The King County divorce process runs through King County Superior Court under Washington’s dissolution statutes, costs $364 to file, and takes at least 90 days from the day you file (or serve your spouse, whichever is later) to the day a judge can sign your final decree.1Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.09.0302King County. Superior Court and Clerk’s Fee Schedule Washington is a no-fault state, so you do not have to prove anyone did anything wrong; you only have to state that the marriage is irretrievably broken. What follows walks through each stage in the order you will hit it.
Who Can File in King County
Washington has no minimum residency period. You can file in King County if you live in Washington, if you are stationed in Washington as a member of the armed forces, or if you are married to someone who meets either condition.1Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.09.030 Being a resident on the day you file is enough.
Because the only ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken, the court will not weigh who was at fault. If your spouse disagrees and says the marriage is not broken, a judge can order counseling or continue the case for up to 60 days. If either of you still says it is over at the end of that window, the judge will grant the divorce.
What to Gather Before You File
Pull together your dates of marriage and separation, a full list of community and separate property, debts and financial accounts, and each spouse’s income. If you have children, you also need a five-year residential history for each child; that satisfies the jurisdictional requirement under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act.
The core forms come from the Washington Courts site:
- FL Divorce 201, the Petition for Divorce, which formally asks the court to dissolve the marriage.
- FL Divorce 200, the Summons, which tells your spouse the case has been filed and that they must respond.3Washington State Courts. Court Forms: Divorce (Dissolution)
- FL All Family 001, the Confidential Information Form, which holds Social Security numbers and birth dates out of the public record.3Washington State Courts. Court Forms: Divorce (Dissolution)
With children involved, you also prepare a proposed Parenting Plan and the Child Support Worksheets. The worksheets use Washington’s standard economic table, which calculates the monthly obligation from both parents’ combined net income and the number of children.4Washington Courts. Washington State Child Support Schedule The court will not accept incomplete worksheets or worksheets in a nonstandard format.
Where and How to File
You can file in person at either of King County’s two courthouses: the King County Courthouse at 516 Third Avenue in Seattle, or the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center at 401 Fourth Avenue North in Kent.5King County. Buildings and Locations Electronic filing runs through the KC Script Portal, which requires a user account.6King County Superior Court Clerk’s Office. KC Script Portal
The filing fee is $364.2King County. Superior Court and Clerk’s Fee Schedule If you cannot afford it, file a Motion and Declaration for Waiver of Civil Fees and Surcharges under General Rule 34, with a financial statement showing your income and expenses.7Washington State Courts. Court Forms: GR 34 Request for Waiver of Civil Filing Fees and Surcharges
Serving Your Spouse
After filing, your spouse has to be formally served with the petition and summons. Someone at least 18 years old who is not a party to the case must hand-deliver the documents.8Washington Courts. FL All Family 101 Proof of Personal Service That can be a friend, a professional process server, or the county sheriff’s office. You cannot serve the papers yourself.
If your spouse is cooperative, they can sign a Joinder or Acceptance of Service and skip the third-party delivery. Either way, whoever performs service completes the Proof of Personal Service form (FL All Family 101) so the court has a record that notice was given.
The 20-Day Response Window
Once served, your spouse has 20 days to file a written response. The summons itself warns that missing that window allows the court to enter an order of default.9Washington State Courts. Superior Court Civil Rule 4.1 A default does not finalize the divorce on its own, since the 90-day wait still applies, but it does mean you can finish the case without the other side’s input on property, support, or custody. To get there, you file a Motion for Default with the clerk and schedule a hearing; after the judge signs the default order and the 90 days have run, the final orders can be signed without further notice to the non-responding spouse.10Washington State Courts. Court Forms: Default
The 90-Day Wait and King County’s Required Classes
Washington imposes a mandatory 90-day cooling-off period. The clock starts on the later of two dates: when the petition was filed or when the other spouse was served.1Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.09.030 No judge can shorten or waive it, even if you both agree on everything from day one. The earliest finalization date is the 91st day.
