Home New York Uncontested Divorce Kit
2026 edition • Built around the NY Unified Court System's own Uncontested Divorce PacketNew York Uncontested Divorce Kit
Decode New York's uncontested divorce packet and file in Supreme Court without a lawyer — the exact form set depends on your facts, and we show you which ones apply.
- Both starting routes explained — Summons with Notice (UD-1) or Summons with Verified Complaint
- Situational-form checklist sized to your facts, not a fixed form count
- Free eligibility check before you pay anything
- Instant PDF download — $129 one-time, no subscription
Takes 2 minutes to check · no commitment
“I was surprised at how fast we could get this done. No waiting around for lawyers.”
Laura K. · Syracuse, New York
Is This Kit Right for You?
New York's residency rule has three separate paths — you only need to satisfy one. This is a preliminary screen, not a full jurisdiction opinion.
Use this kit if:
- Either spouse has lived in NY continuously for 2 years — or 1 year plus you married in NY, lived in NY as a couple, or your grounds happened in NY — or you're both NY residents now and your grounds happened in NY.
- Your marriage has been irretrievably broken for at least 6 months, and you and your spouse have agreed on (or are ready to have a court decide) property, debt, support, and custody.
- Your spouse will either sign the Affirmation of Defendant (UD-7) without objection, or won't respond at all (default).
- Neither of you plans to ask the court for anything your spouse disputes — no contested custody, no disputed support amount, no argument over property.
Talk to a lawyer if:
- You don't meet any of the three residency paths above.
- Your spouse files a Notice of Appearance or an Answer — that makes your case contested, and this packet no longer applies.
- You need the court to sort out a disputed pension, business, real estate, or custody arrangement you and your spouse can't agree on yourselves.
- You can't locate your spouse to serve them, you already have a foreign divorce, another matrimonial action is pending, or you're under 18.
If any of these apply, the NY Courts Help Centers and a family law attorney can point you to the right forms — this kit is built for the uncontested route only.
What Happens After You Serve Your Spouse?
There are three possible paths from here — only two of them stay on the uncontested track this kit covers.
Spouse signs UD-7
Your spouse signs and returns the notarized Affirmation of Defendant. You can then file the rest of the papers and have your case calendared for the judge's review right away — no 40-day wait.
Spouse defaults
If your spouse doesn't respond at all, you wait 40 days from the date they were served before filing the remaining papers. Still uncontested — just slower.
Spouse contests
If your spouse files a Notice of Appearance or an Answer, your case becomes contested. This kit doesn't cover that path — you'll likely want a family law attorney from that point.
After your papers are filed, the judge reviews the file. If there are no problems, the judge signs the Judgment — but the court can always ask you for more information first, and no self-help product can guarantee otherwise.
Why Not Just Use the Court's Free Forms?
You can — nycourts.gov publishes every form in this packet for free. What it doesn't give you is a single roadmap connecting your specific facts (residency path, children, service outcome) to the exact subset of forms and sequence you need. That's what mistakes on service, the Note of Issue, or a missing worksheet usually come from.
Far less than a lawyer
NY uncontested-divorce attorneys commonly quote $2,500–$5,000 — you keep the difference between that and our one-time kit price, shown alongside.
Avoid Note of Issue & service mistakes
Filing the Note of Issue or serving papers incorrectly can stall a case for months. We walk through the 120-day service deadline, the two starting routes, and exactly when to file the Note of Issue and RJI.
Your Total Out-of-Pocket
$335 is the court's own published minimum and doesn't include a $35 settlement-agreement filing fee (if you have one), certified-copy fees, process-server costs, or county-specific extras. Verify current fees with your County Clerk. A fee waiver is available for financial hardship. Attorney figure is an illustrative estimate, not a quote.
What's Inside the Kit
The Unified Court System's Uncontested Divorce Packet, organized into what every case needs and what depends on your facts.
Required in Every Case
Only If It Applies to You
Step-by-Step Roadmap
Plain-English steps from buying your Index Number and choosing your starting route, through service, the 40-day/UD-7 fork, and filing the Note of Issue and Judgment papers.
What this kit does not include
- Representation if your spouse contests the divorce, files an Answer, or appears in court — that requires a different, contested process
- A guarantee that the court will accept your papers as filed or waive a hearing — the judge reviews and decides, and can ask for more
- Court filing fees, process-server fees, or legal advice about your specific situation
PlainDivorce is a private publisher, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the New York Unified Court System. Always confirm current forms, fees, and local requirements with your County Clerk before filing.
Built for filing in NY Supreme Court statewide — including New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx, Westchester, Erie, and Onondaga counties.
Forms are modeled on the official NY Unified Court System Uncontested Divorce Packet. PlainDivorce is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the New York courts.
How It Works
A roadmap to your Judgment — not a promised timeline, since court review, service outcomes, and county practice vary.
Index Number & Start Papers
Download the kit. Buy an Index Number from the County Clerk (fee shown alongside), then file your Summons with Notice or your Summons + Verified Complaint — pick one route.
Serve Your Spouse
Serve within 120 days of filing, along with the required notices. Have the server return a signed Affirmation of Service.
UD-7 or 40-Day Wait
If your spouse signs the Affirmation of Defendant (UD-7), file the rest right away. Otherwise, wait 40 days from service for the default track.
