| Alabama | $200 to $340 | Not published | 6 months (required when the defendant is a nonresident; Ala. Code 30-2-5) | 30 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (Ala. Code 30-2-57) | escambia.alacourt.gov |
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| Alaska | $250 | Yes (form TF-920) | None; one spouse must be an Alaska resident (in Alaska when filing and planning to stay) | 30 days | No | Equitable distribution | Percentage of income (flat) | No; discretionary (Alaska Stat. 25.24.160) | courts.alaska.gov |
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| Arizona | $261 | Yes (fee waiver and deferral link on the fee page) | 90 days domicile (or military stationed) in Arizona before filing (A.R.S. 25-312) | 60 days | No | Community property | Income shares | Yes; Arizona Supreme Court spousal maintenance guidelines under A.R.S. 25-319 | azcourts.gov |
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| Arkansas | $165 | Not published | 60 days living in Arkansas before filing (Ark. Code 9-12-307) | 30 days | Yes for the no-fault ground | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (Ark. Code 9-12-312) | media.ark.org |
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| California | $435 to $450 | Yes | 6 months in California and 3 months in the county before filing (one spouse) | 6 months | No | Community property | Income shares | Temporary support only; local guideline formulas for temporary orders, long-term support is factor-based (Fam. Code 4320) | selfhelp.courts.ca.gov |
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| Colorado | $260 | Yes (JDF 205 motion to file without payment) | Either party must reside in Colorado at least 91 days before filing the petition (C.R.S. 14-10-106) | 91 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | Yes; advisory maintenance guideline ranges (C.R.S. 14-10-114) | coloradojudicial.gov |
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| Connecticut | $360 | Yes (form JD-FM-75) | Complaint may be filed once either party establishes residence; a decree requires 12 months residence by one party before filing or decree, or domicile at marriage and return, or the cause arose after moving to Connecticut (C.G.S. 46b-44) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (C.G.S. 46b-82) | jud.ct.gov |
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| Delaware | $165 | Yes (financial affidavit, Form 257P) | 6 months continuous residence by either party immediately before filing (13 Del. C. 1504) | No statutory wait | Yes | Equitable distribution | Melson | No; discretionary (13 Del. C. 1512) | courts.delaware.gov |
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| District of Columbia | $80 | Yes (D.C. Code 15-712) | 6 months bona fide residence by one party before filing (D.C. Code 16-902(a)) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Hybrid (varying percentage of income reduced by custodial parent income) | No; discretionary (D.C. Code 16-913) | dccourts.gov |
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| Florida | $408 to $409 | Yes (indigency application; Duval still charges a $12 administrative fee) | One party must reside in Florida 6 months before filing (Fla. Stat. 61.021) | 20 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | Yes; durational caps under Fla. Stat. 61.08 (2023 reform ended permanent alimony) | duvalclerk.com |
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| Georgia | $215 | Yes (poverty affidavit) | 6 months in Georgia before filing (1 year if living on a military base) (O.C.G.A. 19-5-2) | 30 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary, fault can bar (O.C.G.A. 19-6-1) | fultonclerk.org |
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| Hawaii | $215 to $265 | Yes (request through Family Court Service Centers) | One party domiciled or physically present in Hawaii for 6 continuous months, and the filing party in the circuit for 3 continuous months, before filing (HRS 580-1) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Melson | No; discretionary (HRS 580-47) | courts.state.hi.us |
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| Idaho | $207 | Yes (fee waiver motion accepted by the clerk per Court Assistance Office instructions) | Plaintiff must be a resident of Idaho for 6 full weeks immediately before filing (Idaho Code 32-701) | 21 days | No | Community property | Income shares | No; discretionary (Idaho Code 32-705) | courtselfhelp.idaho.gov |
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| Illinois | Up to $321 (up to $371 in Cook County) | Yes (indigent person may proceed without fees; 735 ILCS 5/5-105) | One spouse resident of Illinois (or stationed there) for 90 days before the action was commenced or the finding is made (750 ILCS 5/401(a)) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | Yes; statutory maintenance formula (750 ILCS 5/504) | ilga.gov |
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| Indiana | $177 to $205 | Yes (may be waived by the judge if indigence is proven, per Washington County court page) | 6 months in Indiana and 3 months in the county before filing (Ind. Code 31-15-2-6); Allen County page states 90 days in the county | 60 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; maintenance only on narrow grounds (Ind. Code 31-15-7-2) | in.gov |