King County layers its own requirements on top. Both parties must complete the Family Law Orientation, a series of videos on YouTube that walk through court procedures and expectations.11King County. Family Law Orientation You need proof of watching the FLO before you can even schedule an appointment with the Family Law Facilitators, so handle this early.12King County. Family Law Facilitators
If your case involves minor children, both parents must also attend the “What About the Children” parenting seminar, which covers how divorce affects kids.13King County. LFLR 20 – Orientation Program in Family Law Matters The court will not sign your final orders until both parents have completed it, and skipping these requirements can bring sanctions on top of delay.
Temporary Orders While You Wait
Ninety days is a long stretch when you need immediate decisions about who pays the mortgage, where the children sleep, or how the bills get covered. Either spouse can ask for temporary orders while the case is pending. These can set temporary spousal support, temporary child support, and residential time with the children.14Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.09.060
The court can also issue temporary restraining orders that keep either spouse from hiding assets, moving property outside the normal course of business, or making extraordinary expenditures without notice to the other side.14Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.09.060 Where domestic violence is involved, a protection order can be issued on an emergency basis, typically for up to 14 days until a full hearing. Violating a restraining order that carries a criminal offense legend is a criminal act under Washington law.15Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.09.050
Deciding Property, Support, and Parenting
Property Division
Washington is a community property state, but that does not mean a straight 50/50 split. The court divides both community and separate property in whatever way it considers “just and equitable,” weighing the nature and size of the community property, the nature and size of each spouse’s separate property, how long the marriage lasted, and each spouse’s financial circumstances at the time of division. The court can also consider awarding the family home to the parent with primary residential time.16Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.09.080 Marital misconduct is not a factor. Debts are divided along with assets, and debts from the marriage are generally treated as community obligations.
Spousal Maintenance
Maintenance (what most people call alimony) is not automatic. The court decides whether to award it, how much, and for how long based on factors including the financial resources and earning ability of the spouse requesting support, how long they would need for education or training, the standard of living during the marriage, the length of the marriage, the requesting spouse’s age and health, and whether the paying spouse can meet their own needs while paying.17Washington State Legislature. RCW 26.09.090 Washington has no maintenance formula; amount and duration sit with the judge. Short marriages rarely produce long-term awards. Marriages of 20 years or more are more likely to produce longer or even indefinite awards, though nothing is guaranteed.
Finalizing the Case
If You Agree on Everything
When both spouses agree on property, support, and parenting, you can finish without a trial. The King County Family Law Facilitators can review your completed paperwork and help present proposed final documents after the 91st day.12King County. Family Law Facilitators Facilitators do not fill out forms for you, give legal advice, or represent you in court; they review what you have drafted, point you to the right forms, and calculate child support. You will sign a Declaration in Lieu of Formal Proof when submitting agreed final documents.
If Your Spouse Never Responded
With a default order in hand, you can finalize after the 90 days expire. You still submit the same final documents: the decree, the findings of fact, and any parenting plan or child support order where children are involved.10Washington State Courts. Court Forms: Default The court reviews them for compliance, especially on child support.
If You Disagree
When major issues are contested, the case moves onto the litigation track. The court’s case schedule sets deadlines for discovery, mediation, and trial, and King County generally requires parties to attempt mediation or settlement before trial. If mediation fails, a judge hears evidence and decides the disputed issues. Contested divorces take considerably longer than 90 days and cost significantly more, particularly with attorneys on both sides.
After the Decree Is Signed
Once the judge signs, get certified copies from the King County Clerk’s office. They cost $5 for the first page and $1 for each additional page.18King County. Superior Court Clerk’s Office Fee and Payment Information You can also order through the KC Script Portal.6King County Superior Court Clerk’s Office. KC Script Portal Order several. Banks, insurance companies, the Social Security Administration, the DMV, and others will want their own.
Final orders are not necessarily permanent. Child support and parenting plans can be modified if circumstances change significantly. Minor adjustments like exchange times are straightforward. Changing primary custody takes strong evidence of a material shift in circumstances and that the change serves the child’s best interest; one parent’s preference is not enough.
If your ex-spouse ignores the decree by withholding parenting time, failing to pay child support, or dragging on a property transfer, you can file a motion for contempt. Before filing, consider a written demand or dispute resolution, since a contempt hearing takes real time and preparation. If informal efforts fail, the court can hold the non-compliant party in contempt, with penalties that can include fines and jail time.