Home Arkansas Uncontested Divorce Kit
2026 edition • Built on Arkansas Code Title 9 & Administrative Order No. 10Arkansas Uncontested Divorce Kit
The right ground, the right proof, and a step-by-step Circuit Court filing roadmap — without a lawyer’s bill.
- Complaint, Entry of Appearance & Waiver, Witness Affidavit & Decree
- Step-by-step Circuit Court filing instructions
- Free eligibility check before you pay anything
- Instant PDF download — $129 one-time, no subscription
Takes 2 minutes to check · no commitment
“We have kids, so I needed both the Affidavit of Financial Means and the Child Support Worksheet. The kit made clear I couldn’t skip either one.”
Travis K. · Springdale, Arkansas
Is this kit right for you?
Not every divorce in Arkansas can be done DIY. Check below to see if you qualify for a simple uncontested divorce.
Use this kit if…
- ✓ You and your spouse agree to end the marriage and settle property, debt, custody, and support.
- ✓ One of you has lived in Arkansas for at least 60 days before filing, and will reach 3 full months of residency before the decree is signed.
- ✓ You can prove a valid statutory ground with specific facts — commonly 18 continuous months of separation without cohabitation, or a fault ground like “general indignities” — not just mutual agreement that the marriage is over.
- ✓ You have a witness (someone other than you and your spouse) who can corroborate your residency and, if you’re using the separation ground, the separation itself.
Talk to a lawyer first if…
- ✗ There is domestic violence or you fear for your safety.
- ✗ You disagree on custody, support, or property division.
- ✗ Your spouse is missing, hiding assets, or won’t engage — you may need publication (warning-order) service.
- ✗ You have lived in Arkansas for less than 60 days, or there’s a business, pension, real estate, bankruptcy, out-of-state child-custody question, or pregnancy involved.
Two clocks, one case
Arkansas measures two different waiting periods, and both have to be satisfied before a judge can sign your decree.
If you agree the marriage is over, you don’t need a battle. You still need to navigate the Circuit Court’s residency and grounds requirements and finding a corroborating witness — and that can be overwhelming on your own.
Complaint, Entry of Appearance & Waiver, Witness/Corroboration Affidavit & Decree • statewide Domestic Relations Cover Sheet & Confidential Information Sheet • step-by-step Circuit Court roadmap
30-day waiting period
Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-310
No decree may be rendered before the 30th day after the divorce action is commenced. This rule is not waivable by agreement — but it doesn’t apply if the spouses already lived separate and apart for 12 months before filing, if the defendant is served by publication of a warning order, or in a bigamy case.
The parties may agree that the case can be submitted for decision while court isn’t in regular session (“in vacation”), but that doesn’t shorten the 30 days itself.
Residency requirement
Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-307
Either spouse must reside in Arkansas for 60 days immediately before filing, and for 3 full months before the final judgment. If personal service can’t be made and the defendant doesn’t appear, the plaintiff needs a full 3 months of actual Arkansas residence.
If you file close to the 60-day mark, this clock — not the 30-day rule — is usually what sets your earliest possible finalization date.
Both requirements are minimums, not promises.
How your case actually gets proven
Agreeing to divorce doesn’t finish the case by itself — Arkansas law still requires you to prove a ground, prove residency, and (usually) find a corroborating witness.
Choose & prove your ground
You must plead and prove a specific statutory ground — agreement alone is not a ground. 18 months of continuous separation without cohabitation is the most common no-fault route. “General indignities” is a fault ground some couples use instead, but Arkansas courts require specific facts and acts, not general or conclusory statements — a bare claim of “general indignities” with no supporting detail has been found insufficient by Arkansas’s courts.
Other statutory grounds exist (adultery, cruel treatment, habitual drunkenness, and more); this kit is built around the two grounds most uncontested couples can support without a contested fault trial.
Corroborating witness
In an uncontested case, Arkansas law does not require corroboration of the ground itself — but it does require someone other than you and your spouse to corroborate your residency, and, if you’re using the separation ground, the separation and its continuity. That corroboration can be given as oral testimony or a verified affidavit.