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| Iowa | $285 | Not published | Petitioner must have lived in Iowa for 1 year, unless the respondent is an Iowa resident personally served (Iowa Code 598.6) | 90 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; factor-based (Iowa Code 598.21A) | iowacourts.gov |
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| Kansas | $195 | Yes (poverty affidavit) | Petitioner or respondent must have been an actual resident of Kansas for 60 days before filing (K.S.A. 23-2703) | 60 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary, 121-month cap (K.S.A. 23-2904) | self-help.kscourts.gov |
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| Kentucky | $148 to $153 (court check pending) | Yes (motion for waiver of costs and fees) | One party must have resided in Kentucky for 180 days before filing (KRS 403.140; court petition form AOC-252) | 60 days | Yes | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (KRS 403.200) | findlaw.com |
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| Louisiana | $150 to $250 (court check pending) | Not published | No minimum period; one or both spouses must be domiciled in Louisiana when the petition is filed; 6 months residence in a parish creates a rebuttable presumption of domicile (La. C.C.P. art. 10(A)(7), (B)) | No statutory wait | Yes | Community property | Income shares | No; discretionary, final support capped at one-third of net income (La. C.C. arts. 111 to 113) | findlaw.com |
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| Maine | $120 | Not published | Plaintiff resided in Maine in good faith for 6 months before filing, or is a Maine resident and the parties married in Maine or lived in Maine when the cause accrued, or the defendant is a Maine resident (19-A M.R.S. 901(1)) | 60 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary, general support presumed only for marriages over 10 years (19-A M.R.S. 951-A) | courts.maine.gov |
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| Maryland | $165 | Yes (income-based waiver, Maryland Courts) | Either spouse a Maryland resident; if the grounds occurred outside Maryland, one party must have resided in Maryland at least 6 months before filing (Md. Code, Fam. Law 7-101) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (Fam. Law 11-106) | mdcourts.gov |
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| Massachusetts | $215 | Yes (affidavit of indigency; M.G.L. c. 261 s. 27C) | Plaintiff lived in Massachusetts for 1 year before filing, or is domiciled in Massachusetts when filing and the cause arose there; no divorce if the parties never lived together in Massachusetts (M.G.L. c. 208 ss. 4, 5) | 120 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | Yes; durational caps tied to marriage length under the Alimony Reform Act (M.G.L. c. 208 ss. 48 to 55) | malegislature.gov |
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| Michigan | $150 (plus $80 with minor children) | Not published | Complainant or defendant resided in Michigan 180 days immediately before filing and in the county 10 days (MCL 552.9) | 60 days (6 months with minor children) | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (MCL 552.23) | legislature.mi.gov |
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| Minnesota | $340 | Yes (in forma pauperis affidavit; Minn. Stat. 563.01) | One party resided in Minnesota (or was stationed there in the armed services) or was a Minnesota domiciliary for at least 180 days before commencement (Minn. Stat. 518.07) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; factor-based, overhauled 2024 (Minn. Stat. 518.552) | revisor.mn.gov |
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| Mississippi | $148 to $158 (court check pending) | Not published | 6 months (FindLaw state table; Miss. Code 93-5-5) | 60 days | No | Equitable distribution | Percentage of income (flat) | No; discretionary (Miss. Code 93-5-23) | rankincounty.org |
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| Missouri | $133.50 to $233.50 (court check pending) | Yes (court may let a poor person sue without costs; Mo. Rev. Stat. 514.040) | One party a resident of Missouri (or stationed there) for 90 days immediately before commencement (Mo. Rev. Stat. 452.305) | 30 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (Mo. Rev. Stat. 452.335) | findlaw.com |
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| Montana | $170 | Yes (affidavit and financial statement; MCA 25-10-404) | One party domiciled in Montana (or stationed there) for 90 days before filing (MCA 40-4-104(1)(a)) | 21 days | No | Equitable distribution | Melson | No; discretionary (MCA 40-4-203) | mca.legmt.gov |
