Form FL-825 is the document that actually ends a California summary dissolution. It is easy to assume, based on the name, that you fill this out and file it six months after your case starts. In practice, you prepare and submit FL-825 at the very beginning, together with Form FL-800, and the court signs and enters it once your waiting period has passed.
Key Takeaway: FL-825 is prepared and filed together with Form FL-800 at the start of your summary dissolution case, not as a separate request six months later. The court enters the judgment once the six month waiting period has run, and the date in item 1a, not the entry date, is when your marriage or domestic partnership actually ends.
Form FL-825, Judgment of Dissolution and Notice of Entry of Judgment, is the California Judicial Council form that states the court's decision to end a marriage or domestic partnership through the summary dissolution procedure. It documents the date you become single again and tells both of you to comply with the property settlement agreement attached to the case.
FL-825 covers both marriage and domestic partnership dissolutions, and it has separate checkboxes to indicate which one applies. It replaced the older FL-820 form for cases filed on or after January 1, 2011.
The form itself is explicit about this: use FL-825 only if the Joint Petition for Summary Dissolution, Form FL-800, was filed on or after January 1, 2011. If your FL-800 was filed before that date, you would instead use Request for Judgment, Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage, and Notice of Entry of Judgment, Form FL-820.
Because it is now 2026, this distinction matters almost entirely as a historical footnote. Virtually every current summary dissolution case was started well after January 1, 2011, so FL-825 is the form nearly everyone needs. FL-820 remains relevant only to the rare case where a joint petition was filed before that date and the judgment still has not been entered. If that describes your situation, see our companion guide on Form FL-820.
<h2 id="when-you-file-it">When You Actually File FL-825</h2>This is the detail that trips people up most. Based on the official FL-810 instructions, the sequence looks like this:
- You complete your property settlement agreement and required financial disclosures with your spouse or domestic partner
- You fill out and sign Form FL-800, the Joint Petition for Summary Dissolution
- You also fill out FL-825 at this same time, completing the caption, checking items 1b or 1c if either of you wants a former name restored, and filling in both petitioners' addresses on page 2
- If you have a property settlement agreement, you staple it to the FL-825 judgment
- You take FL-800, FL-825, all your copies, and two self addressed, stamped envelopes to the superior court clerk's office together, along with the filing fee or a fee waiver request
The clerk files your joint petition and returns copies to you and your spouse or partner. The court may process the judgment itself at that time, in the next few weeks, or only after the six month waiting period expires, then mails or gives the entered judgment to both of you. Either way, you are not filing a brand new request six months into your case. The paperwork is already with the court, waiting on the calendar.
If you cannot afford the filing fee for FL-800 and FL-825, you can request a fee waiver at the same time using Form FW-001. Couples who do not meet the summary dissolution eligibility rules but still agree on everything may also want to compare this process against the newer joint petition process under Form FL-700, which does not have the same short marriage, no-children, or no-real-estate limits.
<h2 id="section-by-section">Section-by-Section Walkthrough of FL-825</h2>Here is what appears on the form itself.
Caption and Case Information
At the top, you fill in the superior court and county, the case number if one has already been assigned, and the names of Petitioner 1 and Petitioner 2. Unlike the older FL-820, which used "Husband" and "Wife," FL-825 uses "Petitioner 1" and "Petitioner 2" so it can apply equally to marriages and domestic partnerships.
1. The Court Orders
This is the substantive part of the judgment, completed by the judge:
- 1a. States the effective date the judgment of dissolution will be entered, restoring both parties to the status of single persons
- 1b. A checkbox to restore the former name of Petitioner 1, with a blank to specify the name
- 1c. A checkbox to restore the former name of Petitioner 2, with a blank to specify the name
The form also states that both petitioners must comply with any agreement attached to the judgment, meaning your signed property settlement agreement.
2. Notice of Entry of Judgment
This second section is completed by the court clerk once the judgment is entered. It checks whether the entry is for a marriage or a domestic partnership, states the date the judgment was entered, and is signed by the clerk. A Clerk's Certificate of Mailing on page 2 documents that a copy was mailed to each petitioner.
The Cancellation of Rights Notice
FL-825 includes a required notice explaining that dissolution can automatically cancel a spouse's or partner's rights under the other person's will, trust, retirement benefit plan, power of attorney, pay-on-death bank account, transfer-on-death vehicle registration, and joint tenancy survivorship rights. It does not automatically cancel rights as a beneficiary of the other person's life insurance policy. The notice recommends reviewing these documents, along with credit cards, other accounts, and credit reports, once your dissolution is final.
<h2 id="effective-date-vs-entry-date">Effective Date vs. Entry Date: Why the Difference Matters</h2>FL-825 contains an explicit warning that is easy to miss: the date the judgment is entered, shown in item 2, is not the date your divorce or domestic partnership termination is final.
