File for Divorce Online in Monterey County, California

The Monterey County Superior Court accepts electronic filing (e-filing) for family law cases through approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs). If you are representing yourself, e-filing is optional — you can still file on paper.

Attorneys must e-file; self-represented litigants are encouraged but not mandated. Filers pick a certified eCourt EFSP from the court's list (updated 01/16/2026). Tyler Technologies can no longer submit e-filings to Monterey.

Monterey court e-filing page and approved providers

MutualFile prepares your Monterey divorce forms so they are court-ready, then walks you through exactly how to submit them — whether you e-file through an EFSP, file in person, or file by mail. You file with the court yourself; we make sure the paperwork is complete before you do.

The process in Monterey follows standard California divorce procedure:

1. File the Petition (FL-100) and Summons (FL-110) with the Monterey County Superior Court
2. Serve your spouse with the filed documents
3. Exchange financial disclosures (FL-140, FL-142, FL-150)
4. Spouse has 30 days to respond after being served
5. Reach a settlement agreement or proceed through court proceedings
6. Submit the Judgment (FL-180) for the court to review and sign
7. The 6-month waiting period must pass before the divorce is final

For a full walkthrough, see our step-by-step California divorce guide.

Joint petition: $435 or $870 in Monterey?

$870 — and that is the total for your case, not per spouse. A joint petition (FL-700) for dissolution or legal separation filed with the Monterey County Superior Court carries one combined $870 fee that covers both spouses' appearances, in place of the separate Petition and Response fees in a traditional filing. If one spouse later revokes the joint petition, the schedule says no additional first-appearance fee is due from either of you. The $435 figure applies only to a joint petition for summary dissolution, a separate short-marriage procedure with strict eligibility limits. Fee waivers are available for those who qualify.

Source: Judicial Council Statewide Civil Fee Schedule (effective Jan 1, 2026); Petition and Response fees from the 2026 State Civil Fee & Local Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026).

Fee waivers in Monterey

Filing fees are due at filing unless you apply for a fee waiver on FW-001; the Family & Child Custody page links FW-001 and FW-001-INFO. The Self-Help Center reviews completed forms in person at all three locations. Monterey court fee-waiver information.

See our full California divorce cost breakdown for more details.

Monterey County handles family law cases at the Monterey Courthouse on Aguajito Road. Processing times vary; check monterey.courts.ca.gov for current estimates.

California has a mandatory 6-month waiting period. In a traditional divorce it runs from the date your spouse is served; in a joint petition (SB 1427) it runs from the date you file, because there is no service step. Either way this is the legal minimum — no divorce can be finalized before this period passes, regardless of how quickly you complete your paperwork.