How to File for Divorce in Alaska
How to file for divorce in Alaska: the residency rule, filing fee and fee waivers, uncontested options and how long it takes.
Short answer: Either you or your spouse may file to end the marriage in Alaska as long as one of you is an Alaska resident. You are generally a resident if you are in Alaska when you file and plan to stay. Alaska Court System Family Law Self-Help Center, Start a Divorce or Dissolution Case
| Residency requirement | Either you or your spouse may file to end the marriage in Alaska as long as one of you is an Alaska resident. You are generally a resident if you are in Alaska when you file and plan to stay. A service member continuously stationed at an Alaska base for at least 30 days counts as a resident for filing. For the court to make a custody order, the children generally need to have lived in Alaska for six months before the case starts. |
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| Filing fee | The fee to open a divorce, dissolution, custody, or paternity case is $250 (effective May 1, 2023). A motion to modify custody, visitation, support, spousal maintenance, or property division costs $75 when the parties do not agree, and is free when both agree. You can ask the court to waive the fee by filing Form TF-920, Request for Exemption from Payment of Fees, when you open the case. |
| Uncontested or simplified divorce | Yes. Spouses who agree on all issues can file a dissolution together instead of a divorce. Both must agree on custody, visitation and child support (if there are minor children or a pregnancy), the division of property and debts including retirement benefits, and any spousal maintenance. The court publishes dissolution packets: DR-1 for spouses with minor children and DR-2 for those without. A spouse can also file for dissolution alone when the other spouse cannot be found after reasonable efforts. |
| Waiting period | Generally, you must wait at least 30 days after filing for divorce or dissolution before the judge will sign the final decree. |
| Divorce forms | The Alaska Court System's Family Law Self-Help Center posts free form packets. Spouses who agree on everything can use a dissolution packet: DR-1 (with minor children), DR-2 (without minor children) or DR-3 (when one spouse cannot be found). For a divorce, packets include SHC-PAC1A Divorce Complaint With Children, SHC-PAC1B Divorce Complaint Without Children, SHC-PAC9A and SHC-PAC9B Uncontested Complaint for Divorce (with or without children) and SHC-PAC9C for an uncontested divorce with no property, no children and a short marriage; SHC-PAC4 and SHC-PAC5 are answer-and-counterclaim packets. The page refers to filing through TrueFiling, the court's electronic filing system. |
Where to get help in Alaska
More Alaska divorce & family law
- Getting a Marriage License in Alaska
- Adopting a Child in Alaska
- Guardianship of a Child or Adult in Alaska
- Establishing Paternity in Alaska
- Changing Your Name in Alaska
- Child Custody Laws in Alaska
- How Child Support Is Calculated in Alaska
- Divorce Records in Alaska
- Alimony and Spousal Support in Alaska
- Legal Separation and Annulment in Alaska
- All Alaska divorce & family law rules
FAQ
How long do you have to live in Alaska to file for divorce?
Either you or your spouse may file to end the marriage in Alaska as long as one of you is an Alaska resident. You are generally a resident if you are in Alaska when you file and plan to stay. A service member continuously stationed at an Alaska base for at least 30 days counts as a resident for filing. For the court to make a custody order, the children generally need to have lived in Alaska for six months before the case starts.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Alaska?
The fee to open a divorce, dissolution, custody, or paternity case is $250 (effective May 1, 2023). A motion to modify custody, visitation, support, spousal maintenance, or property division costs $75 when the parties do not agree, and is free when both agree. You can ask the court to waive the fee by filing Form TF-920, Request for Exemption from Payment of Fees, when you open the case.
How do you get an uncontested divorce in Alaska?
Yes. Spouses who agree on all issues can file a dissolution together instead of a divorce. Both must agree on custody, visitation and child support (if there are minor children or a pregnancy), the division of property and debts including retirement benefits, and any spousal maintenance. The court publishes dissolution packets: DR-1 for spouses with minor children and DR-2 for those without. A spouse can also file for dissolution alone when the other spouse cannot be found after reasonable efforts.
Is there a waiting period for divorce in Alaska?
Generally, you must wait at least 30 days after filing for divorce or dissolution before the judge will sign the final decree.
Where can I get divorce papers and forms in Alaska?
The Alaska Court System's Family Law Self-Help Center posts free form packets. Spouses who agree on everything can use a dissolution packet: DR-1 (with minor children), DR-2 (without minor children) or DR-3 (when one spouse cannot be found). For a divorce, packets include SHC-PAC1A Divorce Complaint With Children, SHC-PAC1B Divorce Complaint Without Children, SHC-PAC9A and SHC-PAC9B Uncontested Complaint for Divorce (with or without children) and SHC-PAC9C for an uncontested divorce with no property, no children and a short marriage; SHC-PAC4 and SHC-PAC5 are answer-and-counterclaim packets. The page refers to filing through TrueFiling, the court's electronic filing system.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.