Home Minnesota Uncontested Divorce Kit
2026 edition • Verified against Minn. Stat. §§ 518.07, 518.13, 518.195 & current MN packetsMinnesota Uncontested Divorce Kit
The right packet for a Joint Petition or a Summary Dissolution — sorted by what your case actually triggers, not a flat six-form list.
- Both tracks covered — we tell you which one fits your case
- DIV302, DIV1702, DIV202 and the confidential filings your case triggers
- Free eligibility check before you pay anything
- Instant PDF download — $129 one-time, no subscription
Takes 2 minutes to check · no commitment
“The guided steps were easy to follow. I didn't need to hire a lawyer at all.”
Nadia A. · Rochester, MN
Which Minnesota Path Is Right for You?
Both tracks this kit covers require you and your spouse to agree on every issue. Summary Dissolution is rarer than people expect — owning any real estate rules it out on its own.
Use this kit if:
- One of you has lived in — or been domiciled in — Minnesota for at least 180 days (a narrow nonresident exception exists — see below).
- You and your spouse both agree to sign and file as Co-Petitioners, so there's no summons and nobody gets served.
- You already agree on custody, parenting time, support, property and debts.
- You want your packet complete on day one, including the confidential and situational filings a bare form list leaves out.
You need a different route if:
- Neither of you meets the 180-day residency or domicile rule (and the narrow nonresident exception doesn't apply).
- One spouse won't sign as a co-petitioner, or you still disagree on any material term. That's a one-party Petition for Dissolution with service and a response deadline — a different process this kit doesn't cover. Talk to a lawyer or your county self-help center.
- There is domestic abuse between you. A joint filing isn't appropriate, and abuse also independently disqualifies you from Summary Dissolution under § 518.195.
- You have a business, a farm, a pension needing a QDRO, or one spouse may be hiding assets.
Nonresident exception: if your marriage was performed in Minnesota and the place you currently live won't dissolve it because of your sex or sexual orientation, Minnesota may still hear your case even without the usual residency (Minn. Stat. § 518.07, subd. 2). Not sure yet? Read our free Minnesota uncontested divorce guide — it lists all eight Summary Dissolution conditions in plain English.
Where Minnesota DIY Filings Get Sent Back
Almost never because the couple disagreed. Here's what actually trips up self-represented filers.
Assuming a missed Summary Dissolution condition means you're automatically on the Joint Petition track
A Joint Petition still requires both spouses to sign and file together as Co-Petitioners (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 302.01(c)(1)). If you don't clear Summary Dissolution and your spouse won't co-file, you need a one-party Petition for Dissolution with service and a response period — a different process this kit doesn't include. The kit tells you which of the two tracks it covers actually fits, and says plainly when neither does.
Treating a six-document list as the complete packet
Minnesota's own joint and summary packets each add instructions (CON110, DIV102) most self-help lists skip, plus a Summary Real Estate Disposition Judgment step and a Notice to Public Authority when public assistance is involved. The kit is organized by trigger, not a flat list, so you see everything your specific case needs.
Confusing the two confidential-information forms
CON111 (Form 11.1) is filed with every Joint Petition, full stop. CON112 (Form 11.2) is a separate cover sheet needed only when you're filing non-public documents, such as financial source records. Mixing them up — or skipping the one you need — risks rejection, a Social Security number becoming publicly viewable, or a sanctions motion. The kit tells you which one (or both) your filing needs.
Assuming no hearing is guaranteed once children are involved
A judicial officer decides whether a hearing is needed for a no-children joint filing. With minor children, Minnesota law lets a judge skip the hearing only when both spouses have signed and acknowledged a stipulation and both are represented by counsel (Minn. Stat. § 518.13, subd. 5) — a condition most self-represented parents don't meet, so a hearing stays a live possibility either way. The kit preps you for a hearing instead of promising you won't need one.
Finding out about the real estate step at closing, years later
If real estate transfers in the divorce, a Summary Real Estate Disposition Judgment (Minn. Stat. § 518.191) — not the decree itself — is what gets recorded with the county. Most DIY filers only discover this when a title company asks for it. The kit flags it before your decree is entered.
Minnesota's Forms Are Free. Knowing Which Ones Isn't.
We'll say it plainly: the Minnesota Judicial Branch publishes every form on this page at no charge, and you can download them yourself. What trips people up is everything around the forms — picking the right packet for a track you and your spouse both actually qualify for, putting a Social Security number where it legally cannot go, or missing the real estate step until years later at a refinance. That's what this kit is for.
