Home Montana Uncontested Divorce Kit
2026 edition • Verified against MCA §§ 40-4-104 & 40-4-105 and the May 2026 Judicial Branch instructions
Montana Uncontested Divorce Kit:
The Joint Dissolution Roadmap
File as co-petitioners on MP-122 (no children) or MP-121 (with children), skip the process-server fees, and follow a checklist matched to Montana's current filing order.
- Track-matched checklist — joint petition MP-122 (no children) or MP-121 (with children)
- No summons, no service fees — co-petitioners file together
- Free eligibility check before you pay anything
- Instant PDF download — $129 one-time, no subscription
Takes 2 minutes to check · no commitment
“No drama, no fighting. Just a clear checklist that worked.”
Emma W. · Great Falls, Montana
Do You Qualify for a Joint Dissolution?
Montana requires one spouse to have been domiciled here for 90 days before filing, and the court must find your marriage irretrievably broken. Beyond that, the joint track is about agreement — check both columns honestly.
This kit is for you if:
- One of you has been domiciled in Montana at least 90 days before filing (active-duty stationed here counts).
- You agree the marriage is irretrievably broken — whether that's because you've lived separately for 180+ days, or because of ongoing marital discord with no real chance of reconciling.
- Both of you will sign the joint petition as co-petitioners — no summons, no service fees.
- You agree on property and debt, and can exchange MP-520 (financial disclosure) and complete MP-521 (proposed property distribution) together.
- You agree on maintenance — including agreeing that neither of you pays any.
- If you have children, you agree on a schedule you can write into the Proposed Parenting Plan MP-320.
Don't buy this kit if:
- Neither of you has hit the 90-day mark yet — you'd need to wait, not buy.
- Your spouse won't sign the joint petition. That's a sole filing with service requirements and a separate 21-day post-service floor.
- There's a business, a ranch, or a retirement account that needs a QDRO to divide.
- You suspect hidden assets or unreported income, or one spouse controlled all the money.
- There's been violence, threats, or you're afraid of your spouse. Please talk to a lawyer or an advocate first.
Not sure? The eligibility check is free and takes about two minutes — you'll know before you pay anything.
MP-122 or MP-121? Pick the Right Petition
Filing under the wrong joint petition is one of the most common reasons a self-filed Montana case gets kicked back. Your kit's checklist is built around whichever one applies to you.
In Montana, spouses who agree can file a single Joint Petition for Dissolution as co-petitioners — nobody gets served with a summons, which is what makes this the cheapest, fastest route. Montana's current instructions have a specific order to follow: exchange financial disclosures with each other first (that form is never filed with the court), then file your petition and the rest of the checklist together, and wait for the court to issue a scheduling order.
MP-122 Checklist
Joint Petition for Dissolution without Children, plus everything the clerk expects alongside it.
- MP-001 statement of inability to pay (optional, for a fee waiver)
- MP-122 joint petition
- MP-122.1 request for hearing
- MP-122.2 order granting hearing
- MP-521 joint proposed property distribution
- MP-722 decree of joint dissolution
- MP-704 notice and entry of decree
- MP-130 consent to entry of decree, MP-140 sensitive data form & vital statistics form
- MP-520 (financial disclosure) is exchanged between spouses — not filed with the court
MP-121 Checklist
Everything above, swapped for the with-children versions, plus the parenting layer.
- MP-121 joint petition (+ MP-113-B/C/D/E attachments)
- MP-320 proposed parenting plan & CSSD financial affidavit
- MP-121.1 request for hearing, MP-121.2 order granting hearing
- MP-521 joint proposed property distribution
- MP-721 decree of joint dissolution
- MP-704 notice and entry of decree, MP-130 consent & vital statistics form
- MP-430 CSSD notice (if either parent has a Title IV-D/CSSD case)
- MP-520 (financial disclosure) is exchanged between parents — not filed with the court
Why Handle It Yourselves?
Montana's joint dissolution is one of the more efficient uncontested processes in the country when the paperwork is right. The kit walks you through the petition, disclosures, hearing request, and decree in the order Montana's own current instructions describe.
Keep the money
You do the filing yourselves and keep the difference between an attorney's fee and a one-time kit price — see the cost breakdown alongside.
No service of process
Co-petitioners don't serve each other. No sheriff, no process server, no publication costs.
