Confirm you can use the no-fault, uncontested path

This path fits if you and your spouse agree on everything (or your spouse won't contest), and you use the "irreconcilable differences" no-fault ground — meaning you've had those differences for at least 6 months and there's no reasonable chance of getting back together. To file in New Jersey, you or your spouse must have lived in NJ for at least 1 year before filing (TYPICAL rule — confirm with the court). If you and your spouse disagree about kids, support, or property, this is no longer "uncontested" and you should talk to a NJ attorney before going further.

Gather your information and documents

Collect everything you'll need to fill out the forms: full legal names and addresses for both spouses, your marriage date and place, the date you separated, names and birthdates of any children, and your money information (income, pay stubs, recent tax returns, bills, debts, and a list of property). If you have children or are asking for support, you'll need this financial detail for the Case Information Statement (CIS) and the child-support worksheet. Use the checklist below so nothing is missing before you start.

Complete the Complaint and required forms

Fill out the Complaint for Divorce (the document that opens your case and states the no-fault ground) along with the forms NJ requires with it: the Confidential Litigant Information Sheet, the Certification of Insurance Coverage, and the Certification of Notification of Complementary Dispute Resolution (CDR) Alternatives. If there are children or any support/property issues, also complete the Case Information Statement (CIS) and a child-support worksheet. These are sworn certifications signed "under penalty of perjury" — in NJ you usually do not need a notary, but read each form's signature line. All form names and counts here are TYPICAL/DRAFT — confirm the current required set on the NJ Courts website. If you're unsure what to write anywhere, that's a legal question — a NJ attorney can review it.

File with the county Family Part and pay the fee

File your Complaint and forms with the Family Part of the Superior Court (Chancery Division) in the county where the grounds for divorce arose — usually where you lived when the marriage broke down. You can file online through JEDS, the court's e-filing system (njcourts.gov/self-help/jeds — available in all 21 counties, 24/7, pay by card), or in person at the courthouse. The filing fee is TYPICAL around $300, or about $325 if you have children (an extra parenting-program fee) — confirm the current amount with the court. If you can't afford the fee, ask the clerk about a fee-waiver application. Keep a stamped copy of everything for your records.

Serve your spouse with the papers

After filing, your spouse must legally receive a copy of the Complaint and a Summons. The easiest way in an uncontested case is to have your spouse sign an Acknowledgment of Service (they accept the papers voluntarily). If they won't sign, you can have the papers personally delivered by the sheriff or someone 18 or older who is not you, and that person files proof of service with the court. Your spouse then has a set time (TYPICAL 35 days) to respond. Confirm the current service rules and deadline with the court.

Put your agreement in writing (if you have one)

If you and your spouse have settled everything — property, debts, support, and any parenting plan — write it into a Marital Settlement Agreement (also called a Property Settlement Agreement) that you both sign. The judge will usually review this at the end and fold its terms into your divorce judgment. Because this agreement decides who gets what and locks in support, having a NJ attorney review it before you sign is strongly recommended — that review is a legal decision the software cannot make for you.

Ask the judge to finish it on the papers (no courtroom)

Since 2025, New Jersey lets uncontested divorces finish entirely "on the papers" — no court appearance — under court Directive #01-25. Each of you signs a Certification in Support of Judgment of Divorce (official form CN 12620) asking the court to enter the judgment without a hearing. Then submit the judgment package: both CN 12620 certifications, your signed and notarized settlement agreement, the proposed Final Judgment of Divorce, the Judgment for Name Change form (CN 13146) if either of you is resuming a prior name, and self-addressed stamped envelopes so the court can mail everything back. If your spouse was served but never responded, you first ask the court to enter default, then submit the same package adapted for the default path. The judge always keeps the discretion to schedule a short hearing — with a complete, consistent packet that is the exception, not the rule.

Your judgment arrives in the mail

When the judge signs the Final Judgment of Divorce, the court mails it back in the envelopes you provided — that paper legally ends the marriage. Uncontested cases typically take about 2–4 months start to finish; the court sets the pace. Request 2–3 certified ("gold seal") copies from the county Family Division records office — you'll need them to change your name and update records. If you're resuming a prior name: Social Security first (form SS-5 plus a certified copy), then NJ MVC in person, then your bank, employer, and accounts. If the court sends back a question about support or your agreement instead of a signed judgment, that's the moment to talk to a NJ attorney before responding.

How to file your divorce in New Jersey

What you need before you file