Home Maine Uncontested Divorce Kit
2026 edition • Verified against 2026 Maine court rules & fee scheduleMaine Uncontested Divorce Kit
A step-by-step roadmap to Maine's serve-then-file divorce forms — the document order most DIY filers get backwards.
- Route-specific forms — Complaint for Divorce (FM-004), matched to with- or without-children packets
- Serve-then-file order and deadline calendar, in Maine’s real sequence
- Free eligibility check before you pay anything
- Instant PDF download — $129 one-time, no subscription
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“Removed the anxiety from the process. Thank you for your help.”
Sandra J. · Auburn, Maine
Why Maine Divorces Stall — and How to Avoid It
Almost never because the case is complicated. Nearly always because of one of these.
Maine's District Court forms are free. What trips up self-represented filers is the sequencing and picking the right packet: Maine has you serve your spouse first and file within 20 days after, and one required form can't be downloaded at all — it must come from the clerk. This kit is the roadmap and checklist that gets those details right, built around the Complaint for Divorce (FM-004) and Family and Probate Matter Summary Sheet (FM-002) that both routes use, plus the route-specific documents — including the Child Support Affidavit (FM-050) — when minor children of the marriage are involved.
Filing before serving
Maine's instruction sheets go: complete the forms, serve your spouse, then file with the court within 20 days. Most states are the opposite, so most DIY filers get this backwards.
The summons you must buy
The Family Matter Summons and Preliminary Injunction (FM-038) needs the clerk's original signature and seal. It isn't in the state packets and photocopies are refused. Service and filing both wait on it.
FM-043 instead of FM-042
The full Financial Statement (FM-043) is required where property, support, or fees are disputed. Where there's no such dispute, you file the Certificate in Lieu (FM-042) instead. Guides get this backwards constantly.
FM-056 and FM-052
Either spouse has a real-estate interest? Both parties file a Certificate Regarding Real Estate at least 7 days before the hearing. Spouse doesn't appear in the case? You'll likely need the Federal (military) Affidavit first. Neither is in the starting packet.
None of these are hard once you know about them. All of them cost weeks if you don't. Read our free Maine divorce guide to see the full process before you buy.
Is This Kit Right for You?
Maine gives you four different ways to qualify to file — you only need one.
Use this kit if:
You meet any one of these (19-A M.R.S. § 901):
- You've lived in Maine in good faith for 6 months; or
- You're a Maine resident and you married in Maine; or
- You're a Maine resident and both of you lived here when the marriage broke down; or
- Your spouse lives in Maine — no waiting period, even if you've moved away.
And your situation looks like this:
- You're filing no-fault on irreconcilable marital differences.
- You broadly agree on children, support, property, and debts.
- Your spouse will likely sign the Acknowledgment of Receipt (CV-FM-036) or, if not, can still be served another way.
Talk to a lawyer if:
- There is domestic abuse, stalking, or a safety concern. Tell the court at or before your first appearance.
- You genuinely disagree about parenting time, support amounts, or who gets what.
- A spouse is hiding assets or refusing to disclose finances.
- You need to divide a pension or 401(k) by QDRO, or you have business interests.
- You don't understand the long-term effect of terms you're being asked to sign.
- None of Maine's four jurisdiction tests fit your situation yet.
Maine has free and low-cost help, including Pine Tree Legal Assistance and the Volunteer Lawyers Project. A single consult is often enough.
Why Buy a Kit If the Forms Are Free?
Fair question — and we'd rather answer it honestly. Every Maine court form is a free PDF from the Judicial Branch. What you're paying for is knowing which ones apply to your case — with or without minor children — in what order, and by when.
The right form set, not just any form
FM-042 or FM-043? With or without the Child Support Affidavit? We map your situation to the exact document set for your route — and flag the ones the state packets leave out, like the Notice Regarding Electronic Service.
A calendar, not just a checklist
File within 20 days of service. FM-056 at least seven days before the hearing, where required. A 21-day appeal window you can waive. Every deadline that applies to your route, in order.
Avoid the sheriff's fee, if your spouse cooperates
If your spouse signs the current Acknowledgment of Receipt (CV-FM-036) and returns it within 20 days, you can skip paying for sheriff service. If they don't respond in that window, we walk you through certified mail with restricted delivery or the sheriff instead.
Save thousands
You keep the difference between a lawyer's fee and a one-time kit price — see the breakdown alongside.
What a Maine divorce actually costs
Court fees go to the Maine Judicial Branch, not to us, and are set by Administrative Order JB-05-26 (A. 3-26), effective March 9, 2026. If your income is low you may qualify to have some or all fees waived — we include the forms.
