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Filing for divorce in Oregon

What you file, where you file, what it costs, and the rules that catch people out. Compiled from Oregon court and statute sources.

How to read these entries.

This is general legal information compiled from state court websites, state statutes, and official self-help materials. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with anyone.

Why we publish it. Most people meet the family law system once, at the worst moment of their life, knowing nothing about it. That gap is where people get overcharged and poorly served. This page exists so you can walk in already knowing roughly how your state works, ask sharper questions, and recognize when an answer does not sound right. It is here to help you hold your attorney to a standard, not to replace what they do.

Talk to a lawyer licensed in your state. That is the normal path, not a fallback for when something goes wrong. Nothing here can account for the facts of your marriage, your finances, or your children, and those facts are usually what determines the outcome. Many states also have free legal aid and court self-help centers, and we link to them by state.

Verify before you rely on anything. Every entry cites its source. Follow that citation to the official state site and confirm it still says what we say it says, and that it applies to your situation. Filing fees, form numbers, e-filing rules, and local standing orders change frequently, and a form number that was right last year can get your filing rejected today.

The same state can treat you very differently depending on whether your spouse agrees, whether you have minor children, whether you file jointly or alone, and which county or judge hears it. Waiting periods run from filing in some states and from service in others. Deadlines described here as fixed are the statutory default, and a judge may still have narrow discretion in an emergency.

If you are in danger, do not wait on any of these timelines. An order of protection is a separate and much faster process than a divorce, and it does not depend on any waiting period described on this page.

Your roadmap
What you file
Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, in with-children or without-children versions
Co-Petition, when you file together as co-parties, which removes the need for service entirely
Summons, which carries the statutory restraining order
Confidential Information Form for each party, plus the Notice of CIF Filing
Record of Dissolution of Marriage, the vital statistics form
Certificate of Service or Acceptance of Service
Parenting plan, child support worksheets, and a Certificate re Pending Child Support Proceedings, if you have children
General Judgment of Dissolution, and a Fee Deferral or Waiver Application if needed
Where you fileCircuit court in the county where either spouse lives. Court facilitators in many counties review your documents for free before filing.
What it costsAbout $287 to $301 by county, plus $30 to $150 for service and $60 to $100 per person for a parenting class. Waivable.
The sequence
1. Print the full official packet rather than individual forms, since Oregon identifies forms by statute and version date rather than form numbers.
2. Decide whether to co-petition. If you agree on everything, filing jointly skips service completely and can finish very quickly.
3. File the petition, summons, confidential information form, and record of dissolution with the circuit court clerk.
4. Serve your spouse, or have them sign an Acceptance of Service. They have 30 days to respond, and no response allows a default judgment.
5. Exchange financial documents within 30 days. If you have children, complete the parent education class and file the certificate.
6. Submit the General Judgment. There is no waiting period, so the marriage ends the moment the judge signs.
Filing triggers a statutory restraining order that binds both spouses until judgment. Your judgment terms must match what you asked for in the petition, and nothing is enforceable until the court actually enters it.
Court forms

Oregon files a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage in the circuit court, and couples who agree can file jointly as "co-petitioners." The filing fee is about $287 to $301, waivable for low-income filers, and the state's Guide & File interview builds the forms for you.

Oregon Judicial Department: divorce formsOfficial OJD dissolution packets and a free Guide & File interview, with and without children.
State rules and gotchas

One of the fastest states: no waiting period at all Verified Jul 2026

Oregon repealed its 90-day waiting period in 2011, so a divorce becomes final the moment the judge signs the judgment. Uncontested cases often finish in 4 to 8 weeks, and co-petition cases with clean paperwork can finalize in as little as a day.

Source: ORS Section 107.065 (repealed) and current practice. Confirm the current rule with the court before relying on it.

Residency depends on where you married Verified Jul 2026

If you married outside Oregon, one spouse must have lived here six continuous months before filing. But if you married in Oregon, either spouse just needs to be a current resident, with no minimum duration. A legal separation has an even lower bar and can later be converted to a divorce.

Source: ORS Section 107.075. Confirm with the court.

Pure no-fault, and filing triggers an automatic asset freeze Verified Jul 2026

Oregon's only ground is irreconcilable differences, your spouse cannot block the divorce, and fault is barred from affecting property division or support. Filing also puts an automatic statutory restraining order in place that stops either spouse from selling, hiding, or borrowing against marital assets or changing insurance.

Source: ORS Sections 107.025, 107.105, and 107.093. Confirm with the court.

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