No statutory pre-decree wait
A joint dissolution isn't held up by the kind of mandatory clock a sole filing faces. Montana's own instructions say you should get a scheduling order within 120 days of filing — from there, it's your county's calendar.
What an uncontested Montana divorce really costs
Kit + court fees, before extras
about $379
$200 filing + $50 judgment entry, both payable to your Clerk of District Court and subject to change. Certified copies and other local costs are extra. Fee waivers available via MP-001 if you qualify.
What's Inside the Kit
Montana's MP-series forms are free, copyrighted public resources published by the Montana Judicial Branch and Montana Legal Services Association — we don't sell or redistribute them. Your download is three things we do build ourselves: a document checklist matched to your track, a set of worked examples to copy from, and a detailed step-by-step guide — plus direct links to the current official forms.
Your document checklist
The current forms your track needs, in the order you'll use them:
Worked examples
A full worked example of every document, filled in start to finish for a realistic Montana couple.
- See exactly what belongs in each field instead of guessing
- An MP-520 and MP-521 pair whose numbers reconcile
- Parenting plan wording specific enough to hold up
The step-by-step guide
A detailed walkthrough of the whole process: a day-one filing checklist, common mistakes that send a self-filed Montana packet back, and what to expect at the hearing. Plus the situational pieces most guides skip:
- MP-130 if one spouse can't attend the hearing
- MP-430 if either of you has an open Title IV-D/CSSD case
- The Affidavit for Entry of Decree Without Hearing, and when to ask your clerk about it
- MP-001 fee waiver affidavit if you can't afford the $200
- MP-140 sensitive data form, name-change, and certified-copy checklist
What this kit does not include
- A guarantee the court waives your hearing, accepts your paperwork as filed, or a single fixed total cost — the court controls scheduling and can require additional steps first
- The Montana Judicial Branch's/MLSA's copyrighted MP-series forms themselves — the Judicial Branch publishes them free for non-commercial use, so this kit is the instructions rather than the forms — our Montana divorce guide covers which ones a case like yours needs
- Service of process on your spouse — a joint dissolution needs none, but if your spouse won't co-petition, that's a different track with its own requirements
- The court's own $200/$50 fees, certified copies, or other local costs
- Legal advice about your specific situation, or review of your completed documents
PlainDivorce is a private publisher, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Montana Judicial Branch or Montana Legal Services Association. Always confirm the current forms and local requirements with your Clerk of District Court before filing.
Built for filing in Montana District Courts statewide — Yellowstone, Missoula, Gallatin, Flathead, Cascade, Lewis & Clark and every other county, though local practice can vary.
How It Works
A roadmap to your decree in Montana — not a promise of a specific outcome or timeline. Steps can vary slightly by judicial district.
Exchange & complete the packet together
Download the kit. Exchange MP-520 with each other — required by law, but never filed with the court — and prepare MP-521 together. Add MP-320 and the CSSD financial affidavit if you have children.
File your checklist with the clerk
Petition, hearing request, proposed hearing order, proposed property distribution, proposed decree, and the Vital Statistics form go to the Clerk of District Court together with the $200 fee (MP-520 is exchanged, not filed). If either of you has a Title IV-D/CSSD case, serve DPHHS with MP-430 as well.
Scheduling order, hearing, signed decree
Montana's instructions say you should receive a scheduling order within 120 days. Attending matters — if either of you can't, file a notarized MP-130 in advance. Once the judge signs your decree, file MP-704 and order certified copies.
Heard about a 20-day wait? That rule applies only to summary dissolution — a narrower track (no real property, under $20,000 unsecured debt, under $50,000 in assets, and a mutual waiver of maintenance and appeal rights) most couples don't qualify for. We explain the difference here.
Simple Pricing
| PlainDivorce Kit | Attorney | |
|---|---|---|
| Your cost | $129 | $1,500–$3,000 |
| Court fees | $250, paid to your clerk | $250, often billed by the firm |
| Right checklist chosen for you | Yes | Yes |
| Includes the official MP-series forms? | Instructions & worked examples, with links to the current free official forms | Yes |
| Step-by-step filing guide | Yes | N/A |
| Who sets the pace | You do | Their calendar |
Attorney fee range is a general estimate for uncontested cases; actual rates vary by firm and county.
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Download the kit, read it, and if it doesn't make your Montana filing clearer, email us within 30 days for a full refund. No forms to fill out, no explanation required.