What's Inside the Kit
Current Maine Judicial Branch forms, organized around the sequence the District Court expects — matched to whether your case has minor children.
Step-by-step roadmap
Plain-English steps from “do I qualify” to your court date — in Maine's real order: complete → serve → file → wait → hearing — branching for whether you have minor children of the marriage.
Includes a three-way comparison of your service options and how to prove each one.
Starting documents (both routes)
Add if you have minor children
Served and filed with the complaint by the initiating party; the responding party files their own within 21 days or with a response:
Forms that come due later, where required
One thing we can't include — and we'll tell you exactly how to get it
The Family Matter Summons and Preliminary Injunction (FM-038) must carry a court clerk's original signature and seal, so no kit, website, or PDF can legally supply it. You buy it from any Maine District Court clerk for $5, or by mail for $10. Our roadmap tells you to order it in step two, before anything else, because service and filing both wait on it — and it doubles as a court order restricting what both spouses can do with property and insurance while the case is open.
What this kit does not include
- A guarantee that a clerk accepts your paperwork, that a judge grants your divorce, or a specific hearing date — the court controls scheduling and may require additional documents or events
- The court's $120 filing fee, the $5/$10 FM-038 summons fee, sheriff or certified-mail service costs, or mediation fees
- Contested cases — disputes over custody, support, property, or fees
- Any additional local form or case-management step your specific District Court may require
- Legal advice about your situation, or review of your completed documents
Written for filers across Maine's District Courts, including Portland, Bangor, Augusta, and Lewiston. Confirm your correct filing location and any local requirements with your District Court clerk.
How It Works
Note the order — in Maine you serve before you file. This is the step most people get wrong.
Prepare & notarize
Order the FM-038 summons from a clerk. Complete the Summary Sheet, Complaint, and SSN disclosure — plus the Child Support Affidavit if you have minor children. The Complaint has to be signed in front of a notary. Make your copies; the clerk won't.
Serve your spouse
Three legal methods: the voluntary Acknowledgment of Receipt (CV-FM-036) (needs their signature back within 20 days, or you switch methods), certified mail with restricted delivery, or the sheriff.
File within 20 days
Take the signed originals plus your proof of service to the District Court with the $120 fee. The summons gets filed too, however you served. The clerk enters your case once the filing is complete.
Clear the 60-day floor, then wait for the court
Maine's statutory floor is 60 days between filing all necessary paperwork and the final hearing; for agreed cases with no minor children, Rule 110B separately authorizes an uncontested hearing 60 days or more after service. Either way, the court — not your agreement — controls scheduling. Once a judgment enters, a 21-day appeal window applies, which both spouses can waive.
Your Options in Maine
Court fees are the same whichever route you take. What changes is what you pay for guidance.
| Fully DIY | PlainDivorce Kit | Hiring a lawyer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guidance cost | $0 | $129 | $2,000–$3,750+ |
| Court fees | $125+ | $125+ | $125+ |
| Knows the filing order | You research it | Included | Yes |
| Legal advice on your terms | No | No | Yes |
| Best when | You enjoy reading court rules | You agree, and want it done right | You disagree, or finances are complex |
Attorney figures are typical ranges reported by industry cost surveys for a fully agreed uncontested Maine divorce, inclusive of fees and court costs; published estimates commonly fall between roughly $2,000 and $3,750. Actual quotes vary by county and by whether the attorney offers flat-fee uncontested work — ask for a written quote. If your case is genuinely contested, a lawyer is the better buy; see the eligibility check above.
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What Our Clients Say
Real stories from people who prepared their Maine 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.
“Removed the anxiety from the process. Thank you for your help.”
Sandra J.
Auburn
“The step-by-step guide is a lifesaver. Made a complex process very simple.”
Eric H.
Lewiston
“The checklist made sure I had the right form for our situation — no more guessing between FM-042 and FM-043.”
George O.
South Portland
Individual results vary. Timelines depend on service, court scheduling, and Maine's 60-day statutory minimum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I file first or serve my spouse first?
Serve first. Maine's own instruction sheets go: complete the forms, serve your spouse, then file everything with the court within 20 days after service. This is the reverse of what most states do, and it's the single most common DIY mistake we see.
Which form can't the kit include?
The Family Matter Summons and Preliminary Injunction (FM-038). It requires a clerk's original signature and the court's seal, so photocopies and downloads are refused — by law, no self-help kit can supply it. Buy it from any District Court clerk for $5, or request it by mail with a $10 check. Our roadmap has you do this in step two.
What is the Family and Probate Matter Summary Sheet?