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| Nebraska | $200 | Yes (in forma pauperis application; Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-2301.01; court self-help page) | One party had actual residence in Nebraska with intent to remain for at least 1 year before filing, or the marriage was solemnized in Nebraska and a party has lived there since (Neb. Rev. Stat. 42-349) | 60 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (Neb. Rev. Stat. 42-365) | supremecourt.nebraska.gov |
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| Nevada | $284 (court check pending) | Yes (application to proceed as an indigent litigant; NRS 12.015) | Plaintiff or defendant resident of Nevada for at least 6 weeks before filing, unless the cause arose in the county while both lived there (NRS 125.020) | No statutory wait | No | Community property | Percentage of income (flat) | No; discretionary (NRS 125.150) | washoecourts.com |
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| New Hampshire | $280 to $282 | Yes (ask the court to pay a lower fee or file for free; RSA 499:18-b) | Both parties domiciled in New Hampshire when filed; or plaintiff domiciled and defendant personally served in New Hampshire; or plaintiff domiciled in New Hampshire for 1 year before filing (RSA 458:5) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | Yes; term alimony formula at 23 percent of the income difference, capped at reasonable need (RSA 458:19-a) | courts.nh.gov |
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| New Jersey | $300 | Yes (low income) | At least one spouse living in New Jersey to file; 12 consecutive months in New Jersey before filing for the irreconcilable differences ground (N.J.S.A. 2A:34-10) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; no formula, open durational alimony only for marriages of 20+ years (N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23) | njcourts.gov |
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| New Mexico | $137 (court check pending) | Yes (ask the clerk about a full or partial waiver) | One spouse resided in New Mexico for at least 6 months before filing and has a New Mexico domicile (N.M. Stat. 40-4-5) | No statutory wait | No | Community property | Income shares | Yes; advisory guideline (N.M. Stat. 40-4-7) | findlaw.com |
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| New York | $335 | Yes (motion to proceed as a poor person; CPLR 1101) | Married in New York or lived in New York as spouses or the cause occurred in New York, with one party a resident for 1 continuous year before filing; or the cause occurred in New York and both are residents at filing; or either party a resident for 2 continuous years (N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law 230) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | Yes; statutory maintenance formula (N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law 236(B)) | nysenate.gov |
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| North Carolina | $225 | Yes (sue as an indigent on affidavit; N.C.G.S. 1-110) | Plaintiff or defendant resided in North Carolina for 6 months, and the parties have lived separate and apart for 1 year before filing (N.C.G.S. 50-6) | No statutory wait | Yes | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary, marital misconduct can bar (N.C.G.S. 50-16.3A) | ncleg.gov |
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| North Dakota | $160 | Not published | Plaintiff a resident of North Dakota for 6 months before commencement, or in good faith for the 6 months before entry of the decree (N.D.C.C. 14-05-17) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Percentage of income (varying) | No; permanent support barred for actions filed on or after Aug. 1, 2023 (N.D.C.C. 14-05-24.1) | ndlegis.gov |
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| Ohio | $350 (court check pending) | Not published | Plaintiff a resident of Ohio at least 6 months immediately before filing (Ohio Rev. Code 3105.03); county venue follows the Rules of Civil Procedure | 30 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (Ohio Rev. Code 3105.18) | findlaw.com |
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| Oklahoma | $183 | Yes (affidavit in forma pauperis; 28 O.S. 152(H)) | Petitioner or respondent an actual resident in good faith of Oklahoma for 6 months before filing (43 O.S. 102) | 90 days (with minor children) | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (43 O.S. 121) | oscn.net |
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| Oregon | $301 | Yes (judge may waive or defer fees; ORS 21.682) | If married in Oregon, either party a resident or domiciled in Oregon at filing; otherwise one party a resident or domiciled in Oregon continuously for 6 months before filing (ORS 107.075) | No statutory wait | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (ORS 107.105) | oregonlegislature.gov |
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| Pennsylvania | $201.75 (court check pending) | Yes (in forma pauperis; Pa.R.C.P. 240) | At least one party a bona fide resident of Pennsylvania for at least 6 months immediately before commencement (23 Pa.C.S. 3104(b)) | 90 days | No (yes, 1 year, when one spouse does not consent) | Equitable distribution | Income shares | Pendente lite only; formula applies to support during the divorce, post-divorce alimony is factor-based (23 Pa.C.S. 3701) | findlaw.com |
