Home Manitoba Uncontested Divorce Kit
2026 edition • Built on Court of King’s Bench Rule 70 formsManitoba Uncontested Divorce Kit
The Court of King’s Bench Rule 70 forms and plain-English instructions to prepare a Manitoba uncontested divorce yourself — matched to the sole or joint route.
- Route-matched forms — sole (Form 70A) or joint (Form 70A.1) petition
- Step-by-step filing instructions, in plain English
- Free eligibility check before you pay anything
- Instant PDF download — $129 one-time, no subscription
Takes 2 minutes to check · no commitment
“The instructions were clear. I understood which form to fill out and what order to file things in.”
Joseph B. · Steinbach, Manitoba
Do you qualify for an uncontested divorce in Manitoba?
The affidavit-evidence route works when your divorce is genuinely uncontested and your parenting, support and property issues are already settled.
This kit fits if…
- ✓ You or your spouse has been habitually resident in Manitoba for at least the one year immediately before the divorce proceeding starts. (This is a jurisdiction condition — separate from the one-year separation ground.)
- ✓ You are relying on one year’s separation. You can file before the year is up, but a judge cannot grant the divorce on this ground until you have lived separate and apart for a full year. Reconciliation attempts totalling no more than 90 days do not restart the clock. (Adultery and cruelty are also grounds under the Divorce Act, but need different evidence and are not suited to this workflow.)
- ✓ Your spouse will not contest: on the sole route they are properly served and do not file an Answer (or file one and then withdraw it with Form 70L); or you apply jointly using Form 70A.1.
- ✓ Parenting, contact and support are fully agreed or already ordered, and any child support meets the Federal Child Support Guidelines — the court must be satisfied reasonable child-support arrangements are in place before it grants a divorce.
- ✓ You understand that property, pension and debt division is handled separately from these forms.
Talk to a lawyer first if…
- ✗ Neither spouse has been habitually resident in Manitoba for a full year yet.
- ✗ Your spouse is contesting the divorce, will not communicate, or cannot be located.
- ✗ Parenting, contact or the child-support amount is not fully settled.
- ✗ There is family violence or coercion, or you need a protection order.
- ✗ You have a pension to divide, a company or real estate to split, significant debt, a bankruptcy, existing court orders, or a cross-border element.
Sole route or joint route?
Manitoba uses a different starting form and a different affidavit and judgment for each. Your eligibility check confirms which set you need — you receive the matching version.
In Manitoba, a qualifying uncontested divorce is usually finished without a trial: after the respondent is noted in default (or files a Notice Withdrawing Opposition, Form 70L), you file a requisition asking a judge to decide the petition on affidavit evidence. This kit gives you the current Rule 70 forms for your route — sole (Form 70A) or joint (Form 70A.1) — with plain-language instructions for filing, service, the federal registration step, and the affidavit-evidence package.
Sole (one spouse petitions)
You file a Petition for Divorce (Form 70A) with your marriage certificate, then have someone else serve your spouse personally. If they do not file an Answer in the time allowed, the registrar notes them in default and you file the requisition with Form 70M and three Form 70O judgments.
Joint (both spouses petition)
You both sign a Joint Petition for Divorce (Form 70A.1) with your marriage certificate. There is no service step and no Answer period. The requisition uses Form 70M.1 (joint petitioner affidavit) and three Form 70O.1 judgments. The joint route relies on the one-year-separation ground.
Either route: if you also claim spousal support, child support or a property remedy, a Financial Statement (Form 70D) and the applicable child-support disclosure are required, and three Form 70N orders are prepared for any relief beyond the divorce itself.
Why use an affidavit-evidence kit?
For a genuinely uncontested case, Rule 70 lets you present your evidence in an Affidavit of Petitioner’s Evidence (Form 70M) — or a joint petitioner affidavit (Form 70M.1) — instead of testifying. Done carefully, it keeps a straightforward divorce affordable and predictable, without paying a lawyer to prepare standard paperwork.
Keep more of your money
You do the paperwork yourself and keep the difference between a lawyer’s fee and the kit price — see the breakdown alongside.
