Reviewed August 2026
Uncontested Divorce Checklist in Arkansas
An Arkansas divorce counts as uncontested when both spouses agree to end the marriage and agree on every term. Arkansas has no separate summary-dissolution law like some states do. There is no shortcut statute and no shorter waiting period for agreed cases. The standard timelines apply either way. What changes in an uncontested case is the paperwork and how you get it. Legal Aid of Arkansas runs a free guided tool called the Divorce Packet. It screens filers for a simple case and then produces the pleadings. Arkansas's own court system does not publish a numbered statewide divorce complaint form.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how uncontested divorce checklist 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.
Get notified when Virdix reaches Arkansas
We'll send one email, nothing else, the day Arkansas launches.
What makes an Arkansas case simple enough to self-file
Legal Aid of Arkansas's Divorce Packet tool checks four things before it generates paperwork. The spouses have no minor children together. Neither spouse owns significant property. The filer has lived in Arkansas for the past 60 days. The other spouse is not an active-duty servicemember protected under federal law.
This is a practical screening tool, not a separate legal procedure. It does not shorten the waiting period or lower the filing fee. A case outside these four criteria can still be uncontested. It just needs more detailed paperwork than the guided tool produces.
Forms and where to find them
Arkansas does not issue a numbered statewide Complaint for Divorce form. The Arkansas Supreme Court Library's own guide to legal forms confirms this. Its official Court Forms page covers probate, child support, and protective-order forms, but not a divorce petition.
Self-represented filers instead use Legal Aid of Arkansas's Divorce Packet, a guided online interview that produces a complete Complaint for Divorce and related pleadings. A spouse who cannot afford the filing fee can file an In Forma Pauperis Affidavit instead, under Rule 72 of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure.
Grounds and the two separation periods
Most uncontested Arkansas divorces proceed on the no-fault ground: living separate and apart, without cohabiting, for 18 continuous months. Arkansas also keeps a long list of fault grounds on the books, including adultery and cruel treatment, but agreed cases rarely need them.
Arkansas adds a second, separate time period on top of this. A court cannot enter a decree until 30 days after the case is filed. That 30-day floor is waived only if the spouses already lived apart for 12 months before filing, or the other spouse was served by published warning order. The two separation periods, 18 months and 12 months, serve different purposes. Don't confuse them.
Residency and where to file
Either spouse must have lived in Arkansas for 60 days before the complaint is filed. Residency must then continue for three full months before the final decree is entered. File the case in circuit court, in the county where the plaintiff lives, unless the plaintiff lives out of state. In that case, file where the defendant lives.
Arkansas courts may, but do not have to, order parenting classes or mediation when a divorcing couple has minor children. Whether that happens depends on the individual judge, since the statute makes it optional rather than automatic.
Sources: Ark. Code Ann. section 9-12-301, grounds for divorce (Arkansas Code portal), Legal Aid of Arkansas, Divorce Packet (self-help tool), Arkansas Law Help, self-help legal resource, Arkansas Judiciary, Court Forms, Arkansas Judiciary, self-help services page
Not independently confirmed
- Specific section-level pages on arkleg.state.ar.us (the Arkansas Code portal) require an interactive search rather than a stable direct link, so statute text was cross-checked against a secondary legal-reference reproduction rather than a single loadable primary-source URL per section. The statute numbers cited (9-12-301, 9-12-307, 9-12-310, 9-12-322) should be looked up directly on the portal to confirm current wording.
- Arkansas's own self-help page for family law is minimal and directs filers to outside organizations rather than housing divorce-specific content itself, so some procedural detail (such as local circuit practice) may vary and is worth confirming with the filing circuit clerk.
Uncontested Divorce Checklist in Arkansas: frequently asked questions
Is there a simplified or summary divorce procedure in Arkansas?+
No. Arkansas has no separate summary-dissolution statute like some states do. Every case, contested or agreed, follows the same waiting periods and residency rules. What exists instead is a practical shortcut: Legal Aid of Arkansas's free Divorce Packet tool. It screens for a simple case, no children, no significant property, and generates the paperwork. It does not change any statutory deadline.
Where do I get Arkansas divorce forms?+
Arkansas's court system does not publish a numbered statewide divorce complaint form. Most self-represented filers use Legal Aid of Arkansas's Divorce Packet, a free guided online tool at arlawhelp.org that produces a complete Complaint for Divorce. The Arkansas Judiciary's own Court Forms page covers other matters, such as child support and probate, but not the divorce petition itself.
How long does an uncontested Arkansas divorce take?+
At least 30 days from filing, since no decree can be entered before then. That floor is waived only if the spouses already lived apart for 12 months before filing, or the other spouse was served through a published warning order. Separately, residency must continue for three full months before the final decree. The underlying no-fault ground itself requires 18 months of separation if that is the ground used.
What is Arkansas's residency requirement for divorce?+
Either spouse must have lived in Arkansas for 60 days before the complaint is filed. Residency then has to continue for three full months before the court enters a final decree. Actual physical presence in the state establishes this. No separate corroborating witness is required just to prove residency.
Can I get the Arkansas filing fee waived?+
Yes, if you cannot afford it. File an In Forma Pauperis Affidavit, an Arkansas Judiciary form filed under Rule 72 of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure. A related Affidavit of Financial Means form is used separately in child support and other support proceedings, so use the correct one for a divorce filing fee waiver.
Do we need a parenting class if we have minor children in Arkansas?+
Maybe. Under Ark. Code Ann. section 9-12-322, a court may require at least two hours of parenting classes, or mediation about custody and visitation, when minor children are involved. This is discretionary, decided case by case by the judge, not a uniform statewide mandate. Each party generally pays their own cost if a class or mediation is ordered.
This page is general information about uncontested divorce checklist 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.
If the court clerk rejects a document we prepared, we fix it for free until it's accepted. See how the guarantee works