clock late. The wait does not start at filing alone; it starts when both filing and service/joinder have occurred. If your spouse hasn’t signed Joinder or Service Accepted, the clock hasn’t started.
  2. Missing the response window. If you served your spouse, don’t try to finalize before their 20‑ or 60‑day response time expires; your county may reject the paperwork, and you risk due process issues. The official Summons spells out the timelines.
  3. Child support orders without worksheets. Judges cannot sign a child support order without proper worksheets and clear reasons for any deviation from the standard calculation.
  4. Parenting seminar not filed. With children in the case, most counties require the seminar certificate before the entry of final orders. Plan to complete it early.
  5. Overlooking the DOH certificate. The DOH 422‑027 Certificate of Dissolution is a must‑have for vital records; many counties will not finalize until it’s completed correctly.
  6. Assuming every county handles agreed cases the same way. Procedures differ (e‑filing platforms, working copies, final dockets vs. submission). Always check your county clerk’s page before you file. Examples above show how King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Lincoln, and Wahkiakum differ.

Quick checklists you can follow.

Starting packet (no children):

  • FL Divorce 201 (Petition)
  • FL Divorce 200 (Summons) or FL All Family 119 (Joinder)
  • FL All Family 001 (Confidential Information)
  • DOH 422‑027 (Certificate of Dissolution)
  • Filing fee or fee‑waiver paperwork

Starting packet (with children):

Everything above plus:
  • Proposed Parenting Plan (FL All Family 140)
  • Child Support Worksheets (WSCSS) and Child Support Order (FL All Family 130)
  • Plan your parenting seminar date now.

Final packet (no children):

  • FL Divorce 231 (Findings & Conclusions)
  • FL Divorce 241 (Final Divorce Order)

Final packet (with children):

  • FL All Family 140 (Parenting Plan – Final)
  • FL All Family 130 (Child Support Order) + Worksheets
  • Parenting seminar certificate
  • Any county‑specific forms (e.g., residential time summary where required)

A word on fairness and safety

  • Property/debt: Even in agreed cases, judges scan for fairness. Washington’s statute requires a just and equitable division—equal is not mandatory, but the overall package should make sense given assets, debts, marriage length, and each spouse’s post‑divorce finances.
  • Maintenance: If you include maintenance, tie it to the factors in RCW 26.09.090; explain duration and amount in light of the marital standard of living and each party’s needs/abilities.
  • Parenting plan limits: If there’s a history of DV or child abuse, courts must impose appropriate restrictions; the 2025 changes reinforce safety measures and professional supervision expectations. Don’t paper over safety concerns—address them.

If you want to keep it 100% online or close to it

  • You can complete the same Washington FL-series forms right here on InstantOnlineDivorce.com. Our plain-English interview walks you through each step, auto-fills the official forms, and produces a clean, ready-to-file packet with simple instructions you can use for filing in your county (including where e-filing is available). For truly uncontested cases, it’s a fast and low-stress way to complete your paperwork without the legalese. Ready to start the interview now or bookmark this for later? This call-to-action respects your readiness while encouraging you to take a small step towards completing your divorce process.
  • Prefer no‑appearance finalization? Consider Lincoln or Wahkiakum if both spouses agree and you’re comfortable filing by mail (no county residency required to file there). Follow their checklists to the letter.

Final thoughts from counsel

Uncontested divorce in Washington is designed to be accessible: one clear ground (“irretrievably broken”), a non‑waivable 90‑day cooling‑off period, standardized forms, and expanding e‑filing. If you bring a complete agreement and respectable paperwork, you can finish in a few months with minimal court time and cost.
If you’re unsure about any term—especially property equalization, retirement division, or a parenting‑plan detail that could trigger problems later—spend an hour or two with a family lawyer before you file. It’s the best insurance you can buy.