Note of Issue & Judgment
File the remaining forms and pay the Note of Issue/RJI fee (shown alongside). Once the judge signs, file the Judgment with the Clerk and serve your spouse the Notice of Entry.
Simple Pricing vs. Lawyer Fees
| Feature | PlainDivorce Kit | Typical Lawyer |
|---|---|---|
| Total Cost | $129 | $2,500+ |
| Process Control | You set the pace (DIY) | Lawyer's schedule |
| Includes Forms? | Yes — matched to your case | Yes |
Secure One-Time Payment · No Subscriptions
If Your Case Isn't Eligible, You Get Your Money Back
If you buy the kit and then discover you don't meet New York's residency test, your spouse contests the divorce, or your situation doesn't fit the uncontested route, email us within 30 days and we will refund you in full. We would rather lose the sale than have you file something that doesn't fit your case.
Refunds are handled by our support team. See our Terms of Use for full details.
What Our Clients Say
Real stories from people who used PlainDivorce to complete 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.
“I was surprised at how fast we could get this done. No waiting around for lawyers.”
Laura K.
Syracuse
“Approved on the first try. I was so relieved.”
Isabella Q.
New York City
“Made a painful process much more bearable.”
Andrew X.
Buffalo
“I can't believe I almost paid a lawyer thousands for this. This kit has everything.”
Emily L.
New York City
Frequently Asked Questions
What forms do I actually need?
It depends on your case. Every uncontested filer needs a starting Summons, required notices, the Affirmation of Plaintiff (UD-6), a Note of Issue, Findings of Fact, and a Judgment of Divorce. On top of that, you may need the Affirmation of Defendant (UD-7), income/support worksheets, a religious-barriers statement, or fee-waiver forms, depending on your facts. We show you exactly which apply to you rather than selling a fixed, one-size-fits-all stack.
What are the two ways to start my case?
You file either a Summons with Notice (UD-1), or a Summons (UD-1a) together with a Verified Complaint (UD-2). These are two alternative routes to start the same kind of case — not two documents you file together.
Do I meet the residency requirement?
New York gives you three ways to qualify: two years of continuous residency by either spouse; one year of continuous residency plus you married in NY, lived in NY as a married couple, or your grounds happened in NY; or both of you being current NY residents with grounds that happened in NY. Many filers who assume they don't qualify actually do under the second or third path.
What if my spouse won't sign anything?
If your spouse signs the Affirmation of Defendant, you can file the rest of your papers and get calendared right away. If they simply don't respond within the deadline, you wait 40 days from the date they were served, then proceed on default. Either way, this stays uncontested. If they instead file a Notice of Appearance or an Answer, your case becomes contested and this kit no longer applies.
Do I have to go to court?
Often you don't need to personally appear — if there are no problems with your papers, the judge reviews the file and signs the Judgment. But the court can ask for more information, and we can't promise your specific case will be decided without any further step. That decision belongs to the judge, not to us.
How much are the court fees?
Two main fees: $210 for the index number when you start the case, and $125 for the Note of Issue and Request for Judicial Intervention when you're ready for the judge's review. The court publishes a $335 minimum total, which doesn't include a $35 settlement-agreement filing fee (if you have one), certified copies, or service costs. A fee waiver is available if you qualify for financial hardship relief.
What if we have children together?
You'll need additional forms the childless packet doesn't require — the income, maintenance, and child support worksheets, an RJI addendum, and a Child Support Summary Form, plus the Child Support Standards Chart served with your Summons. Our roadmap flags every one of these so you don't file an incomplete packet.
Aren't these forms free from the New York courts?
Yes, and we say so plainly — nycourts.gov publishes the whole Uncontested Divorce Packet for free. What the state doesn't hand you is a roadmap connecting your specific residency path, service outcome, and family situation to the right subset of forms in the right order. That's what the $129 buys. If you're comfortable working it out yourself from the court's own packet, please do that instead.
What if it turns out my case isn't right for this kit?
Email support within 30 days and we will refund you in full. See our Terms of Use for details. We are not a law firm, cannot give legal advice, and cannot appear or file on your behalf — you file with your County Clerk yourself.
Find out in 60 seconds whether the uncontested track fits.
Answer a few questions about your residency path, grounds, and how your spouse is likely to respond. If it fits, you can download the kit immediately. If it doesn't, we'll tell you that instead.
Check Eligibility & Get the Kit$129 one-time · Instant PDF download · 30-day refund if it doesn't fit
Important Legal Disclaimer
PlainDivorce is not a law firm and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the New York Unified Court System or any New York court. We do not provide legal advice, do not represent you in court, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using this site or the kit. The New York Uncontested Divorce Kit is a self-help information product built around the court's own free Uncontested Divorce Packet.
We do not guarantee that your court will waive a hearing or personal appearance, that your paperwork will be accepted as filed, that your spouse will not contest the case, or a single total cost of your divorce. Court rules and fees vary by county and change over time. The most recently published minimum court filing fees total $335 ($210 index number + $125 Note of Issue/RJI), set by the court, not by us. You are responsible for verifying current requirements and fees with your County Clerk before filing.
If your spouse files a Notice of Appearance or an Answer, your case becomes contested and this product no longer applies — consult a family law attorney. If you are experiencing domestic violence or feel unsafe, do not use a self-help kit to negotiate; contact a New York legal aid organization or an attorney.
Content last reviewed: September 2026.