We don’t promise any particular friend or family member will qualify, or that a signed affidavit alone guarantees the court’s acceptance — your witness needs firsthand knowledge of the facts they’re swearing to.
Why choose a DIY kit?
Generic online forms often skip the corroborating-witness requirement or gloss over which statutory ground you can actually prove. We built this kit around Arkansas’s residency, grounds, and corroboration rules.
Save thousands
You do the filing yourself and keep the difference between a lawyer’s fee and a one-time kit price. Your circuit clerk’s filing fee is separate — see the breakdown alongside.
Built around what the court checks
Includes the Entry of Appearance & Waiver for cases where your spouse agrees to skip formal service, a Witness/Corroboration Affidavit, and — if you have children — both the Affidavit of Financial Means and the Child Support Worksheet Administrative Order 10 requires.
The cost of divorce in Arkansas
Circuit clerks commonly charge around $165 to file on paper, or about $185 if you e-file (which includes the state’s $20 electronic-filing fee). There is no single total cost — confirm the current amount with your circuit clerk.
What’s in the kit
Current Arkansas statewide forms, plus the documents Title 9 and Administrative Order 10 call for, and a roadmap for confirming your circuit’s local requirements.
Step-by-step roadmap
- Choosing your statutory ground
- Confirming venue and residency
- Handling service or an Entry of Appearance & Waiver
- Lining up your corroborating witness
- Preparing your Decree for submission
Core legal documents
Built around Title 9’s requirements:
Administrative Order 10 (if you have children)
If you have children, you’ll need both documents Administrative Order 10 calls for: the Affidavit of Financial Means and the Child Support Worksheet, exchanged with your spouse at least three days before any hearing to establish support.
What this kit does not include
- A guarantee that a circuit judge will accept your proof, waive a hearing, or sign your decree — that decision, and whether affidavits alone are enough, belongs to your judge
- Service of process, sheriff fees, or publication (warning-order) costs if your spouse can’t be located
- Notarization
- Your circuit clerk’s filing fee (commonly around $165–$185, confirmed with your clerk)
- Additional local forms your specific circuit or division may require
- Confirmation that a friend or family member will qualify as your corroborating witness
- Legal advice about which statutory ground fits your facts, or review of your completed documents
- Contested cases, or representation in court
PlainDivorce is a private publisher. The Arkansas Judiciary publishes its own statewide administrative forms and has not reviewed, approved, or endorsed this product. Always confirm current form versions and your circuit’s requirements with your circuit clerk before filing.
How it works
A roadmap through Arkansas’s 30-day and 3-month minimums — not a promise of a fixed finish date.
Choose your ground & prepare
Confirm residency and venue, choose the statutory ground you can actually prove, fill out the Complaint, and line up your corroborating witness. Sign your documents in front of a notary where the form requires it.
File with the Circuit Clerk
File your Complaint and the required cover sheets with the Circuit Clerk in the correct county, pay the filing fee, and arrange service — or have your spouse sign an Entry of Appearance & Waiver if they agree.
Prove your case & finalize
Once 30 days have passed (absent an exception) and 3 full months of residency are met, submit your proof — your testimony, your witness’s corroboration, and financial forms if you have children. Only the judge can grant and enter the Decree.
There is no guaranteed timeframe. Service, court calendars, complete paperwork, and your judge’s own procedures all affect how long a case takes once the statutory minimums have run.
Simple pricing vs. lawyer fees
| Feature | PlainDivorce Kit | Typical Lawyer |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation cost | $129 | $1,500–$3,000+ |
| Circuit clerk filing fee | Paid to your county directly — commonly $165–$185 | Same, usually billed on top |
| Process control | Your prep is DIY; the court’s review and calendar control the timeline | Lawyer schedule |
| Includes forms? | Yes — Complaint, Witness Affidavit & more | Yes |
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What our customers say
Experiences from people who prepared their Arkansas divorce paperwork with PlainDivorce.
