Reviewed July 2026
Filing for Divorce in Maryland
A plain-language look at how divorce works under Maryland law: who can file, how long it takes, what it costs, and where Maryland's own court forms and self-help resources are.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California cases only. This page explains how the process works under Maryland law, using Maryland's own court forms and self-help resources, for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Maryland divorce paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
Maryland substantially reformed its divorce law effective October 1, 2023: the General Assembly repealed 'limited divorce' as a status entirely and eliminated every fault-based ground (adultery, desertion, cruelty, excessively vicious conduct, insanity, etc.), leaving only the three grounds in the current Family Law § 7-103 described above; this reform applies to cases filed on or after that date, with pending pre-reform cases unaffected. A distinctive feature post-reform: the mutual-consent and irreconcilable-differences grounds carry no minimum separation period whatsoever, so a couple with a complete settlement agreement (or simply irreconcilable differences) can file for absolute divorce immediately without ever having lived apart, only the separation ground itself requires 6 months apart. Property division in Maryland is not a direct split of jointly-titled assets; the court instead classifies and values 'marital property' and equalizes the equities mainly through a cash 'monetary award' rather than re-titling most property (Family Law § 8-205). Statewide e-filing through MDEC became fully universal on May 6, 2024, but remains optional, not mandatory, for self-represented divorce filers specifically, even though it is mandatory for attorneys.
Grounds for divorce in Maryland
No-fault grounds
- Six-month separation, parties have lived separate and apart, without interruption, for 6 months before filing (living under the same roof can still qualify if otherwise living separate lives)
- Irreconcilable differences, the complainant states reasons the marriage cannot be saved
- Mutual consent, both spouses execute a written settlement agreement resolving alimony, property, and any child-related issues, and the court finds any child-related terms serve the children's best interests
As of a major October 1, 2023 reform, Maryland Family Law § 7-103 recognizes exactly these three grounds, all effectively no-fault. The reform repealed Maryland's 'limited divorce' status and eliminated all fault-based grounds (adultery, desertion, cruelty, excessively vicious conduct, insanity, etc.) that previously existed; recrimination is not a defense to any of the three current grounds.
Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
Who can file: residency rules
No flat durational residency requirement if the grounds for divorce arose IN Maryland, either spouse simply needs to be a Maryland resident at filing (confirmed via the Maryland Judiciary's own divorce self-help page: 'You can file for Divorce in a Maryland circuit court if you or your spouse is a Maryland resident.'). If the grounds arose OUTSIDE Maryland, at least one spouse must have resided in Maryland for at least 6 months immediately before filing, per Family Law § 7-101.
Md. Code, Family Law § 7-101
Source: mdcourts.gov
How long it takes
No separate statutory cooling-off period apart from the grounds themselves. Two of Maryland's three grounds for absolute divorce, mutual consent and irreconcilable differences, impose no minimum separation or waiting period at all; a couple can file immediately if they qualify. The third ground, 6-month separation, itself requires the spouses to have lived separate and apart, without interruption, for at least 6 months before filing, that separation period functions as the 'waiting period' for that specific ground only.
Md. Code, Family Law § 7-103(a)(1)
Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
That figure is the statutory floor, not a promise. Service, exchanging financial disclosures, and the court's own hearing calendar routinely add time on top of it, and a contested case takes longer than an uncontested one regardless of the minimum. California, by comparison, requires a mandatory six month waiting period from the date of service.
Cost and filing fees
$165 to file a new civil case (including a Complaint for Absolute Divorce) if self-represented, or $175 if filed by an attorney. Set by the State Court Administrator with Board of Public Works approval and required to be uniform statewide under Md. Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings § 7-202, it is NOT a county-set fee, though some counties may add small local surcharges (e.g., a Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund surcharge) on top of the base filing fee.
Using the $165 self-represented rate; $175 applies if filed by an attorney.
Source: mdcourts.gov
California's own statewide filing fee is generally $435 to $450 statewide, with a fee waiver available for those who qualify.
Divorce forms and papers
The petition
CC-DR-020, Complaint for Absolute Divorce. Instructions are provided in a companion form (CC-DR-IN-020).
