Commonwealth Courts Portal Divorce: How to File Online

Every divorce application in Australia — whether you're in Queensland, New South Wales, or Victoria — goes through the same digital gateway: the Commonwealth Courts Portal. The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) does not accept paper divorce applications at the counter. If you want a divorce, you file online.

The portal works, but it wasn't designed with self-represented litigants in mind. The interface assumes you already understand family law terminology, know which forms to upload, and can navigate the relationship between the online form and the physical affidavit that needs to be signed, witnessed, scanned, and uploaded back into the system.

Registering on the Portal

Visit the Commonwealth Courts Portal and create an individual account. You'll need a valid email address and a password. The portal sends a verification email — complete the verification before proceeding.

Once logged in, select "Start a new file" from the dashboard. Accept the terms of use and choose the family law jurisdiction. The portal will ask whether you're filing a joint or sole application for divorce.

Technical requirements: You need a computer or laptop (not a phone or tablet), a reliable internet connection, a printer, a scanner or phone camera capable of producing clear PDFs, and enough time to complete the form in one session or save and return later.

Completing the Application Form

The online form collects information in several sections:

Personal details: Full legal names, dates of birth, and current addresses for both spouses. If either spouse was born overseas, you'll be prompted to upload citizenship or visa documentation.

Marriage details: Date and place of the marriage ceremony, and the name shown on the marriage certificate. If the certificate is in a language other than English, you must upload a NAATI-certified translation alongside a translator's affidavit.

Separation details: The exact date you and your spouse separated. The portal calculates whether 12 months and one day have elapsed. If you separated and reconciled before separating again, you'll need to account for the reconciliation period.

Children (Part F): If either spouse has children under 18, you must detail the current living arrangements, schooling, health care, and financial support in place. The registrar reviews Part F carefully — vague or incomplete answers can trigger an adjournment.

The Affidavit for eFiling

After completing the online form, the portal generates a PDF called the Affidavit for eFiling Application (Divorce). This is the critical document that trips up most self-represented applicants.

The sequence matters: Complete the online form first. Then download the generated PDF. Then print it, sign it in front of an authorised witness, scan the signed copy, and upload it back to the portal. Signing a draft version before the form is finalised will result in a mismatch — and a rejection.

Who can witness: A Justice of the Peace (JP) or a practising solicitor. In Queensland, you can find JPs at courthouses, police stations, and community centres. Some JPs offer online witnessing via video call under the Oaths Act — check with your local JP service first.

Joint applications: Both spouses must sign the affidavit. They can sign before the same witness together or before different witnesses separately.

Paying the Filing Fee

Once the affidavit is uploaded, the portal prompts you to pay. The standard divorce filing fee is $1,170. If you qualify for a concession (Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, or financial hardship), upload your supporting documents before proceeding to payment — the reduced fee is $390.

Payment is by credit or debit card through the portal's payment gateway. Once payment clears, the portal assigns a court file number and a tentative hearing date.

Tracking Your Application

After filing, your case appears on your portal dashboard with a status indicator. You can:

• View your hearing date and time
• Upload additional documents (proof of service, supplementary affidavits)
• Check for any directions or requests from the registrar
• Download your Divorce Order once it's granted and finalised

The portal sends email notifications for major status changes, but don't rely on them exclusively — log in periodically to check for registrar directions that might not trigger an email.

Common Portal Issues

Session timeouts: The portal can time out if you're inactive for too long. Save your progress frequently. If you're gathering documents mid-form, use the save function rather than leaving the browser tab open.

Upload failures: Files must be clear, legible PDFs. Blurry phone scans or photos taken at an angle may be rejected. Use a flatbed scanner or a dedicated scanning app that straightens and enhances documents.

Incorrect file types: The portal accepts PDFs only — not JPEG, PNG, or Word documents.

The Queensland Divorce Filing Process Guide includes a click-by-click walkthrough of every portal screen, with annotations on what each field means and where applicants commonly make errors that lead to rejection.

See more Queensland guides →