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| Rhode Island | $120 to $145 | Not published | Plaintiff a domiciled inhabitant and resident of Rhode Island for 1 year before filing, or the defendant meets that test and is served (R.I. Gen. Laws 15-5-12) | 3 months | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (R.I. Gen. Laws 15-5-16) | webserver.rilegislature.gov |
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| South Carolina | $150 | Not published | Plaintiff resided in South Carolina 1 year before filing, or 3 months if both parties are South Carolina residents at filing (S.C. Code 20-3-30) | 3 months | Yes for the no-fault ground | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary, permanent periodic alimony still allowed (S.C. Code 20-3-130) | scstatehouse.gov |
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| South Dakota | $95 (court check pending) | Yes (form UJS-022 motion to waive filing and service fees) | Plaintiff must be a resident of South Dakota, or stationed in the state as a member of the armed services, when the action is commenced; no minimum duration and the residence need not be kept afterward (SDCL 25-4-30) | 60 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (SDCL 25-4-41) | findlaw.com |
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| Tennessee | $234.50 to $309.50 | Not published | 6 months (FindLaw state table) | 60 days (90 with minor children) | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary, in futuro alimony available (T.C.A. 36-5-121) | circuitclerk.nashville.gov |
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| Texas | $350 to $365 | Yes (Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs) | Petitioner or respondent a domiciliary of Texas for the preceding 6 months and a resident of the county of filing for the preceding 90 days (Tex. Fam. Code 6.301) | 60 days | No | Community property | Percentage of income (varying) | Yes; court-ordered maintenance capped at the lesser of $5,000 a month or 20 percent of income, generally needs a 10-year marriage (Tex. Fam. Code ch. 8) | hcdistrictclerk.com |
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| Utah | $350 | Yes (ask the judge to waive fees) | You or your spouse lived in a single Utah county for 3 months or more right before filing (Utah Code 30-3-1(2)) | 30 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary, duration limited by marriage length (Utah Code 30-3-5) | utcourts.gov |
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| Vermont | $90 to $295 | Yes (part or all of the fee may be waived; 32 V.S.A. 1431(h), V.R.C.P. 3.1) | A party resided in Vermont 6 months or more before filing; no divorce unless a party resided in Vermont for the 1 year before the final hearing (15 V.S.A. 592) | 90 days | Yes | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (15 V.S.A. 752) | legislature.vermont.gov |
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| Virginia | $68 to $87 (court check pending) | Yes (court may allow a person unable to pay because of poverty to sue without paying fees or costs; Va. Code 17.1-606) | One party a resident and domiciliary of Virginia at filing and for at least 6 months before (Va. Code 20-97) | No statutory wait | Yes | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary, fault may matter (Va. Code 20-107.1) | law.lis.virginia.gov |
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| Washington | $290 to $310 (court check pending) | Yes (waiver for indigent status; GR 34) | Petitioner a Washington resident, or stationed there in the armed forces, or married to such a person; no minimum period (RCW 26.09.030) | 90 days | No | Community property | Income shares | No; discretionary, misconduct not considered (RCW 26.09.090) | app.leg.wa.gov |
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| West Virginia | $135 | Yes (affidavit of inability to pay; W. Va. Code 59-2-1) | If married in West Virginia, a party must be a bona fide resident at filing with no minimum period; if married elsewhere, a party must have been a resident for the 1 year before filing (W. Va. Code 48-5-105) | 20 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (W. Va. Code 48-6-301) | code.wvlegislature.gov |
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| Wisconsin | $184.50 ($273 from November 1, 2026) | Yes (court order on a finding of poverty; Wis. Stat. 814.29) | One party a bona fide resident of Wisconsin for at least 6 months and of the county for at least 30 days before commencement (Wis. Stat. 767.301) | 120 days | No | Community property | Percentage of income (flat) | No; discretionary (Wis. Stat. 767.56) | docs.legis.wisconsin.gov |
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| Wyoming | $160 | Not published | One party resided in Wyoming 60 days immediately before filing, or the marriage was solemnized in Wyoming and one party has lived there since (Wyo. Stat. 20-2-107) | 20 days | No | Equitable distribution | Income shares | No; discretionary (Wyo. Stat. 20-2-114) | wyoleg.gov |
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