Divorce in Arizona

How to file for divorce in Arizona

1. Check residency. 90 consecutive days in Arizona before filing (or active-duty military stationed there for 90 days).
2. Prepare and file the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with the Superior Court in your county. The filing fee is typically $250 to $365, and you can ask for a fee waiver if you cannot afford it.
3. Serve your spouse, or have them sign an acceptance of service, and file proof of service.
4. Exchange financial disclosures. Both spouses must complete and serve an Affidavit of Financial Information whenever the case involves child support, spousal maintenance, attorney fees, or other financial issues.
5. Settle the issues in a written agreement, and a parenting plan if you have children.
6. Wait out the waiting period. 60 days mandatory from the date the petition is filed, cannot be waived. Then ask the court for your final judgment.

Residency and grounds

Residency: 90 consecutive days in Arizona before filing (or active-duty military stationed there for 90 days).

Grounds: No-fault only. You do not need to prove anyone did anything wrong.

Separation: None required for standard marriages; covenant marriages have additional requirements before filing.

How property is divided

Arizona is a community property state. Most property and debt acquired during the marriage belongs to both spouses equally and is generally divided equally. Property owned before marriage, and gifts or inheritances to one spouse, are usually separate. Read community property and equitable distribution.

Custody and child support

Parenting terms: Arizona uses the terms legal decision-making and parenting time. Every decision is made in the child's best interests.

Parenting class: Required statewide; both parents must complete the Parent Information Program (PIP), about $50 per person.

Child support: Arizona uses the income shares model, which combines both parents' incomes, estimates what parents at that income usually spend on children, and divides that amount by each parent's share of income. Try the child support calculator.

Spousal support

Called spousal maintenance; a requesting spouse must meet one of five statutory eligibility factors, and as of the 2025 guideline revisions Arizona does not award lifetime support, only fixed-term awards.

Estimate a range with the spousal support calculator, then have a lawyer check it if the numbers are large.

Faster and simpler options

Arizona does not have a separate simplified procedure, but an uncontested divorce with a signed agreement is fast and inexpensive.

Legal separation: available in Arizona, for couples who want support and parenting orders without ending the marriage.

How long it takes

The minimum is set by the waiting period: 60 days mandatory from the date the petition is filed, cannot be waived. A typical timeline is 3 to 4 months uncontested (limited by the 60-day minimum); 12 to 24 months or more if contested. Agreement is what moves the date most; contested cases add months of disclosures, discovery and hearings.

Worth knowing in Arizona

• Arizona does not use the word custody; the law instead uses legal decision-making and parenting time.
• As a community property state, assets and debts acquired during the marriage are presumed to be owned equally and split 50/50.
• Covenant marriages, a small minority of Arizona marriages, require proof of fault or a longer separation to divorce.

Official resources

Official forms and instructions come from Arizona's courts. Sources we reviewed:

• azcourts.gov

Last reviewed September 2026. Laws and fees change; confirm with your court before you file.