Source: mdcourts.gov
Fee waiver
CC-DC-089, 'Request for Waiver of Costs' (also referred to as 'Request for Waiver of Prepaid Costs'), authorized under Maryland Rule 1-325. Filing this form pauses docketing of the case until a judge rules on the waiver request.
Source: mdcourts.gov
Maryland publishes fillable forms for this process. The Maryland Judiciary publishes standardized downloadable PDF forms (the CC-DR series, e.g. CC-DR-020 Complaint, CC-DR-116 Marital Settlement Agreement) on its official Family Law Court Forms page; it also offers 'Maryland Guide & File,' a separate web-based guided-interview tool that helps fill out some court forms. https://www.mdcourts.gov/family/family-forms
California uses standardized Judicial Council forms, starting with the Petition (Form FL-100), across every county. See California's own divorce forms.
Filing online
Statewide and universal. Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) completed its rollout to all Maryland circuit and district courts on May 6, 2024. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys under Maryland Rule 20-106. It is optional for self-represented litigants, but once a self-represented filer e-files anything in a case, all subsequent filings in that same case must also be e-filed.
Source: mdcourts.gov
Uncontested and simplified divorce
Maryland offers a distinct simplified or summary track.
Yes, Maryland's mutual consent ground (Family Law § 7-103(a)(3)) functions as the state's uncontested/simplified track, not a separately-named 'summary dissolution' program. It's available to any couple regardless of marriage length or whether they have minor children, provided both spouses sign a complete written settlement agreement resolving alimony, marital property, and any custody/support/decision-making terms; complete a child support worksheet if applicable; neither party files anything to set the agreement aside; and the court is satisfied any child-related terms serve the children's best interests.
Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
California's equivalent is uncontested divorce in California, which uses the same statewide forms as any other case but moves faster once both spouses agree on every term.
Filing without a lawyer
Maryland allows self-represented filers, and most divorces filed in the state proceed this way. Because Virdix prepares paperwork for California cases only, a Maryland filer handling their own case works directly from Maryland's own forms and self-help materials rather than a Virdix-prepared packet. Maryland's official self-help resources are the direct source for the current forms and instructions.
For how self-representation works in the state Virdix does serve, see divorce without a lawyer in California and DIY divorce vs. hiring a lawyer.
More about divorce in Maryland
How property is divided
Equitable distribution, not community property, and Maryland is notably title-based rather than a direct-division state. Under Family Law § 8-205, after classifying and valuing 'marital property,' the court generally cannot just re-title most jointly built assets; instead it equalizes the equities primarily through a cash 'monetary award' from one spouse to the other, considering 11 statutory factors (each party's monetary and non-monetary contributions, economic circumstances, marriage duration, age and health, how/when property was acquired, prior awards, etc.). Direct transfer of title is limited mainly to pensions/retirement accounts and, with lienholder consent, the jointly-titled family home or family-use personal property.
Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
Child support guideline
Income Shares model, confirmed directly from statute. Family Law § 12-204(a)(1): 'The basic child support obligation shall be divided between the parents in proportion to their adjusted actual incomes.' Combined parental income and a statutory schedule (FL §§ 12-201 through 12-204) set the presumptive support amount, split proportionally between the parents; child care, health insurance, and extraordinary medical costs are divided the same way.
Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
Parenting class requirement
Not independently confirmedNot required by statute statewide.
No statewide mandatory parenting class/seminar for divorcing parents was confirmed. Maryland does require submission of a Parenting Plan (forms CC-DR-109/CC-DR-110, using the Maryland Parenting Plan Tool) in any case, including a divorce, that involves custody of a minor child; this is a document requirement, not a class attendance requirement. Some individual circuit courts run their own local parent-education or custody mediation programs (e.g., Montgomery County's Child Custody & Access Mediation Program), but that is county-level practice, not a statewide Judiciary mandate.
Source: courts.state.md.us
California is the only state on this site with a full county-by-county breakdown. See how California's divorce process compares across its 58 counties.
This page is general information about Maryland divorce procedure, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and forms change over time; confirm current details with Maryland's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law in Maryland, and does not prepare or file Maryland divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Maryland.