How to E-File for Divorce in Rhode Island Through EFileRI

Rhode Island's Family Court accepts divorce filings electronically through its Electronic Filing System (EFS), powered by Tyler Technologies. E-filing is not just an option — for many filers it is the fastest way to open a case, since you avoid the trip to the courthouse and the clerk processes submissions during regular business hours.

But the system has quirks that reject filings for formatting errors, missing documents, or payment issues. Here is what you actually need to know.

Setting Up Your EFileRI Account

You file through the statewide portal at efileri.tylerhost.net. The process starts with creating an account:

1. Register with your name, email address, and a password.
2. Select "Family Court" as the court.
3. Choose the correct county based on where you (the plaintiff) reside: Providence, Kent, Washington, or Newport.

The system assigns a case number after the clerk accepts your filing. Until acceptance, your submission is in a pending queue.

What You Need to Upload

Your initial filing package must include all required documents as PDF attachments:

• Complaint for Divorce. The complaint states the parties, the grounds for divorce (typically irreconcilable differences under § 15-5-3.1), and the relief you are requesting.
• Statement of Assets, Liabilities, Income, and Expenses (Form DR-6). This must be signed and notarized before scanning. The system will accept a scanned PDF of the notarized original.
• Statement Listing Children (Form FC-59). Required even if you have no minor children — you check the "no children" box.
• Department of Health Divorce Record. The vital statistics form that the court forwards to the state health department.
• Certified copy of your marriage certificate. Scan both sides if the certificate has information on the reverse.
• UCCJEA Affidavit. Required if there are minor children, detailing where the children have lived for the past five years.
• Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Form DR-10). Required if there are minor children.

Each document should be uploaded as a separate PDF attachment, not combined into one large file. Label each file clearly — the clerk reviews and accepts each document individually.

The Fee Breakdown

When you submit your filing, the system calculates your total:

You can pay by credit card, debit card, or bank account transfer. The convenience fee applies only to credit card payments.

If you cannot afford the fees, you must file a Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (IFP) separately. The IFP motion can itself be e-filed, but the fee waiver must be granted before the clerk will accept your complaint without payment.

Common Rejection Reasons

The clerk reviews every e-filed submission before accepting it into the system. Rejections are returned electronically with a reason code. The most frequent:

Missing notarization on DR-6. The financial disclosure form must be signed in front of a notary. A scan without the notary's stamp and signature is rejected.

Wrong county selected. You must file in the county where you, the plaintiff, reside. If you live in Warwick (Kent County) but accidentally select Providence County, the filing will be rejected for improper venue.

Document formatting issues. The system requires PDF format. Word documents, photos of documents, or password-protected PDFs will not process. Scans should be legible — if the clerk cannot read the text, the document is rejected.

Missing required documents. The complaint alone is not sufficient. If you submit the complaint without the DR-6, marriage certificate, or vital statistics form, the clerk will reject the entire filing until the package is complete.

Filing fee not processed. If your payment method declines or times out, the filing sits in limbo until you resolve the payment. The system sends an email notification, but check your filing status regularly.

After Acceptance

Once the clerk accepts your filing:

1. A case number is assigned and the summons is generated electronically.
2. You download the summons from the EFileRI system.
3. The 120-day service clock starts. You have 120 days from the filing date to serve the summons, complaint, and automatic orders on your spouse.
4. The nominal hearing is scheduled approximately 65 to 75 days from the filing date.

You can track your case status, view filed documents, and receive court notifications through the EFileRI portal. The system sends email alerts when the court schedules hearings or issues orders.

Tips for a Smooth E-Filing Experience

• Scan documents at 300 DPI in black and white. Higher resolution increases file size without improving readability. Color scans of notarized documents are fine but not required.
• File during business hours. Submissions made after 4:30 p.m. are not reviewed until the next business day. Filing on a Friday afternoon means your submission sits in the queue until Monday.
• Save your confirmation number. The system generates a confirmation when you submit. If something goes wrong, this number is how the clerk's office tracks your filing.
• Use the Virtual Family Clerk. If you run into e-filing errors or are unsure about document requirements, the court's Virtual Family Clerk Help Desk is available by video call (8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) or email at [email protected].

For a complete walkthrough of the divorce filing process — from assembling your initial document packet through the nisi period and final judgment — the Rhode Island Divorce Filing Process Guide maps every step in sequence.

See more Rhode Island guides →