Home Maryland Uncontested Divorce Kit
2026 edition • Verified against Maryland's Family Law Article & current Judiciary formsMaryland Uncontested Divorce Kit
Maryland gives you three no-fault grounds for divorce — the forms that follow depend on which one fits you, plus your children and property situation.
- Form set matched to your grounds — Mutual Consent, irreconcilable differences, or 6-month separation
- Conditional attachments explained (CC-DR-030/031, CC-DR-033, parenting plan)
- Free eligibility check before you pay anything
- Instant PDF download — $129 one-time, no subscription
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“Stress-free and dignified. We avoided a messy court battle.”
Rachel U. · Waldorf, Maryland
Why Maryland Divorces Stall — and How to Avoid It
Almost never because the case is complicated. Nearly always because of one of these.
No parenting plan on file
If you and your spouse have minor children and haven't agreed on a parenting plan, the Complaint expects the Maryland Parenting Plan Tool (CC-DR-109) instead — not a blank space.
CC-DR-030 vs. CC-DR-031
The dividing line is your combined gross monthly income (before taxes) — $30,000 or less uses CC-DR-030; above that, or if you're seeking alimony or a property award, you need CC-DR-031 instead.
The property statement, 10 days out
No written agreement dividing everything, and asking the court to divide property? A Joint Statement Concerning Marital Property (CC-DR-033) is due at least 10 days before trial — easy to miss if it's not on your calendar early.
The fee waiver isn't a formality
CC-DC-089 requests a waiver — a judge still has to grant it, and it must be filed with a separate Notice Regarding Restricted Information (MDJ-008). The clerk won't docket your case until that's decided.
None of these are hard once you know about them. All of them cost weeks if you don't. Read our free Maryland divorce guide to see the full process before you buy.
Do You Qualify for an Uncontested Divorce?
Maryland has three no-fault grounds. Here is the honest line between “this kit will work for you” and “call a lawyer first.”
This kit fits if:
- At least one of you lives in Maryland. (A 6-month residency rule applies only if the grounds for divorce happened outside Maryland.)
- You're filing on one of Maryland's three grounds — Mutual Consent (a full written agreement, no separation requirement), irreconcilable differences (also no stated separation requirement), or 6-month separation.
- You agree on alimony, all property and debts, and every custody, parenting-time, and child-support issue — or you're working toward a written agreement that covers them.
- Both spouses will sign a written settlement agreement — required to file on Mutual Consent, and strongly worth having either way — and neither will move to set it aside.
- You're comfortable filling out court forms carefully, tracking a few conditional deadlines, and following up with the clerk.
Talk to a lawyer first if:
- There is domestic violence, intimidation, or you feel pressured to sign.
- Your spouse will not sign an agreement, or you cannot locate them to serve them.
- A pension or retirement account is being divided. That usually needs a separate domestic relations order (QDRO or similar) drafted to the plan's specs.
- You suspect hidden assets, or you do not have a clear view of the household finances.
- Custody or support is genuinely disputed — that makes the case contested, and no kit fixes that.
Maryland's Court Help Center gives free brief advice by phone or chat at 410-260-1392. We would rather you call them than buy something you cannot use.
Why People Buy This Instead of Winging It
Maryland's forms are free. Nobody is selling you secret paperwork. What costs people months is matching the branch — which forms apply to your grounds and family situation, what has to be attached to what, and which deadline is quietly running.
A fraction of attorney rates
You keep the difference between an attorney's fee and a one-time kit price — see the breakdown alongside.
Two of three grounds need no separation first
Mutual Consent and irreconcilable differences don't require you to live apart before filing — only the 6-month separation ground does. Mutual Consent has its own condition instead: a complete, signed settlement agreement.
The conditional attachments, matched to your case
Parenting plan or the CC-DR-109 tool, CC-DR-030 or CC-DR-031, the CC-DR-033 property statement, the fee-waiver paperwork — we tell you which apply to your situation, and the clerk-only step nobody mentions.
What an uncontested divorce costs
Attorney figure is a typical quoted range for uncontested matters, not a quote. The $165 initial filing fee is set statewide under Courts Article § 7-202 (Circuit Court Fee Schedule, Schedule II A.1(A)) and is separate from this kit — service, copies, and later costs can add expense. Check the current fee schedule. A fee waiver can be requested (Form CC-DC-089 with MDJ-008), but a judge decides — it isn't automatic.
What's Inside the Kit
Current Maryland Judiciary forms, matched to your grounds and family situation, with plain-English instructions for each one.
Step-by-step roadmap
The full sequence, start to finish: build your agreement, file the complaint, serve your spouse, track the response window, get on the hearing calendar, receive the judgment.
