Divorce in Missouri

How to file for divorce in Missouri

1. Check residency. 90 days of Missouri residency immediately before filing.
2. Prepare and file the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (Form CAFC001) with the Circuit Court in your county. The filing fee is typically $100 to $200, 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 file a Statement of Income and Expenses and a Statement of Property and Debt.
5. Settle the issues in a written agreement, and a parenting plan if you have children.
6. Wait out the waiting period. 30 days from the date the petition is filed before a Judgment of Dissolution can be entered. Then ask the court for your final judgment.

Residency and grounds

Residency: 90 days of Missouri residency immediately before filing.

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

Separation: Not required for a no-fault dissolution.

How property is divided

Missouri 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: Missouri uses the terms legal custody and physical custody. Every decision is made in the child's best interests.

Parenting class: Required by many, but not all, circuit courts for cases involving children, typically $25 to $75 per parent.

Child support: Missouri 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

Missouri calls spousal support 'maintenance'; it is not automatic and is evaluated under nine statutory factors, with a presumption favoring roughly equal joint physical custody since August 2023.

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

Faster and simpler options

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

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

How long it takes

The minimum is set by the waiting period: 30 days from the date the petition is filed before a Judgment of Dissolution can be entered. A typical timeline is 30 to 90 days for a simple uncontested case. Agreement is what moves the date most; contested cases add months of disclosures, discovery and hearings.

Worth knowing in Missouri

• Missouri uses Form 14 (Missouri Supreme Court Rule 88.01) to calculate the presumptive child support amount.
• A legal separation judgment requires the court to find a reasonable likelihood the marriage can be preserved.
• Since August 2023, Missouri law presumes joint physical custody with roughly equal parenting time is in a child's best interest.

Official resources

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

• courts.mo.gov

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