The right packet, first time
DIV302 without minor children or DIV1702 with them — if you and your spouse agree to co-file. DIV202 only if you clear all eight § 518.195 conditions. If you don't qualify for either and your spouse won't co-file, you need a different, one-party process — we say so instead of pushing you into the wrong packet.
The confidential filings people forget
Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 302.01(c)(3) requires Form 11.1 (CON111) with every Joint Petition, and a separate Form 11.2 (CON112) cover sheet when you're filing non-public documents. Social Security numbers cannot go on the public petition, and we make sure yours doesn't.
The house problem, caught early
We flag the separate Summary Real Estate Disposition Judgment (Minn. Stat. § 518.191) before your decree is entered, if real estate is changing hands.
What a Minnesota divorce costs
The filing fee goes to the court either way. Fee reduction or waiver may be available if your income qualifies.
What's Included
Official Minnesota statewide forms, grouped by what triggers them — the way Minnesota's own packets do it — with instructions written for people who have never filed anything.
Track-selection roadmap
A checklist that runs you against all eight Summary Dissolution conditions (form DIV202, instructions DIV201) and, if you miss any but still both agree to co-file, routes you to the correct Joint Petition — DIV302 without minor children or DIV1702 with them. If neither track fits your situation, it says so plainly instead of guessing.
Core petition & decree forms
Whichever track you're on, plus the instructions Minnesota's own packet bundles with it:
On a joint filing, DIV302 and DIV1702 already contain the decree — there is no separate stipulated decree to draft.
Conditional & confidential filings
CON112 cover sheet — only if you're filing non-public documents like financial source records. DIV1601 instructions and the SREDJ recording flag — if either of you owns real estate. DIV813 & DIV816 Notice to Public Authority and Affidavit of Service — only in a with-children case where public assistance (like MFIP or medical assistance) is involved.
Worksheets & County Checks
Asset and debt worksheets, a parenting-plan prompt sheet, and a parent education county-requirement checklist — mandatory only when parents haven't agreed on custody or parenting time, but many counties require it in every case with minor children.
Hearing & Timeline Prep
A plain-English rundown of when a judicial officer can (and can't) skip the hearing, plus what to expect if yours schedules one — instead of a promise that you won't need to appear.
What this kit does not include
- The one-party Petition for Dissolution route (DIV402/DIV802) used when a spouse won't co-file — that needs service, a response period, and often legal advice
- A guarantee that any hearing is skipped, that the court accepts your filing, or that a specific District Court approves it
- The court's own filing, law-library, and any motion fees
- Contested cases — disputes over custody, support, property, or a spouse who won't cooperate
- Legal advice about your situation, or review of your completed documents
Minnesota's Joint Petition and Summary Dissolution forms are statewide, so the same DIV302/DIV1702/DIV202 packet applies whether you file in Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Anoka, or any of Minnesota's 87 counties. Local filing practice, e-filing rollout, and scheduling still vary — the kit tells you what to confirm with your county.
How It Works
Three steps from download to decree.
Sort your track, then fill
Run the eligibility checklist, complete your packet together, and prepare CON111 (and CON112 if you're attaching financial source documents) so Social Security numbers stay out of the public file. Summary Dissolution requires both signatures notarized.
File as Co-Petitioners
File in the county where either of you lives and pay the fee. Because a joint petition needs no summons, there is nothing to serve and no 30-day response window. Joint filings can also be e-filed through Minnesota Guide & File.
Decree is entered
A judicial officer reviews the file; if a hearing is required, you attend and the judge signs afterward. In a Summary Dissolution, the court administrator enters the decree 30 days after filing — with no judge and no hearing — but only once every statutory qualification and procedural requirement is actually met.
Simple Pricing
| Feature | PlainDivorce Kit | Attorney-drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $129 | Billed hourly or flat1 |
| Pace | You set it | Their calendar |
| Legal advice on your terms | No — self-help only | Yes |
| Court filing fee | $390–$425 (paid to court) | $390–$425 (paid to court) |
1 We didn't find a current, reliable Minnesota-specific study of uncontested-divorce attorney pricing to cite, so we're not publishing a specific dollar range. Attorneys typically bill either an hourly rate or a flat fee for an agreed divorce; ask any firm you're considering for a written quote to compare against the $129 kit price.
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What Customers Say
Feedback from people who used PlainDivorce to prepare their own filing.
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 guided steps were easy to follow. I didn't need to hire a lawyer at all.”
Nadia A.