The date that actually matters is the effective date in item 1a. That date is set by law to be six months from the date you filed Form FL-800, since California's mandatory six month waiting period still applies to summary dissolution even though the process is otherwise simplified. The court may process and even sign your judgment before that date arrives, but the dissolution itself does not take effect until the date in item 1a.
Do not assume you are legally single as soon as you receive FL-825 in the mail. Check item 1a specifically. That is the date you are free to remarry, register a new domestic partnership, and the date your property settlement agreement becomes binding.
Once the effective date in item 1a arrives, four things happen at the same time, based on the FL-810 booklet's description of this step:
- Your marriage, domestic partnership, or both, is legally ended
- The agreements in your property settlement agreement become binding, meaning you own what was assigned to you and you owe what was assigned to you
- Except for what is in that agreement, you and your former spouse or partner have no further financial obligations to each other
- You are legally free to remarry or register a new domestic partnership
For background on the eligibility rules and process that lead up to this point, see our guide on Form FL-800: California Summary Dissolution Guide, and for the booklet you are required to read before any of this starts, see What Is Form FL-810?
<h2 id="stopping-the-process">Stopping the Process Before Judgment Takes Effect</h2>Either spouse or domestic partner can stop a summary dissolution any time before the effective date in item 1a by filing Form FL-830, Notice of Revocation of Petition for Summary Dissolution, with the superior court clerk and mailing a copy to the other party. Filing FL-830 cancels the entire proceeding, including the property settlement agreement.
Once the effective date has passed, FL-830 can no longer stop the dissolution. At that point, other legal options may exist, but you would need to talk to a family law attorney about them rather than relying on the revocation form.
<h2 id="common-mistakes">Common Mistakes to Avoid</h2>- Waiting until six months after filing FL-800 to prepare FL-825, instead of completing and submitting it together with your joint petition
- Confusing the entry date in item 2 with the effective date in item 1a, and assuming your dissolution is final on the wrong date
- Using FL-820 instead of FL-825 for a case filed after January 1, 2011, or the reverse for an older case
- Forgetting to check items 1b or 1c if either of you wants a former name restored, which means the judge has nothing to order on that point
- Not stapling the signed property settlement agreement to the judgment before filing
What is Form FL-825 used for?
Form FL-825, Judgment of Dissolution and Notice of Entry of Judgment, is the document that finalizes a California summary dissolution. It states the date your marriage or domestic partnership legally ends and confirms the date the judgment was entered into the court record. Use it only if your Joint Petition for Summary Dissolution, Form FL-800, was filed on or after January 1, 2011.
When do I fill out and file FL-825?
You prepare FL-825 at the same time as Form FL-800, not six months later. Both are filed together with the superior court clerk when you start your case. The court then signs and enters the judgment once your six month waiting period has passed, and mails a copy to each of you.
What is the difference between FL-825 and FL-820?
FL-825 is used when the Joint Petition for Summary Dissolution, Form FL-800, was filed on or after January 1, 2011, and it covers both marriage and domestic partnership. FL-820 is used only if the FL-800 was filed before January 1, 2011, and it covers marriage only. Because virtually every case filed today falls under the newer rule, almost everyone uses FL-825, not FL-820.
Is the entry date on FL-825 the same as my divorce finalization date?
No. The form itself warns that the date the judgment is entered, listed in item 2, is not the date your divorce or domestic partnership termination is final. The date your marriage or partnership actually ends is the effective date in item 1a, which is six months from the date you filed Form FL-800.
Can I stop the process after FL-825 has been filed?
Yes, as long as the effective date in item 1a has not yet passed. Either spouse or domestic partner can file Form FL-830, Notice of Revocation of Petition for Summary Dissolution, with the court clerk during the six month waiting period. Once the effective date passes, FL-825 can no longer be stopped by filing FL-830.
Does FL-825 restore my former name?
It can, if you ask for it. Items 1b and 1c on FL-825 let each petitioner request that a former name be restored. You need to specify the name and check the corresponding box when you prepare the form so the judge can include it in the order.
How Virdix Helps With FL-825
Getting FL-825 right mostly comes down to timing and consistency: preparing it correctly alongside FL-800 rather than treating it as a later step, and making sure the case details match the rest of your file. Virdix is built to help with that:
- Guided preparation, so FL-825 is completed and ready to file at the same time as your FL-800 joint petition
- Consistency checks, so case numbers, party names, and addresses match across your entire filing
- Effective date tracking, so you know exactly when your six month waiting period ends and your dissolution becomes final
- Revocation guidance, so you understand your options with Form FL-830 if your plans change
We do not replace an attorney for contested or complex situations, but for couples who clearly meet the requirements, Virdix helps make sure your FL-825 is complete and consistent from the start. You can also browse our county-by-county divorce guides for local court details.
Start Your California Filing →
Last updated: July 2026. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed California family law attorney.
Sources: Form FL-825, Judgment of Dissolution and Notice of Entry of Judgment, Form FL-810, Summary Dissolution Information, California Courts Self-Help Center (selfhelp.courts.ca.gov), Judicial Council of California