Virginia Divorce Forms and Papers: Every Document You Need
Virginia Divorce Forms and Papers: Every Document You Need
Virginia does not provide standardized blank divorce forms the way many states do. The Supreme Court of Virginia and local Circuit Courts explicitly confirm there are no uniform court forms for the divorce process itself. You must draft your Complaint from scratch and assemble the correct packet of supporting documents for your specific county.
Here is every form and document you need, in the order you will file them.
Initial Filing Packet
1. Complaint for Divorce
This is the foundational pleading. You draft it yourself — there is no fill-in-the-blank version. It must include:
- Court jurisdiction statement
- Both parties' current addresses
- Date and place of marriage
- Names and birthdates of all minor children
- Each party's military status
- Exact date of separation
- Statutory grounds (§ 20-91(A)(9)(a) for no-fault)
- Specific legal relief requested (dissolution, name restoration, equitable distribution, PSA incorporation)
Formatting requirements: typed, double-spaced, 8.5" × 11" white paper, 1.5-inch margins on all four sides, printed single-sided.
2. Domestic Case Coversheet (two copies)
A mandatory state form summarizing the type of civil case and providing contact information for both parties. Must be submitted with the Complaint.
3. Form CC-1416 — Cover Sheet for Filing Civil Actions
Required by most jurisdictions for indexing the case in the court system. Available from the clerk's office or the Virginia Courts website.
4. Form CC-1426 — Confidential Addendum
Contains Social Security numbers and financial account numbers for both parties. This form is sealed — the information does not appear in the public case file.
In Fairfax County, the CC-1426 must be printed on pink paper. Other counties accept white paper.
5. VS-4 — Virginia Vital Statistics Form
A carbon-copy statistical report sent to the Virginia Department of Vital Records. You must obtain the physical form from the clerk's counter — it cannot be downloaded or printed at home.
The VS-4 has the strictest formatting rules of any document in the packet:
- Must be completed in black ink only
- Must be typed or printed legibly (no cursive)
- Zero corrections, white-outs, or strike-throughs permitted
- Any error requires a completely new form
The court will not sign your Final Decree without a clean VS-4 on file.
Service of Process Documents
Form CC-1406 — Acceptance/Waiver of Service
If your spouse agrees to waive formal service, they sign this notarized form acknowledging receipt of the Complaint. This is the fastest and cheapest option (free).
Critical timing rule: the CC-1406 must be signed after the Complaint is officially filed and stamped by the clerk. A waiver signed even one day before filing invalidates the entire service, forcing you to re-file and re-serve.
Summons
If your spouse does not sign a waiver, the clerk generates a Summons after you file the Complaint. The Summons is then delivered by a sheriff ($12) or private process server ($50–$150).
Finalization Packet
Plaintiff's Affidavit under § 20-106
Your sworn, notarized testimony confirming:
- You meet Virginia's residency requirements
- The separation period has been satisfied
- The grounds for divorce are true
Since July 2021, uncontested no-fault cases no longer require a corroborating witness. Your affidavit alone is sufficient.
Property Settlement Agreement (PSA)
If you and your spouse signed a PSA, submit the original with signatures and notarization. The court incorporates it into the Final Decree.
Proposed Final Decree of Divorce
The order you want the judge to sign. This must include:
- Dissolution of the marriage
- Incorporation of the PSA (if applicable)
- Equitable distribution terms
- Custody, visitation, and support orders (if children are involved)
- Name restoration (if requested)
In Alexandria, the Final Decree must also contain mandatory beneficiary revocation language in bold type as one of the final paragraphs (Va. Code § 20-111.1(E)).
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Fee Waiver Forms
Form CC-1414 — Petition for Proceeding Without Payment of Fees
General civil indigency petition requiring a notarized financial affidavit. Must be filed simultaneously with the Complaint.
Form CC-1421 — Petition for No-Fault Divorce Without Payment
A streamlined fee waiver specifically for separation-based no-fault divorces. Skips several general civil questions and focuses on income eligibility.
Where to Get These Forms
| Form | Where to Obtain |
|---|---|
| CC-1416, CC-1426, CC-1406 | Virginia Courts website (vacourts.gov/forms/circuit/civil) or your local clerk's office |
| VS-4 | Physical copy from the clerk's counter only |
| CC-1414, CC-1421 | Virginia Courts website or clerk's office |
| Complaint, Affidavit, Proposed Decree | You draft these yourself |
Virginia Legal Aid (valegalaid.org) offers a free interactive tool that helps low-income filers draft the Complaint, Affidavit, and Final Decree. However, it excludes military families and cases involving retirement account division.
The Virginia Divorce Filing Process Guide includes document formatting checklists, a filing packet assembly worksheet, and county-specific requirements so every form is filed correctly the first time.
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Download the Virginia — Divorce Filing Quick-Start Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.