- Which of the three grounds fits your situation
- Venue: which Circuit Court to file in
- 30 / 60 / 90-day response deadlines explained
- What typically happens at an uncontested hearing
Core filing documents
Every form identified by its official number, so you know exactly what you are looking at:
Conditional attachments — matched to you
Only some of these apply to any one case; the kit tells you which:
- CC-DR-030 vs CC-DR-031 — based on your combined gross monthly income, and whether you're seeking alimony or a property award
- CC-DR-034 / CC-DR-035 — child support Worksheet A or B, where the agreement or complaint provides for support
- CC-DR-109 Maryland Parenting Plan Tool, if you and your spouse haven't agreed on a parenting plan
- CC-DR-033 — Joint Statement Concerning Marital Property, due 10 days before trial if there's no written property agreement
- CC-DR-055 / CC-DR-056 — proof-of-service affidavits
- CC-DC-089 + MDJ-008 — fee-waiver request and its required restricted-information notice, if you need them
One step the kit can't skip for you
The Report of Absolute Divorce or Annulment is a clerk-issued form you complete and submit at the end of your hearing, not something you file with your original complaint. Without it, your decree won't be mailed. It's easy to miss because no state packet mentions it until you're standing in the courthouse — our roadmap flags it as its own step.
What this kit does not include
- A guarantee that a clerk accepts your paperwork, a judge grants your divorce, or a specific hearing date — the court controls scheduling and may require additional documents
- The court's $165 filing fee, service costs, or other court costs
- Contested cases — disputes over custody, support, property, or a spouse who won't sign
- A drafted Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) or other retirement-plan transfer order
- Legal advice about your situation, or review of your completed documents
- Any additional local form or step your specific Circuit Court may require
Built around the Maryland Judiciary's current statewide forms and instructions, for filing in any Maryland Circuit Court — Montgomery, Baltimore City, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Howard, Frederick and the rest. Confirm your correct filing location and any local requirements with your Circuit Court clerk.
How It Works
Four stages from agreement to signed judgment.
Choose your grounds & build your agreement
For Mutual Consent, complete a signed Marital Settlement Agreement covering alimony, all property and debts, and every child issue — this is the foundation, and no motion to set it aside can be pending before your hearing. If children are involved and you haven't agreed on a parenting plan, use the CC-DR-109 tool.
File the packet
File the Complaint (CC-DR-020) and Case Info Report (CC-DCM-001) with the Circuit Court clerk, with your agreement and whichever conditional attachments apply to you. Pay the $165 fee, or file CC-DC-089 with MDJ-008 to request a waiver.
Serve & respond
Serve your spouse properly — you may not do it yourself — and file proof. Your spouse has 30, 60, or 90 days (depending on where served) to file an Answer (CC-DR-050); if they don't, you may request a default on CC-DR-054.
Scheduling, hearing & judgment
Once filings and service (or a default order) are complete, the court schedules your case. Typically only the filing spouse needs to testify at an uncontested hearing, but this varies by court and judge — and your case can be dismissed if you don't appear. Submit the clerk's Report of Absolute Divorce at the hearing. When a judge signs the Judgment of Absolute Divorce, you are divorced.
One Flat Price, No Subscription
| PlainDivorce Kit | Hiring an attorney | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $129 one-time | $2,000–$3,500 typical uncontested range |
| Who does the work | You, at your own pace | Their office, on their calendar |
| Court forms | Matched to your case & explained | Prepared for you |
| Legal advice | No — information only | Yes |
| Court filing fee | $165, paid separately to the court | Usually billed on top |
Not sure you qualify? Run the free eligibility check first — it takes about two minutes and will tell you which of Maryland's three grounds fits your situation before you spend anything.
Secure one-time payment · No subscription · Instant download
What Our Customers Say
Real experiences from people who used PlainDivorce to handle their own paperwork.
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.
“Stress-free and dignified. We avoided a messy court battle.”
Rachel U.
Waldorf, MD
“I could see exactly what came next at every step — no waiting around for a lawyer to call back to find out.”
Sophie F.
Silver Spring, MD
“The checklist caught two attachments I would have forgotten. Walking into the hearing knowing what to expect made all the difference.”
Marc T.
Silver Spring, MD
Individual results depend on your own circumstances and your court's schedule. No outcome is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Mutual Consent divorce?
It is one of Maryland's three no-fault grounds. If you and your spouse sign a written settlement agreement resolving alimony, all property and debts, and every issue about minor or dependent children, and neither of you moves to set that agreement aside before the hearing, you can file on Mutual Consent — no separation period required. Irreconcilable differences also doesn't require a separation period; only the 6-month separation ground does.
