Home › Guides › Can I Get a Divorce Online in Florida?
General information only. This is not legal advice. We are not attorneys and cannot tell you which forms or documents you need or what to put on them. Rules and forms change; confirm details with the official sources linked here.
The short answer
Part of it, yes. You can download the court's forms, fill them in on a computer and, if you choose, file them electronically. A divorce itself is granted by a judge, not by a website, and some steps still happen in person or on paper.
What you can usually do online
- Get the forms. The Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto divorce packets download as blank PDFs, exactly as the 12th Circuit publishes them.
- Fill them in. Many of the forms can be filled in on your computer with our free form filler.
- File electronically. The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal accepts electronic filings, and its own filing without an attorney guide explains the steps. County clerks describe e-filing as optional for people representing themselves, so confirm with your clerk how your case should be filed.
What usually still happens off-screen
- Notarized forms. The 12th Circuit says a signed, notarized financial affidavit is a court rule, and that you are responsible for having your other forms signed and, where required, notarized. A mobile notary can come to you.
- Serving your spouse. The 12th Circuit says it is your responsibility to see that the other party is properly served.
- Court dates. The court's family pages say the court prefers both spouses at hearings, and that for a simplified dissolution both spouses must be at the final hearing. After you file, the Family Division Case Manager contacts you by mail about your hearing date. Whether you can appear remotely is something to ask the case manager.
- Parents. If you have minor children, the 12th Circuit says you must attend a seminar for divorcing parents.
Websites that advertise an “online divorce”
A website or document service that helps with paperwork is not a law firm and cannot give legal advice. Before you pay anyone, check what the service actually does, who files the papers, and who is responsible for getting them right.
Where to check
- 12th Circuit Family Pro Se (Self-Help) Program
- 12th Circuit: Before Filing
- 12th Circuit: Court Proceedings
- Sarasota County Clerk: Divorce
Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties are in the 12th Circuit. Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties are in a different circuit, with different local forms and procedures, so check that county's clerk.
Need help with the paperwork?
Need help preparing, organizing, or getting your paperwork notarized? We can type forms from your answers and do mobile notary visits. We are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice.
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