Georgia divorce at a glance
Official source: Georgia court forms & self-help. Always confirm current forms and fees with the court before filing.
How to file for divorce in Georgia: step by step
Georgia has no statewide divorce forms, so you use your county Superior Court’s packet. Here is the path from complaint to a Final Judgment and Decree of Divorce.
- Confirm you can file in Georgia
One spouse must have lived in Georgia for 6 months, and you file on the no-fault ground that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Note: Georgia has no statewide forms — use your county Superior Court’s packet.Source: OCGA § 19-5-3(13) - Prepare your county’s forms
Prepare the Complaint for Divorce and a Settlement Agreement using the forms your county Superior Court requires (they vary by county).Source: County Superior Court packets - File with the Superior Court
File with the Superior Court clerk (about $200–$225), plus a Poverty Affidavit if you can’t afford the fee.Source: OCGA § 9-15-2 (fee waiver) - Serve your spouse
Have your spouse served, or have them sign an Acknowledgment of Service to keep an agreed case simple.Source: OCGA § 9-11-4 - Complete the child-support worksheet (if children)
If you have children, the Georgia Child Support Worksheet is mandatory — produce it with the official Georgia Online Child Support Calculator.Source: OCGA § 19-6-15 - Get your final decree
A judgment can be entered no sooner than 31 days after service; the judge signs the Final Judgment and Decree of Divorce.Source: Final Judgment and Decree of Divorce
What does filing “pro se” (without a lawyer) mean in Georgia?
Pro se — also called self-represented — means you handle your own divorce without hiring an attorney. In Georgia 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 Georgia 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 Georgia
Income-shares model; a Child Support Worksheet is mandatory, produced with the official Georgia Online Child Support Calculator. (OCGA § 19-6-15)
Because Georgia 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 Georgia divorce take?
A judgment cannot be entered sooner than 31 days after the other spouse is served or acknowledges service. 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 Georgia 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. Very high. Georgia has no statewide divorce forms — each of 159 counties publishes its own packets and local rules.
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.
Georgia document generation is on the way
LawCat already prepares complete divorce packets free in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, and is expanding to Georgia. In the meantime, the official Georgia court forms are linked below.
Official Georgia 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 →
Georgia divorce FAQ
Do I need a lawyer to get divorced in Georgia?
No. Georgia allows you to file for divorce yourself (pro se). LawCat prepares your Georgia 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 Georgia to file for divorce?
Check Georgia’s residency requirement with the official court source before filing.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Georgia?
~$200-225 + sheriff service ~$50. Fee waiver: Poverty Affidavit (OCGA 9-15-2). 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.