Divorce in Tennessee

How to file for divorce in Tennessee

1. Check residency. 6 months in Tennessee before filing.
2. Prepare and file the Complaint for Divorce with the Circuit or Chancery Court in your county. The filing fee is typically $125 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. A Child Support Worksheet is required whenever there are minor children; there is no single universal comprehensive financial-disclosure form for property division.
5. Settle the issues in a written agreement, and a parenting plan if you have children.
6. Wait out the waiting period. 60 days from filing with no minor children, or 90 days from filing with minor children (runs from the filing date, not service). Then ask the court for your final judgment.

Residency and grounds

Residency: 6 months in Tennessee before filing.

Grounds: No-fault and fault. Most people still file on no-fault grounds, which is simpler and usually cheaper.

Separation: Not required for the irreconcilable-differences ground; a 2-year continuous separation (without minor children) is an alternative no-fault ground.

How property is divided

Tennessee 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: Tennessee uses the terms Primary Residential Parent (PRP) and Alternative Residential Parent (ARP). Every decision is made in the child's best interests.

Parenting class: Required statewide: both parents must complete a court-approved parenting seminar within 60 days of filing whenever minor children are involved.

Child support: Tennessee 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

Tennessee recognizes four types of alimony (rehabilitative, periodic/in futuro, transitional, and lump sum/in solido), and unlike property division, marital fault is a factor courts can weigh in awarding it.

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

Faster and simpler options

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

Legal separation: available in Tennessee, 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 from filing with no minor children, or 90 days from filing with minor children (runs from the filing date, not service). A typical timeline is 3 to 6 months for an agreed divorce (limited by the mandatory waiting period); 6 months to 2+ years if contested. Agreement is what moves the date most; contested cases add months of disclosures, discovery and hearings.

Worth knowing in Tennessee

• Both parents must finish a court-approved parenting seminar within 60 days of filing whenever there are minor children.
• Property is divided without regard to marital fault, but fault can still affect alimony.
• The Marital Dissolution Agreement (MDA) must resolve every property, debt, support, and custody issue before an agreed divorce can be finalized.

Official resources

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

• tncourts.gov
• tncourts.gov

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