You can file for divorce in Colorado for free if your income is low enough to qualify for a fee waiver and you’re willing to prepare the paperwork yourself. The standard filing fee is $260, and Colorado courts will waive it entirely for people at or below 125% of the federal poverty level.1Colorado Judicial Branch. List of Fees Every form you need is free on the Colorado Judicial Branch website. What a no-cost divorce actually requires is time, attention, and cooperation from your spouse.
Getting the Filing Fee Waived
The filing fee is the single biggest barrier, and Colorado has a formal process for removing it. You fill out form JDF 205, the Motion to Waive Fees, which includes a financial affidavit covering your monthly income, expenses, and liquid assets.2Colorado Judicial Branch. Fee Waivers A judge reviews it and decides whether to grant the waiver.
Chief Justice Directive 98-01 sets two ways to qualify:3Colorado Judicial Branch. Chief Justice Directive 98-01 – Fee Waiver Eligibility
- Household income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level with $1,500 or less in liquid assets like cash and savings.
- Income up to 25% above that threshold, still with $1,500 or less in liquid assets, and monthly expenses that equal or exceed monthly income.
For 2026, the federal poverty level is $15,960 per year for a single person, which puts the automatic qualifying line at roughly $19,950 a year or about $1,663 a month. For a three-person household, the poverty level is $27,320, pushing the threshold to around $34,150 annually.4HealthCare.gov. Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Receiving public benefits like TANF or Medicaid strongly supports eligibility on its own.
Bring documentation. Recent pay stubs, benefit award letters, or a bank statement showing your balance let the court verify your numbers quickly. If the judge approves the waiver, you file the whole case at no cost. If denied, the $260 is due before the case moves forward.
Residency and the Waiting Period
At least one spouse must have lived in Colorado for 91 consecutive days before you file.5Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-10-106 – Dissolution of Marriage Colorado is a no-fault state, so you don’t have to prove wrongdoing. You simply tell the court the marriage is irretrievably broken.
A separate 91-day clock starts once the court has jurisdiction over your spouse, either through formal service or because your spouse signed as a co-petitioner.5Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-10-106 – Dissolution of Marriage The court cannot issue a decree before that period ends, no matter how much you and your spouse agree.
The Forms You File
Colorado’s Judicial Branch posts every divorce form online at no charge. For the initial filing you need:
- JDF 1000, the Case Information Sheet, which collects basic identifying information for both spouses and any children under 19.6Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 1000 – Case Information Sheet
- JDF 1011, the Petition for Divorce or Legal Separation, which asks the court to end the marriage and identifies the issues it needs to resolve.7Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 1011 – Petition for Divorce or Legal Separation
- JDF 1102, the Summons, required only when one spouse files alone. If both sign as co-petitioners, no summons is needed.8Colorado Judicial Branch. Step 2 – File
If you’re requesting a fee waiver, include JDF 205 and a proposed order for the judge to sign in the same packet.2Colorado Judicial Branch. Fee Waivers Fill in every field. Leaving blanks or writing “N/A” on sections that apply to you can get the filing rejected at the counter.
File at the district court clerk in the county where you or your spouse lives. Most people file in person; some courts accept electronic filing from self-represented parties. The clerk stamps your documents, assigns a case number, and gives you back copies.
Serving Your Spouse Without Spending Money
If your spouse co-signed the petition, service is already handled. Otherwise, Colorado gives you several options, and the cheapest ones cost nothing:
- Waiver of service. Your spouse voluntarily signs JDF 1013 acknowledging receipt of the paperwork. This is the simplest and free when both parties cooperate.9Colorado Judicial Branch. Waiver of Service (Divorce/Separation)
- Personal service by a friend or relative. Anyone 18 or older who is not a party to the case can hand-deliver the documents. A professional process server typically charges $20 to $100, so using someone you know keeps this step free.10Colorado Judicial Branch. How Do I Serve the Defendant?
- Service by publication, if you genuinely cannot locate your spouse after a diligent search. You’ll pay the newspaper’s publication cost out of pocket, and the court’s power is limited in these cases: it generally cannot divide property or order support.
Once served, your spouse has 21 days to file a written response. If no response comes, you can request a default hearing, and the judge usually approves the terms you proposed.
