Uncontested Divorce in Georgia: Process, Timeline, and Cost

An uncontested divorce is the fastest and cheapest way to end a marriage in Georgia. If you and your spouse agree on everything — property division, debts, custody, support — you can finalize in as few as 31 days from service.

The catch: "uncontested" doesn't mean "simple." You still need to prepare, sign, and correctly e-file a specific set of legal documents. Most delays happen because pro se filers submit incomplete packages or make e-filing mistakes, not because of actual disagreements.

What Makes a Divorce Uncontested in Georgia

Both spouses must reach full agreement on every issue before filing. That means written consensus on:

• Division of all marital property and debts
• Child custody (legal and physical) and a detailed Parenting Plan
• Child support calculated through the Georgia Child Support Commission's online calculator
• Alimony (whether any is owed, the amount, and the duration)
• Who keeps the marital home, vehicles, and retirement accounts

This agreement gets formalized in a notarized Settlement Agreement, which the court incorporates into the final decree as a binding order.

The Step-by-Step Process

1. Verify residency and venue. Either spouse must have lived in Georgia for six consecutive months. File in the county where the defendant lives, or in your own county if your spouse signs a Waiver of Venue.

2. Prepare your filing package. You need a Complaint for Divorce, Summons, Verification, Domestic Relations Financial Affidavit (DRFA), Settlement Agreement, Consent to Trial After 31 Days, Waiver of Jury Trial, and the administrative forms (Case Filing Information Form, Report of Divorce). If children are involved, add the Parenting Plan, Child Support Worksheet, and Child Support Addendum.

3. E-file through PeachCourt or Odyssey. Upload each document as a separate PDF with the correct filing code. Pay the filing fee ($200 to $260 by county).

4. Serve your spouse. The easiest method is an Acknowledgment of Service — your spouse signs a notarized form confirming receipt. No sheriff needed.

5. Wait the 31-day period. Under USCR 24.6, the court can finalize the case on or after Day 31 from service, provided both parties filed the Consent to Trial and Waiver of Jury Trial.

6. Submit the proposed Final Judgment. E-file the proposed decree incorporating your Settlement Agreement. Some judges sign without a hearing; others schedule a brief appearance where you testify to the grounds and the fairness of the agreement.

7. Complete the parenting seminar (if you have children). Both parents must attend a court-approved class and file their certificates before the judge will sign the decree.

Timeline

The absolute fastest an uncontested Georgia divorce can finalize is 31 days from the date of service. In practice, most take 45 to 90 days because of scheduling, seminar completion, and judge review timelines.

Without the Consent to Trial form, the earliest finalization extends to Day 46 — the same timeline as a default case.

Cost Breakdown

If you qualify for a Pauper's Affidavit, the judge can waive all filing fees, portal fees, and sheriff service costs.

Common Mistakes That Slow Things Down

• Merging multiple documents into one PDF (instant e-filing rejection)
• Forgetting the Report of Divorce form
• Not getting the Settlement Agreement notarized
• Skipping the Consent to Trial form (pushes your timeline from 31 days to 46)
• Filing in the wrong county

Getting It Right the First Time

The forms are free from the court, but the filing sequence isn't documented anywhere on the court's website. The Georgia Divorce Filing Process Guide puts every form in order, includes the DRFA worksheet, and flags the e-filing rejection triggers specific to Georgia's portal system.

See more Georgia guides →