File for Divorce Online in San Francisco County, California

The San Francisco 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.

Mandatory for attorneys in family law; self-represented parties are not subject to mandatory e-filing and may keep filing on paper. Since June 3, 2024 the e-filing manager is File & ServeXpress, with a court list of approved vendors. Exclusions are in Local Rule 2.11(D) and the E-Filing Special Instructions.

San Francisco court e-filing page and approved providers

MutualFile prepares your San Francisco 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 San Francisco follows standard California divorce procedure:

1. File the Petition (FL-100) and Summons (FL-110) with the San Francisco 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 San Francisco?

In San Francisco County it is neither exactly. The Judicial Council's 2026 statewide fee schedule sets $870 as the total joint-petition fee covering both spouses, but marks that fee as different in San Francisco because of a local courthouse-construction surcharge (a single first paper here is $450). The schedule does not print the San Francisco joint-petition total, so confirm the exact amount with the San Francisco County Superior Court before you file. The $435 figure applies only to a joint petition for summary dissolution, a separate short-marriage procedure with strict eligibility limits.

Source: Judicial Council Statewide Civil Fee Schedule (effective Jan 1, 2026).

Fee waivers in San Francisco

File FW-001 and FW-003 with your divorce papers at Room 402. The clerk either returns a stamped FW-003 the same day or mails it later. If denied, you have 10 days to pay or request a hearing (FW-006), or the filing is cancelled. The ACCESS Center helps with fee waiver forms. San Francisco court fee-waiver information.

See our full California divorce cost breakdown for more details.

As a city-county, San Francisco hears all divorces at the Unified Family Court in the Civic Center Courthouse. If no judgment is entered within 18 months of filing, the court sets a Family Centered Case Resolution hearing. Court review times vary; check sf.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.