Financial Disclosures Both Sides Must Exchange
Colorado requires both spouses to exchange detailed financial information whether the divorce is contested or not. You don’t wait to be asked. Both parties must provide disclosures within 40 days after service of the petition.11Colorado Judicial Branch. Colorado Rule 16.2 – Mandatory Financial Disclosures
The main document is JDF 1111, the Sworn Financial Statement, covering gross monthly income from all sources, payroll deductions, monthly expenses, every debt and creditor, and all assets including real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, and retirement funds.12Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 1111 – Sworn Financial Statement Along with it, exchange three years of tax returns, bank statements, retirement account statements, pay stubs, and proof of debts. Then both parties file JDF 1104, the Certificate of Compliance, confirming the exchange is complete.13Colorado Judicial Branch. Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Financial Disclosures
The court will not finalize the divorce without these disclosures. If hidden assets turn up later, a judge can reopen the case and impose penalties.
If You Have Children
With minor children, the court requires a parenting plan and proof that both parents completed a parenting education course before issuing a decree.
The parenting plan is JDF 1113. It covers decision-making authority for education, medical care, religion, and extracurriculars, plus a detailed schedule splitting the 365 overnights across weekdays, weekends, summers, and holidays. It also addresses transportation for exchanges, emergency medical rules, and sharing of school and medical records.14Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 1113 – Parenting Plan If you and your co-parent agree, you can file a joint plan. If you can’t, the court decides for you.
Both parents must also complete a court-approved parenting education course, usually four hours and offered online.15Colorado Judicial Branch. Parenting Classes This is the one cost the court cannot waive. Providers charge roughly $30 to $65, though some offer reduced rates for financial hardship.16Colorado Judicial Branch. Parenting Class Providers Each judicial district maintains an approved list on the Judicial Branch website.
Putting Your Agreement in Writing
For a free divorce to work, you and your spouse need to agree on how to divide everything. JDF 1115, the Property and Financial Agreement, formalizes that agreement across real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, retirement funds, household items, and unsecured debts.17Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 1115 – Property and Financial Agreement It also requires both parties to confirm they’ve reviewed Colorado’s spousal support guidelines under C.R.S. 14-10-114, whether or not either person requests support.
One point that catches people off guard: even if your agreement assigns a joint debt to one spouse, the lender isn’t bound by your divorce decree. A mortgage or car loan in both names stays both your problem until it’s paid off or refinanced into one name.17Colorado Judicial Branch. JDF 1115 – Property and Financial Agreement
Dividing a 401(k) or pension usually requires a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). Preparing a QDRO yourself is possible but complicated, and an error can trigger tax penalties. This is one area where even a free divorce may be worth a paid consultation.
Finalizing the Divorce
Once the 91-day waiting period has passed and the paperwork is complete, you can ask the court to finalize. If both spouses agree on everything, you may be able to skip the hearing by filing JDF 1018, the Affidavit for Decree Without Appearance.18Colorado Judicial Branch. Divorce and Separation To qualify you must confirm:
- Residency and the waiting period are satisfied.
- Service was completed properly.
- A signed property and financial agreement covers all marital assets, debts, and spousal support.
- If children are involved, an agreed parenting plan and child support order are filed, and both parents have lawyers (a requirement specific to the no-appearance route when children are part of the case).
- Both parties agree the marriage is irretrievably broken.
If you don’t qualify for the no-appearance route, you’ll attend a brief hearing where the judge confirms that both spouses understand and agree to the terms. In a default situation, the court generally approves what you proposed unless it’s clearly unfair or violates Colorado law. Once the judge signs the decree, the marriage is legally over.
Free Help If You Get Stuck
Filing without a lawyer doesn’t mean doing it alone. Every judicial district has a Self-Help or Court Resource Center where staff can help you navigate the process and find the right forms, though they cannot give legal advice or tell you what to put in them.19Colorado Judicial Branch. Self-Help Resources Family Court Facilitators work specifically on domestic relations cases. Colorado Legal Services provides free legal help to people who qualify based on income, and lawhelp.colorado.gov offers step-by-step guides for each phase.8Colorado Judicial Branch. Step 2 – File Between the free forms, court staff, and online instructions, a straightforward uncontested divorce is genuinely manageable at no cost as long as you read carefully and follow each step in order.