Arkansas divorce at a glance
Official source: Arkansas court forms & self-help. Always confirm current forms and fees with the court before filing.
How to file for divorce in Arkansas: step by step
Arkansas’s pure no-fault ground needs 18 months apart, so most agreed divorces plead a fault ground. Here is the path to a Decree of Divorce.
- Confirm you can file in Arkansas
One spouse must meet Arkansas’s residency requirement. Note: the pure no-fault ground needs 18 months’ separation, so most uncontested Arkansas divorces plead the fault ground "general indignities."Source: Ark. Code § 9-12-301 - Prepare your complaint
Prepare your Complaint for Divorce. Arkansas has no statewide forms — the widely-used pro-se packet comes from Legal Aid of Arkansas.Source: Legal Aid of Arkansas packet - File with the Circuit Court
File with the Circuit Court and pay about $165, or file an in forma pauperis petition + affidavit.Source: Ark. R. Civ. P. 72 - Serve your spouse
Serve your spouse, or have them file a waiver/entry of appearance.Source: Ark. R. Civ. P. 4 - Complete the support worksheet (if children)
If you have children, complete the Revised Child Support Worksheet + Affidavit of Financial Means.Source: Admin. Order No. 10 - Finalize
A divorce cannot be granted sooner than 30 days after filing; the court then enters the Decree of Divorce.Source: Decree of Divorce
What does filing “pro se” (without a lawyer) mean in Arkansas?
Pro se — also called self-represented — means you handle your own divorce without hiring an attorney. In Arkansas you have the right to file your own divorce, and the court publishes the official forms for you to use. The large majority of uncontested divorces, where both spouses agree the marriage is over and can agree on the terms, are handled pro se every day.
Filing pro se is usually a good fit when: you both agree on the divorce, you can agree on splitting property and debts, and any parenting time and support are worked out. It’s worth talking to a lawyer when: you disagree about custody or money, one spouse hides assets or won’t cooperate, there’s a business or significant property to divide, or there has been any abuse.
LawCat prepares your Arkansas pro-se divorce documents for free and walks you through every filing step — so doing it yourself never means doing it alone.
How child support is calculated in Arkansas
Income-shares model (since 2020) using the Revised Child Support Worksheet + Affidavit of Financial Means. (Admin. Order No. 10)
Because Arkansas uses an income-shares approach, the exact number comes from an official table based on both parents’ combined income. Use your court’s official child-support calculator for a precise figure.
How long does a Arkansas divorce take?
A divorce cannot be granted sooner than 30 days after filing. After that, the timeline depends on the court’s calendar and how quickly each step is completed. An uncontested, pro-se divorce is typically the fastest path — most of the wait is the statutory period, not paperwork.
Common reasons Arkansas divorce filings get rejected
- Missing signatures, or forms that aren’t notarized where the court requires it.
- Skipping the financial disclosure both spouses are required to exchange.
- Filing before meeting the residency requirement.
- Mistakes serving the other spouse, or forgetting to file the proof of service.
- Not following local county rules. High. No statewide forms — use a legal-aid packet; forms vary by county/circuit.
LawCat’s guided questions and filing checklist are built to prevent exactly these — the errors that send self-represented filers back to the clerk’s window.
Arkansas document generation is on the way
LawCat already prepares complete divorce packets free in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, and is expanding to Arkansas. In the meantime, the official Arkansas court forms are linked below.
Official Arkansas forms → See how it worksWhy LawCat is free
Most “online divorce” sites charge $137–$499 for the same public court forms, and some add monthly fees. LawCat gives document preparation away because it is built by a law firm that helps people who later decide they want an attorney. You keep the free documents either way.
Compare divorce filing fees in every state →
Arkansas divorce FAQ
Do I need a lawyer to get divorced in Arkansas?
No. Arkansas allows you to file for divorce yourself (pro se). LawCat prepares your Arkansas divorce documents free, and you pay only the court’s filing fee. You can hire an attorney at any point if your case becomes complicated.
How long do I have to live in Arkansas to file for divorce?
Check Arkansas’s residency requirement with the official court source before filing.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Arkansas?
~$165. Fee waiver: in forma pauperis petition + affidavit (Ark. R. Civ. P. 72). With LawCat your documents are free, so the filing fee is typically your only unavoidable cost — and it can often be waived if you can’t afford it.