Secure one-time payment · No subscription · Instant download
What Our Customers Say
Real stories from people who completed their divorce 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.
“A clear route to untie the knot — we knew exactly which forms were ours to fill out.”
Marc A.
Great Falls
“Best $129 I ever spent. A fraction of the cost of a traditional divorce.”
Evelyn Z.
Missoula
“Cheap in price, high in quality. The instructions made the paperwork straightforward.”
Isabella X.
Great Falls
“No drama, no fighting. Just a clear checklist that worked.”
Emma W.
Great Falls
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly do I get for $129?
A complete package of our own work, not a resale of the court's forms. You get a document checklist matched to your track, a set of worked examples showing exactly what belongs in each field, and a detailed step-by-step guide covering the day-one filing checklist, common mistakes that stall self-filed cases, and what to expect at the hearing — plus direct links to Montana's current official MP-series forms.
It's an instant download, one payment, no subscription.
Is there a 20-day waiting period in Montana?
Not for a joint dissolution. The 20-day rule applies only to summary dissolution, a separate track with strict limits — no real property, under $20,000 in unsecured debt incurred after marriage, under $50,000 in assets, and a mutual waiver of maintenance and appeal rights, among other conditions.
A joint dissolution on MP-122 or MP-121 has no statutory pre-decree waiting period. Montana's own instructions say you should get a scheduling order within 120 days of filing instead. A sole filing has a different clock: 21 days from service before a decree can be entered.
What are MP-520 and MP-521 in Montana?
MP-520, Disclosure of Income and Expenses, is what each spouse completes and exchanges with the other — it's required by law, but it is not filed with the court at the start of the case. MP-521, Proposed Property Distribution, is the form that lists every asset and debt and who takes what, and that one is filed with the clerk.
Once the judge approves it, MP-521 is attached to your decree as a court-ordered exhibit. That's why the kit includes a worked example showing how the two forms' numbers should line up.
Do we have to go to court?
Usually yes — Montana's instructions say you should receive a scheduling order within 120 days of filing, and attending is treated as important. Both spouses should attend; if one can't, they sign MP-130 (Consent to Entry of Decree), notarized, in advance.
Montana also publishes an Affidavit for Entry of Decree of Dissolution of Marriage Without Hearing, but whether it's accepted can depend on your judicial district. The kit includes it and explains when to ask your clerk about it.
What if we have children?
You'll use the MP-121 checklist, which adds the Proposed Parenting Plan MP-320 and a CSSD financial affidavit. The judge reviews the plan against the children's best interests, so vague scheduling language tends to get sent back. If either parent has a Title IV-D or CSSD case, you'll also need to serve the Department of Public Health and Human Services with MP-430.
The kit includes parenting plan wording specific enough to be enforceable, plus the MP-113-B/C/D/E petition attachments.
How long will the whole thing take?
There's no statutory pre-decree waiting period for a joint dissolution. Montana's own instructions say you should receive a scheduling order within 120 days of filing — after that, it's your county's calendar. Ask your clerk what the current wait looks like when you file.
Does PlainDivorce sell Montana's official MP-series court forms?
No. The Montana Judicial Branch and Montana Legal Services Association publish the MP-series forms free of charge, for non-commercial use. Your $129 pays for our original document checklist, worked examples, and step-by-step guide for completing and filing the current forms — which you can also get directly, at no cost, from the Judicial Branch's website.
What if the kit isn't right for my situation?
The eligibility check is free and runs before checkout, so most mismatches get caught before you pay. If you buy and it still isn't a fit, email us within 30 days for a full refund.
Important Legal Disclaimer
PlainDivorce is not a law firm and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Montana Judicial Branch or Montana Legal Services Association. We do not provide legal advice, we are not your attorney, and we do not represent you in court. The Montana Uncontested Divorce Kit is a self-help information product — original instructions, checklists, and worked examples for completing Montana's own current forms.
We do not guarantee that a judge will waive your hearing, that a clerk will accept your paperwork as filed, or a single total cost of your divorce. Court fees are set by statute and currently run about $250 ($200 to file the petition, $50 for entry of judgment), payable to your Clerk of District Court and subject to change. Local rules vary by judicial district. You are responsible for verifying current requirements with your clerk before filing.
Content last reviewed: September 2026.