Isn't the separation period 12 months?
Not since October 1, 2023. Maryland cut it to six months and repealed every fault ground at the same time. If a site or an older article still says 12 months, it has not been updated. The three grounds today are Mutual Consent, 6-month separation, and irreconcilable differences.
Do I need a lawyer for the hearing?
Not necessarily. At an uncontested hearing, typically only the filing spouse needs to testify, and the judge confirms residency, the ground for divorce, and that any agreement was signed voluntarily — but hearing format and appearance requirements are set by your specific court and judge, so confirm what's expected in your case. If you're the one who filed and you don't appear, your case can be dismissed. You are not required to bring a corroborating witness — Maryland dropped that requirement in 2016.
Which financial statement do I need — and is there a “Form A”?
There is no Maryland form called “Financial Statement Form A.” People usually mean one of two things. The financial statements are CC-DR-030 (short form, when child support and/or health insurance is the relief sought and your and your spouse's combined gross monthly income — before taxes — is $30,000 or less) and CC-DR-031 (general, required if you're seeking alimony or a property award, or your combined gross monthly income is above that line). Separately, Worksheet A (CC-DR-034) or Worksheet B (CC-DR-035) is the child support calculation, attached where your agreement or complaint provides for support.
What is the Case Information Report?
The Civil-Domestic Case Information Report (CC-DCM-001) is a required cover sheet filed with your Complaint. It tells the court what kind of case this is and what issues are involved, which is how the clerk routes it for scheduling.
What if we have children but no parenting plan yet?
The Complaint asks whether you and your spouse have already agreed on a parenting plan. If you haven't, Maryland directs you to the Maryland Parenting Plan Tool (CC-DR-109), with instructions in CC-DRIN-109, rather than leaving that section blank. If you truly can't reach agreement, that typically makes custody a contested issue outside this kit's scope.
What if we haven't fully agreed on dividing property?
If there's no written agreement resolving every property issue and you're asking the court to divide property, both spouses must file a Joint Statement Concerning Marital Property (CC-DR-033) at least 10 days before trial. A written agreement covering property removes this requirement.
Can I just serve the papers on my spouse myself?
No, and this is one of the most common reasons a DIY case stalls. You cannot hand-deliver or mail the summons and initial filing yourself. Use the Sheriff, a private process server (or any uninvolved adult over 18), or have someone else send it by certified mail with restricted delivery. Proof of service must be filed before the case moves forward.
What if my spouse changes their mind after we file?
Mutual Consent only fails if a party actually files a pleading asking the court to set the agreement aside before the hearing. If that happens, you would need to proceed on the 6-month separation or irreconcilable differences ground instead. The kit explains how to pivot.
Is the fee waiver guaranteed if I ask for one?
No. CC-DC-089 requests a waiver based on income and household size — a judge decides, and the clerk won't docket your case until they rule. For a divorce case, you must also file MDJ-008 (Notice Regarding Restricted Information) with it. If denied, you have 10 days to pay the filing fee. Even if granted, you may still owe some costs by the end of the case.
Aren't these forms free from the court?
Yes, and we say so plainly. The Maryland Judiciary publishes them at no cost. What you are paying for is knowing which ones apply to your situation, what has to be attached to what, the deadlines that are running, and the clerk-only step most self-filers miss entirely. If you would rather assemble it yourself from the court's website, you absolutely can.
How long will the whole thing take?
That depends on your county's calendar, which we do not control. Mutual Consent and irreconcilable differences remove the pre-filing waiting period, but you still have service, the response window (30, 60, or 90 days depending on where your spouse is served), scheduling, and the hearing. Most of the delay in an otherwise clean case falls between service and the hearing date.
Important Legal Disclaimer
PlainDivorce is not a law firm and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by any Maryland court. We do not provide legal advice, we do not represent you, and no attorney-client relationship is created by buying or using this kit. The Maryland Uncontested Divorce Kit is a self-help information product.
We cannot guarantee any outcome. Whether a court grants your divorce, on what timeline, and at what total cost depends on your own facts, your paperwork, and the judge. The $165 initial filing fee cited on this page is set statewide under Courts Article § 7-202 (Circuit Court Fee Schedule); service, copies, mediation, and other costs are separate and can add expense, and any court fee waiver requires a judge's approval, not just a request.
Maryland law, court rules, forms, and filing fees change, and local Circuit Courts handle scheduling differently. You are responsible for verifying current requirements with your Circuit Court Clerk or the Maryland Judiciary. Free brief legal advice is available from the Maryland Court Help Center at 410-260-1392. 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.