Rochester, MN
“Why pay more? This kit does it all for a fair price.”
Charlotte I.
Minneapolis, MN
“Stress-free and dignified. We avoided a messy court battle.”
Isabella N.
Minneapolis, MN
Individual results depend on your own circumstances and your court's schedule. No outcome is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Summary Dissolution, and do we qualify?
It's a streamlined process under Minn. Stat. § 518.195, and you must meet all eight conditions: no minor children, neither spouse pregnant, married fewer than eight years, neither spouse owns real estate, marital debts under $8,000, marital assets under $25,000, neither spouse holding nonmarital assets over $25,000, and no domestic abuse between you. Miss one, and you'll need the Joint Petition instead if you both still agree on everything — or a one-party Petition for Dissolution (and likely legal advice) if you don't.
What is a Joint Petition, and what if my spouse won't sign?
Both spouses sign and file the paperwork together as Co-Petitioners. Under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 302.01(c), no summons is required and the case is commenced the moment both parties have signed — so there's no service of process and no 30-day answer deadline. It's the most common uncontested route in Minnesota, and it works whether or not you have children. If your spouse won't co-file, this kit isn't the right tool: you'd need a one-party Petition for Dissolution, which involves service and a response period, and often benefits from legal advice.
Do we have to go to court?
It depends on your track and who represents you. For a no-children Joint Petition, a judicial officer decides whether a hearing is necessary. For a with-children Joint Petition, Minnesota law lets a judge skip the hearing only when both of you have signed and acknowledged a stipulation and both of you are represented by counsel — if you're both self-represented, expect the possibility of a hearing either way, and the court will schedule one regardless if the proposed judgment doesn't appear to serve the children's best interests. In a Summary Dissolution there is no hearing at all: the court administrator enters the decree 30 days after filing, once every qualification and procedural requirement is met.
What's the difference between CON111 and CON112?
CON111 (Form 11.1) is the confidential information form required with every Joint Petition or Summary Dissolution filing — it's how Social Security numbers and other restricted identifiers stay off the public petition. CON112 (Form 11.2) is a separate cover sheet you only need if you're filing non-public documents, such as financial source records, along with your case. The kit tells you which applies to your filing.
Is the parenting class mandatory?
It depends. Under Minn. Stat. § 518.157, the court must order at least eight hours of parent education when parents have not agreed on custody or a parenting time schedule, though a court can excuse a parent for good cause. Many counties go further and require it in every case involving minor children, even when parents fully agree. Deadlines are short — often 30 days from the first filing — so check your county's requirement before you file. Our kit includes a checklist for exactly this.
Aren't these forms free from the court?
Yes, and we say so openly — every form is published free by the Minnesota Judicial Branch, and the state's free Guide & File tool will even generate them. What you're buying here is the layer the state doesn't provide: which track actually applies to you, plain-English explanations of what each question is really asking, the confidential filings people mix up, and the real estate step most DIY filers discover years later. If that's not worth $129 to you, use the free forms with our blessing.
How much does the court charge?
The statewide dissolution filing fee is $390 ($340 base plus a $50 additional fee), and counties add a small law library fee, so most filers pay roughly $390–$425. That's one fee per couple on a joint petition, not one each. Fee reduction or waiver may be available if your income qualifies. Always confirm the current amount with your county court administrator.
Is PlainDivorce a law firm?
No. We're a self-help publisher. We don't give legal advice, don't review your documents, and don't represent you. If you're unsure whether an agreement is fair, or your case doesn't fit the two tracks this kit covers, talk to a Minnesota family lawyer or your county's self-help center.
Important Legal Disclaimer
PlainDivorce is not a law firm. We do not provide legal advice, do not review your agreement for fairness, and do not represent you in court. The Minnesota Uncontested Divorce Kit is a self-help information product covering the Joint Petition and Summary Dissolution tracks only; it does not cover a one-party Petition for Dissolution. Buying it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and we cannot guarantee that a court accepts your filing, approves your judgment, or skips a hearing in your case.
Court forms, rules and fees change, and local filing practice varies by county. The filing fee is currently $390 statewide plus a county law library fee (typically $390–$425 in total). You are responsible for verifying current requirements and form revisions with your county Court Administrator or the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Content last reviewed: September 2026.
If there is domestic abuse, hidden assets, or you are unsure whether an agreement is fair, speak with a Minnesota lawyer or legal aid clinic before filing. If you are in immediate danger, call 911; the Minnesota Day One Crisis Line is available 24/7 at 1-866-223-1111.