Usually no hearing
Most qualifying uncontested and joint petitions are decided from the filed documents — the usual outcome, not a guarantee.
What a Manitoba divorce costs
Court fees are $200 to file the petition and $30 for the Certificate of Divorce, plus a $10 federal Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings fee. A process server, a commissioner or notary to swear your affidavit, postage, copies, and any amendment or rejection fees are extra. Fees are as listed at the date shown below and can change.
What’s in the kit
The current Court of King’s Bench Rule 70 divorce forms for your route, set up so you know what each one does and the order to file them in.
The form that starts your case
- Petition for Divorce (Form 70A) for the sole route, or Joint Petition for Divorce (Form 70A.1) for the joint route
- Guidance on residency, the ground for divorce, and what to claim (and not claim)
- The requirement to file your marriage certificate with the petition
Your affidavit-evidence package
The set filed with the requisition after default (or on a joint petition):
Filing roadmap
- Step-by-step instructions for filing, personal service and the Affidavit of Service (Form 70I)
- The Answer deadlines and getting the respondent noted in default
- The federal Central Registry step and assembling the requisition, with a self-check list before you submit
What this kit does not include
- Any registry sign-off that your file is judge-ready — the registrar notes default and the court reviews the file; a private kit cannot certify that
- The Certificate of Prerequisite Completion (Form 70D.3), which is a court case-management/triage document, not a product we supply
- Property, pension or debt division (separate forms and process)
- Contested matters, protection orders, or anything beyond a genuinely uncontested divorce
- Filing or serving your documents for you, or any court representation
- Legal advice about your specific situation
- Court, registry and service fees
Always confirm the current form versions and the full, fact-specific filing set against the live Court of King’s Bench forms index and Rule 70 before filing. Manitoba warns that prescribed templates cannot always simply be printed for court use — required formatting, affidavit rules, exhibits and accompanying material matter. Forms and fees can change.
How it works
The path to a Divorce Judgment in Manitoba on the affidavit-evidence route.
File & register
File the Petition for Divorce (Form 70A) or Joint Petition (Form 70A.1) with your marriage certificate at a Court of King’s Bench registry ($200). The court verifies the federal registration application and sends it to the Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings within seven days — a check for other divorce proceedings between you and your spouse.
Serve & note default (sole route)
Have someone other than you serve your spouse personally, then file the Affidavit of Service (Form 70I). Your spouse has 20 days to file an Answer if served in Manitoba (40 days elsewhere in Canada or the U.S., 60 days outside both). If none is filed, ask the registrar to note them in default. Joint applicants skip this step.
Requisition & affidavit evidence
File a requisition asking a judge to determine the petition on affidavit evidence, with your Affidavit of Petitioner’s Evidence (Form 70M) (or Form 70M.1 joint), three draft Divorce Judgments (Form 70O / 70O.1), stamped envelopes, and any Form 70N orders or Form 70D financial statement your claims require.
Review & judgment
A judge reviews the file in chambers and either returns it for correction, sets an appearance if one is needed, or signs the Divorce Judgment. The divorce takes effect on the 31st day after the day the judgment is rendered; you can then request a Certificate of Divorce (Form 70P) for $30.
Total time from filing to judgment is usually a few months, driven mainly by registry processing and the court’s review queue. A kit cannot speed up the court’s timelines.
Kit pricing vs. lawyer fees
| Feature | PlainDivorce kit | Typical lawyer |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation cost | $129 | $1,500–$3,500 |
| Court fees | $200 + $30 + $10 (paid to the court/registry) | Same, usually billed on top |
| Pace | You set it (DIY) | Lawyer’s schedule |
| Forms included | Yes — route-matched | Yes |
Secure one-time payment · No subscription · Instant download
What our customers say
Experiences from people who prepared their 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.
“The instructions were clear. I understood which form to fill out and what order to file things in.”
Joseph B.
Steinbach
“We handled our own uncontested divorce without spending thousands on a lawyer.”
George Q.
Steinbach
“Well organised. The checklist helped me make sure nothing was missing before I filed.”