The cover sheet (form FM-002) that enters your case and party details into court records — the clerk cannot open your action without it. If you're searching for it and finding conflicting results, that's because it's now formally titled the Family and Probate Matter Summary Sheet. Same form, newer name. You don't have to give your spouse a copy.
Is there a different Complaint if we have children?
You use the same form number — Maine's official instructions direct both routes to the Complaint for Divorce (FM-004) — but FM-004 itself has a separate section for cases with minor children, requiring additional allegations and information. Cases with minor children also add the Child Support Affidavit (FM-050) and possibly the Child Support Worksheet (FM-040), which the court may order. Both the Complaint and the Affidavit must be notarized.
Do I need a Child Support Affidavit if we already agree?
Yes, where minor children are involved. FM-050 is required even when you've settled on a number, because the court checks it against Maine's child support guidelines. The initiating party serves and files their affidavit with the complaint; the responding party files theirs with a response, or no later than 21 days after service. It must be signed in front of a notary.
Do I file the Financial Statement (FM-043)?
Only where you disagree about dividing property, spousal support, or attorney's fees. If there's no dispute, you file the Certificate in Lieu of Financial Statement (FM-042) instead, by the deadline set in your case's scheduling or case-management order. Filing the wrong one is a common and avoidable delay.
What is the 60-day waiting period?
The Maine Judicial Branch describes a general floor of 60 days between filing all necessary divorce paperwork and the final hearing. Separately, for agreed cases with no minor children, Rule 110B authorizes the court to hold an uncontested hearing 60 days or more after service of the summons and complaint. Either way, it's a floor, not a promise — the court controls scheduling, and a full agreement doesn't guarantee a same-day hearing or decree.
What about the “Certificate of Divorce” (VS-300)?
A lot of divorce sites list VS-300 as something you must complete and file. As far as we can determine, that's not how Maine works today: under 22 M.R.S. § 2803 the court clerk files a record of each divorce judgment with the State Registrar of Vital Statistics within 45 days, and that record doesn't become part of the court file. VS-300 appears in neither state divorce packet. If your clerk asks you to complete a vital-records form, complete it — but don't lose a week hunting for a download that isn't there.
What if my spouse won't sign the Acknowledgment of Receipt?
Signing it is voluntary — your spouse has 20 days to return it before you need to try another service method: certified mail with restricted delivery, or the sheriff. A nonparticipating spouse doesn't automatically block a Maine divorce, but finalization still requires effective service, time to respond, and, if they never appear in the case, the Federal Affidavit (FM-052) confirming they aren't on active military duty before a judge can finalize. That form isn't in the state's starting packet; it's in ours. If your spouse is actively fighting the case, see the eligibility check above.
We own a house. Anything extra?
Two things during the case, and a third only if the judgment awards you real estate. Check “Title to Real Estate Involved” on the Complaint even if the deed names one spouse. Both parties file the Certificate Regarding Real Estate (FM-056) at least 7 days before the final hearing if either of you has an interest in real estate. Then, only if your divorce judgment actually awards real estate to one of you, that party records a clerk-certified Abstract of Divorce Decree (FM-171) with the Registry of Deeds — it requires clerk certification, a $10 court fee, and possibly a separate Registry recording fee. The kit covers all three, including the Registry's formatting rules.
Can I get the court fees waived?
Possibly. File an Application to Proceed Without Payment of Fees (CV-067) with the accompanying Affidavit (CV-191) alongside your other papers, and a judge reviews your finances — the court may waive all, part, or none of the fees requested. Two things to know: you don't serve the waiver paperwork on your spouse, and if the filing fee waiver is denied you must pay the filing fee within 7 days. Both forms are in the kit.
Important Legal Disclaimer
PlainDivorce is not a law firm and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by any Maine court. We do not provide legal advice, we cannot tell you what terms to accept, and we do not represent you in court. The Maine Uncontested Divorce Kit is a self-help information product.
We do not guarantee that a clerk will accept your paperwork as filed, that a judge will grant your divorce, or any specific hearing date or total cost. Court forms, rules, and fees change. Fees on this page reflect Administrative Order JB-05-26 (A. 3-26), effective March 9, 2026: a $120 filing fee plus $5 for the clerk-issued summons, with service, mediation, and copy fees on top. You are responsible for verifying current requirements with your District Court clerk or at courts.maine.gov.
Maine's court forms are available free from the Maine Judicial Branch. What you are purchasing is guidance, organization, and a filing roadmap — not exclusive access to public documents.
This is an instant digital download. Because files are delivered immediately upon purchase, all sales are final and no returns or refunds are provided. Content last reviewed: September 2026.