Divorce in Colorado

How to file for divorce in Colorado

1. Check residency. 91 days of Colorado residency before the decree can be entered.
2. Prepare and file the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (Form JDF 1011) with the District Court in your county. The filing fee is typically $230, 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 exchange a Sworn Financial Statement (Form JDF 1111) with supporting schedules within 42 days and file a Certificate of Compliance with the court.
5. Settle the issues in a written agreement, and a parenting plan if you have children.
6. Wait out the waiting period. 91 days mandatory, generally starting when the other spouse is served (or from the filing date for a joint co-petition). Then ask the court for your final judgment.

Residency and grounds

Residency: 91 days of Colorado residency before the decree can be entered.

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

Separation: None required; Colorado proceeds directly to dissolution.

How property is divided

Colorado uses equitable distribution. Marital property and debts are divided fairly, which often lands near equal but not always. Courts weigh things like the length of the marriage, each spouse's income and earning capacity, and contributions as a homemaker. Read how property is divided.

Custody and child support

Parenting terms: Colorado uses the terms allocation of parental responsibilities. Every decision is made in the child's best interests.

Parenting class: By county; many counties require a parenting class ($25 to $75 per parent) when minor children are involved.

Child support: Colorado 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

Maintenance is not automatic; for marriages of 3 or more years with combined income under $240,000, courts must calculate (but need not award) an advisory guideline amount, and a 2025 law (SB 25-116) requires courts to consider domestic violence evidence.

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

Faster and simpler options

Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance: Available in uncontested cases where both spouses agree on all terms, letting the decree be entered without a court hearing.

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

How long it takes

The minimum is set by the waiting period: 91 days mandatory, generally starting when the other spouse is served (or from the filing date for a joint co-petition). A typical timeline is 3 to 5 months uncontested, limited by the 91-day minimum; 9 to 18 months or more contested. Agreement is what moves the date most; contested cases add months of disclosures, discovery and hearings.

Worth knowing in Colorado

• Colorado law does not use the word custody; it uses allocation of parental responsibilities for both decision-making and parenting time.
• The petitioner pays a $230 filing fee; a responding spouse who files a response pays $116 separately, unless it is a joint co-petition.
• Legal separation uses nearly the same process as divorce and can later be converted into a full dissolution.

Official resources

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

• coloradojudicial.gov

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