You can file for divorce online in New Jersey through the state’s eCourts system, which is open to both attorneys and self-represented filers. The platform lets you upload your complaint, pay the filing fee, and track the case from home, but it does not change the underlying requirements: you still need to meet residency, choose grounds, prepare financial disclosures, and have your spouse formally served before a judge can finalize anything.
Who Can File in New Jersey
At least one spouse must have lived in New Jersey as a genuine resident for at least one year before the filing date. The one exception is adultery: if that is the ground, there is no minimum residency period, so a spouse who recently moved to the state can file right away on that basis alone.1Justia. New Jersey Code 2A:34-10 – Jurisdiction in Actions for Divorce
Residency is what gives the court authority to hear the case. If neither spouse meets it, a New Jersey court cannot grant the divorce, and you would need to file in a state whose rules you satisfy.
Choosing Your Grounds
Most New Jersey divorces use one of two no-fault grounds, both of which avoid any need to prove wrongdoing:
- Irreconcilable differences. The marriage has broken down for at least six months with no reasonable prospect of reconciliation. This is the most common ground and the simplest to establish.
- Separation. The spouses have lived in separate homes for at least 18 consecutive months with no reasonable prospect of reconciliation.2Justia. New Jersey Code 2A:34-2 – Causes for Divorce From Bond of Matrimony
Fault grounds also exist, including adultery, desertion of 12 months or more, and extreme cruelty that endangers a spouse’s safety or health. Other fault grounds cover situations like addiction, institutionalization, and imprisonment. Fault filings require evidence to back the allegations and can complicate settlement talks around alimony and property. Unless you have a strategic reason to allege fault, irreconcilable differences is the cleaner path.2Justia. New Jersey Code 2A:34-2 – Causes for Divorce From Bond of Matrimony
Filing Through eCourts
eCourts is New Jersey’s electronic filing platform, available to attorneys and self-represented litigants for submitting documents, viewing case information, and paying fees.3New Jersey Courts. eCourts and eFiling You start by creating an account, entering your personal information, and setting up login credentials. Once registered, you can upload your divorce complaint and supporting documents instead of delivering paper copies to the courthouse.
The NJ Courts website keeps a self-help section specifically for divorce where you can download the forms you need before uploading them. Forms are labeled with “CN” reference numbers and include the complaint itself plus various supporting documents depending on your situation.4New Jersey Courts. Divorce
After you submit, the system lets you track case status and receive updates about court dates or additional requirements. Checking in regularly helps you catch requests from the court before they turn into delays.
Documents You Will Need to Upload
Required paperwork varies with whether children, contested property, or support disputes are involved, but a few documents show up in nearly every filing.
- Divorce complaint. This formally starts the case. It identifies both spouses, states the grounds, and spells out what you are asking for: property division, alimony, custody, child support, or some combination.
- Certified marriage certificate. You need an official copy as proof the marriage exists. A photocopy or commemorative certificate typically will not suffice.
- Case Information Statement. Required under Court Rule 5:5-2, the CIS is a detailed financial disclosure covering your income, your spouse’s income, a budget of living expenses during the marriage, a budget of your current expenses, and an itemization of all assets and debts. It must be filed within 20 days after the other spouse files an answer or appearance, and failing to submit it can result in your pleadings being dismissed.5New Jersey Courts. Family Case Information Statement
- Proposed parenting plan. If you have minor children, the court expects a plan addressing custody, parenting time, and decision-making responsibilities.
Accuracy matters more than speed. Errors or omissions on financial disclosures are one of the most common reasons cases stall, and incomplete filings can draw dismissal motions from the other side.
Serving Your Spouse
Filing is only half the equation. New Jersey requires that your spouse be formally served with a copy of the divorce papers before the case can move forward, and the residency statute conditions the court’s jurisdiction on proper service “as prescribed by the rules of the Supreme Court.”1Justia. New Jersey Code 2A:34-10 – Jurisdiction in Actions for Divorce
The most common method is personal service, where a process server or sheriff’s officer physically hands the papers to your spouse. If personal service proves impossible, the court may allow alternatives like certified mail or, in extreme cases, publication in a newspaper. You cannot serve the papers yourself.
Once served, your spouse has 35 days to file a response. If they do not answer within that window, you can ask the court for a default judgment, which allows the divorce to proceed without their participation. A default divorce functions as an uncontested divorce where the court can grant your requested relief without input from the other side.
Filing Fees and Fee Waivers
New Jersey charges a filing fee when you submit your complaint, payable online through eCourts or at the courthouse. The fee is approximately $300, though the exact amount can vary slightly by county and depending on whether additional motions are filed with the complaint.4New Jersey Courts. Divorce
If you cannot afford the fee, you can request a waiver at any point during the case. Under Court Rule 1:13-2, households earning below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level generally qualify. For 2026, that threshold is $32,460 per year for a family of two.6HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines The waiver application is available on the NJ Courts website, and approval eliminates the filing fee entirely.
What Happens After You File
Uncontested Cases
If both spouses agree on all major issues, the divorce is uncontested. These cases move fastest because there is no discovery fight or drawn-out negotiation. An uncontested divorce may require only a single brief court appearance for the judge to review and approve the settlement agreement, and in some situations the court can finalize the divorce on the submitted paperwork alone.
Contested Cases
When spouses disagree on custody, support, or property, the case becomes contested and the timeline stretches. New Jersey courts encourage mediation to resolve disputes before trial. For custody and parenting-time disagreements, the courts run a Parenting Mediation program where trained volunteers help parents build a workable plan.7New Jersey Courts. Parenting Mediation Financial disputes may also be sent to mediation, through either a court-appointed mediator or a private one. Mediation is not binding unless both sides sign the resulting agreement. If it fails, the case proceeds to trial, where the judge decides the outstanding issues.
Finalizing the Divorce
Whether contested or uncontested, every case ends with a judge reviewing the settlement or trial record and issuing a Final Judgment of Divorce. In an uncontested case, the judge confirms the agreement is fair, that neither party was coerced, and that any children’s interests are adequately protected. In a contested case, the judge makes the final call on unresolved issues after hearing evidence. Once signed, the Final Judgment officially dissolves the marriage. Keep a certified copy; you will need it to update your name, change beneficiary designations, and divide financial accounts as ordered by the court.