Emily J.
Thompson
“A fraction of what a lawyer quoted me for the same uncontested paperwork.”
Marc R.
Portage la Prairie
Manitoba uncontested divorce: frequently asked questions
What is the Affidavit of Petitioner’s Evidence?
It is a sworn document (Form 70M, or Form 70M.1 on a joint petition) that sets out the facts supporting your divorce. On a qualifying uncontested or joint petition, filing it with a requisition lets a judge determine the petition on the documents, without you attending a hearing. It is evidence for the judge to weigh — not a guarantee the judge will sign the Divorce Judgment, and a judge can still direct an oral hearing.
Which form starts my divorce — 70A or 70A.1?
A sole application (one spouse petitions) starts with a Petition for Divorce (Form 70A), which must be personally served on the other spouse. When both spouses apply together, you use a Joint Petition for Divorce (Form 70A.1) and there is no service step. Either way you file your marriage certificate with the petition, and only the Court of King’s Bench can grant the divorce.
Do I have to live in Manitoba to file?
You or your spouse must have been habitually resident in Manitoba for at least the one year immediately before the divorce proceeding starts. That is a jurisdiction requirement, and it is separate from the one-year separation ground for the divorce itself.
How does the one-year separation ground work?
You can file at any time after separating, but a judge cannot grant a separation-ground divorce until you have lived separate and apart for at least one year. Reconciliation attempts totalling no more than 90 days do not necessarily break the period. Adultery and cruelty are also grounds under the Divorce Act, but they need different evidence and are not used in this workflow.
How much are the court filing fees?
As currently listed by Manitoba Court Services, the fee to file a Petition for Divorce is $200, and the fee for a Certificate of Divorce (Form 70P) once your judgment is final is $30. A $10 federal Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings fee also applies. Service by a process server, a commissioner or notary to swear your affidavit, postage, copies, and any amendment or rejection fees are extra. These are the listed fees as of the review date below and can change — confirm current amounts with the registry.
What is the Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings step?
When a divorce proceeding is filed, the court verifies a federal registration application and sends it to the Central Registry in Ottawa within seven days. The Registry’s job is to detect duplicate divorce proceedings between the same two spouses. It is not a consumer-facing “clearance” service, and it does not decide whether your Manitoba filing is ready for judgment.
We have children — can we still use this?
Only if parenting and child support are fully agreed or already ordered and the child support follows the Federal Child Support Guidelines. Where child support, spousal support or a property remedy is claimed, a Financial Statement (Form 70D) and the applicable guideline/disclosure documents are required. The court must be satisfied that reasonable child-support arrangements have been made before it will grant the divorce. If anything about the children is unresolved, see a lawyer.
When is the divorce final?
A divorce ordinarily takes effect on the 31st day after the day the judgment granting it is rendered — the appeal period. The court can make it effective earlier only in special circumstances if the statutory conditions are met, and a pending appeal changes the result. Once the divorce has taken effect, you can request a Certificate of Divorce, which is the proof you need to remarry.
Is PlainDivorce a law firm?
No. PlainDivorce is a self-help information service. We provide the current Rule 70 forms with plain-language instructions; we do not give legal advice, review your documents for accuracy, note default, certify registry compliance, or file anything for you. For advice about your situation, or if anything is disputed, consult a Manitoba family lawyer.
Important legal disclaimer
PlainDivorce is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal opinions, or representation. The Manitoba Uncontested Divorce Kit is a self-help information product containing publicly available Court of King’s Bench Rule 70 forms with general instructions. It is not a substitute for advice from a licensed Manitoba lawyer.
We do not guarantee that a registry or a judge will accept any particular filing. The registrar notes a respondent in default, and a judge decides whether to grant the divorce and may require an oral hearing. Court rules, forms and fees (currently $200 to file the Petition for Divorce, $30 for the Certificate of Divorce, and a $10 federal Central Registry fee, before service and case-specific costs) change from time to time. You are responsible for verifying the current fees, form versions and requirements with the Court of King’s Bench before filing.
Content last reviewed: September 2026.