Reviewed August 2026
Cost and Filing Fees in Arkansas
You file for divorce in Arkansas in circuit court. The circuit clerk collects a filing fee when you open the case. Arkansas's judiciary website does not publish one statewide dollar amount for this fee. Confirm the amount with the circuit clerk in the county where you plan to file, since fee schedules can differ by office. If you cannot afford the fee, Arkansas Rule of Civil Procedure 72 lets you ask the court to proceed In Forma Pauperis. You do this using an Affidavit in Support of Request to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. You will also need to pay to have your spouse served with the complaint. This page covers what Arkansas's court system publishes directly and notes what you should confirm locally.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how cost and filing fees works under Arkansas law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Arkansas paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
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Filing fee: set and collected by the circuit clerk
In Arkansas, divorce cases start as complaints for divorce filed in circuit court. The circuit clerk's office collects the filing fee when the case opens. The Arkansas Judiciary's statewide website does not list a single dollar amount for this fee. Confirm the current fee with the circuit clerk in the county where you will file, before you file.
Fee waiver: In Forma Pauperis affidavit under Rule 72
If the filing fee would be a hardship, Arkansas Rule of Civil Procedure 72 lets a petitioner ask the court to proceed In Forma Pauperis, meaning without prepaying fees, costs, or security. The Arkansas Judiciary publishes an Affidavit in Support of Request to Proceed In Forma Pauperis form for this purpose. It asks about your employment, your income sources over the past twelve months, your cash and bank balances, and your dependents, so the court can decide whether to waive the fees.
Service of process costs
Once you file, your spouse must be formally served with the complaint for divorce. Arkansas allows service by a sheriff, a private process server, or in some cases by mail or warning order. Each method has its own procedure and cost, set locally. The Arkansas Judiciary's statewide website does not publish one combined sheriff or process server fee. Confirm the current cost with the circuit clerk or sheriff's office in the county where service will happen.
Parenting classes
Some Arkansas circuit courts require parents with minor children to complete a parenting class as part of the divorce case. This rule comes from local circuit court policy, not a single statewide mandate published by the Arkansas Judiciary. Ask the circuit clerk or family law division where your case is filed whether a class applies to you and what it costs.
What drives the total cost up
An uncontested divorce, where both spouses agree on property division, custody, and support, keeps costs close to the filing fee and service cost. Costs climb when the case is contested. Extra motions, discovery of financial records and other evidence, contested hearings, and expert witnesses such as appraisers or custody evaluators all add expense beyond the base filing and service fees. Arkansas's court system does not publish average attorney fee figures. This page does not estimate a total cost, because that total depends on how contested the case becomes.
Sources: Arkansas Judiciary homepage, Arkansas Judiciary: Court Forms, Arkansas Judiciary: Affidavit in Support of Request to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Rule 72)
Not independently confirmed
- Exact dollar filing fee for a divorce complaint by circuit clerk (not published in one statewide figure on the Arkansas Judiciary website)
- Statewide sheriff or process server service fee
- Whether/where a parenting class is mandatory and its cost
Cost and Filing Fees in Arkansas: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Arkansas?+
The circuit clerk in the county where you file collects the filing fee. Arkansas's statewide judiciary website does not publish one combined dollar figure for divorce filings. Contact the circuit clerk's office where you plan to file to confirm the current fee before you file.
Can I get the filing fee waived if I can't afford it in Arkansas?+
Yes. Arkansas Rule of Civil Procedure 72 lets you file an Affidavit in Support of Request to Proceed In Forma Pauperis, asking the court to let you proceed without prepaying fees or costs. The form asks about your income, cash, bank balances, and dependents, so the court can decide.
How much does it cost to serve divorce papers in Arkansas?+
A sheriff, a private process server, or in some cases mail or warning order can handle service. Costs are set locally, not published as one statewide fee. Confirm the current cost with the circuit clerk or sheriff's office in the county where your spouse will be served.
Do I have to take a parenting class if I have kids in an Arkansas divorce?+
Some Arkansas circuit courts require a parenting class for cases involving minor children. This depends on local circuit court rules, not one statewide requirement. Check with the circuit clerk or family law division handling your case.
What makes an Arkansas divorce cost more than the filing fee?+
Contested issues drive up cost. Extra motions, discovery, contested hearings, and expert witnesses such as appraisers add expense beyond the base filing and service fees. An uncontested case, where both spouses agree, keeps costs lower.
Does Arkansas publish average attorney fees for divorce?+
No. Arkansas's court system does not publish average or typical attorney fee figures for divorce cases. Attorney fees vary by firm and by how contested the case gets, and courts do not track or report this figure.
This page is general information about cost and filing fees in Arkansas, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with Arkansas's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in Arkansas. Virdix does not prepare or file Arkansas divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Arkansas.
More Arkansas divorce guides
Virdix currently serves California and Florida
In the states Virdix serves, it guides you through that state's own court forms so your paperwork is complete and consistent before you file. If you're filing in Arkansas, the resources above are the right place to start, and the form above will tell you the moment Virdix reaches your state.
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