4.7 out of 5 based on 300+ customer reviews
Customer reviews are collected from purchasers and support conversations. Names may be shortened for privacy, and individual results vary by court, case facts, and filing requirements.
“I didn’t realize ‘we agree’ wasn’t a legal ground on its own. The kit walked me through picking the 18-month separation ground and lining up my witness.”
Joseph V.
Fort Smith
“My spouse agreed to sign the Entry of Appearance and Waiver, which saved us from arranging service. Good to learn that wasn’t going to be required either way.”
John M.
Springdale
“We have kids, so I needed both the Affidavit of Financial Means and the Child Support Worksheet. The kit made clear I couldn’t skip either one.”
Travis K.
Springdale
“The clerk charged a bit more than I’d read online because I filed electronically — the kit had already warned me the e-filing fee was extra, so it wasn’t a surprise.”
Marc E.
Little Rock
“I called the trial court administrator like the kit suggested and found out my judge wanted a short hearing instead of affidavits only — glad I asked ahead of time.”
Sophie I.
Little Rock
Arkansas uncontested divorce: frequently asked questions
What is an uncontested or simple divorce in Arkansas?
An uncontested divorce means both spouses agree on all issues, and the case proceeds without a contested trial — often through an Entry of Appearance & Waiver instead of formal service. You still must plead and prove a statutory ground, prove residency, and satisfy the court’s waiting periods before a judge will grant the decree.
Which ground should I use — 18-month separation or general indignities?
It depends on your facts. The 18-month separation ground requires proof of a full 18 continuous months living apart without cohabitation. “General indignities” is available sooner, but Arkansas courts require specific facts and acts showing the marriage became intolerable — a bare statement that you both agree isn’t enough on its own.
Does this kit include the official Arkansas divorce forms?
The kit includes a Complaint, Entry of Appearance & Waiver, Witness/Corroboration Affidavit, and Decree of Divorce, built to Title 9’s requirements, plus the current statewide administrative forms (Domestic Relations Cover Sheet, Confidential Information Sheet, and, for support matters, the Affidavit of Financial Means). Your specific circuit or division may require additional local documents — confirm with your circuit clerk before filing.
How long does the process take?
Two clocks matter. Arkansas generally won’t grant a divorce until at least 30 days after filing (with a few statutory exceptions), and the judge can’t sign the decree until one spouse has reached 3 full months of residency. If you’ve already met the residency requirement before you file, some uncontested cases can move relatively quickly once the 30-day period runs — but there’s no promised completion date, and your court may require a hearing.
What does the “corroborating witness” actually need to confirm?
In an uncontested case, someone other than you and your spouse must corroborate your residency — and, if you’re using the 18-month separation ground, the separation and its continuity as well. They can testify in person or sign a verified affidavit. Our kit includes the affidavit template, but your witness must have firsthand knowledge of the facts they’re swearing to.
Do I need a hearing, or can this be finalized entirely on paper?
It depends on your judge. Some Arkansas judges will finalize an uncontested case on affidavits alone; others require a brief in-person hearing. Ask your court’s trial court administrator which your judge requires before you assume a paperwork-only finish.
Important legal disclaimer
PlainDivorce is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal opinions, or representation. The Arkansas Uncontested Divorce Kit is a private self-help information product built around Arkansas Code Title 9 and the Arkansas Judiciary’s published forms and orders. It is not a substitute for advice from a licensed Arkansas attorney, and no court has reviewed, approved, or endorsed it or its templates.
We do not guarantee that a circuit judge will accept your proof, waive a hearing, or sign your decree; that any particular witness will qualify as a corroborating witness; or that your county’s local requirements will match this kit’s general description. Arkansas’s 30-day and 3-month periods are minimums, not promised completion dates. Court rules, local practice, and filing fees vary by county and change over time; there is no single total cost. You are responsible for verifying current forms, fees, and your circuit’s specific requirements before filing.
Content last reviewed: September 2026.