Reviewed August 2026
Forms in Texas
Texas has no standardized, state-issued numbered petition form, unlike California or Florida. The pleading that starts a Texas divorce case is called the Original Petition for Divorce. That term appears throughout the Family Code and in court rules. But the petition is drafted as an attorney-style pleading, not filled in on a numbered, Judicial Council-style form. The state judiciary does not publish a numbered, fillable statewide divorce petition. Because of that gap, the recognized self-help source for Texas divorce paperwork is TexasLawHelp.org. It is a legal-aid nonprofit, a project of Texas Legal Services Center, not the Texas Judicial Branch or Office of Court Administration. This is a real exception among the states covered here. Everywhere else, state courts are the primary forms source. In Texas, the self-help forms filers actually use come from the legal-aid sector.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how forms works under Texas law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Texas paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
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Where to get Texas divorce forms
texaslawhelp.org is the recognized statewide self-help hub for divorce forms and step-by-step guides. It publishes two separate kits, depending on whether the case involves minor children. These are 'I Need a Divorce, We Do Not Have Minor Children' and 'I Need a Divorce, We Have Children Under 18.' txcourts.gov, the Texas Judicial Branch's official site, publishes the one form the state judiciary issues directly: the fee-waiver affidavit.
The Original Petition for Divorce and TexasLawHelp's kit numbers
TexasLawHelp.org publishes its own self-help kit versions of the Original Petition for Divorce. It uses its own internal kit-numbering convention: FM-DivA-100 for opposite-sex marriages and FM-DivD-100 for same-sex marriages. These numbers let users track the kit's own document set. They are TexasLawHelp's organizing scheme, not an official Texas court form number. No equivalent numbered form comes from the state judiciary itself.
Financial disclosure, UCCJEA, and the fee waiver
TexasLawHelp's divorce kits include a Child Information Sheet and related disclosure documents for cases involving children. These cover custody-jurisdiction details consistent with the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. The official sites do not publish a standalone, separately numbered financial disclosure form; that information is folded into the kit's inventory and property documents. The Texas Judicial Branch does publish one part of this process as an official statewide form. It is the Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs (or an Appeal Bond). This is a bilingual English/Spanish form under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145, available from txcourts.gov.
E-filing: mandatory for attorneys, optional for self-represented filers
E-filing is mandatory for attorneys in Texas. This applies to civil, family, probate, and criminal cases in the Texas Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, Courts of Appeals, and all district and county courts. Attorneys file through the eFileTexas.gov portal. Non-attorney filers are not required to e-file, but they are encouraged to. Participation and local practice can still vary court to court. Some Justice of the Peace courts permit e-filing only voluntarily.
Filing fees vary by county, not by statute
Texas has no statewide divorce filing fee. Fees for an Original Petition for Divorce are set at the county or district-clerk level, not by state statute. Filers must confirm the current amount with the specific county's district clerk. TexasLawHelp tells filers plainly that fees vary by county. It advises them to contact the district clerk in the filing county to learn the current fee.
Sources: TexasLawHelp: I Need a Divorce, no minor children, Texas Judicial Branch (txcourts.gov), eFileTexas.gov, Texas fee-waiver affidavit (Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs)
Not independently confirmed
- Exact name/number of a standalone financial disclosure form within TexasLawHelp's kits, distinct from the inventory/property documents
- Whether TexasLawHelp issues a separately titled UCCJEA affidavit or folds that information into the Child Information Sheet and petition
Forms in Texas: frequently asked questions
Does Texas have an official state divorce petition form?+
No. Texas has no standardized, state-issued numbered petition form. The pleading that starts a case, the Original Petition for Divorce, is drafted as an attorney-style pleading. TexasLawHelp.org, a legal-aid nonprofit, publishes its own self-help kit versions under its own internal numbering.
Why does TexasLawHelp, not the Texas courts, publish the main divorce forms?+
Because the Texas Judicial Branch does not publish a numbered, fillable statewide divorce petition form the way California or Florida do. TexasLawHelp.org, a project of Texas Legal Services Center, fills that role instead as the recognized self-help source.
What is FM-DivA-100 in Texas?+
It is TexasLawHelp.org's internal kit number for its self-help Original Petition for Divorce document, used for opposite-sex marriages without minor children. This number is TexasLawHelp's own organizing scheme, not an official Texas court form number.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Texas?+
There is no statewide fee; Texas sets filing fees at the county or district-clerk level. Confirm the current amount directly with the district clerk in the county where you plan to file.
Is there an official Texas fee waiver form?+
Yes. The Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs (or an Appeal Bond) is a bilingual English/Spanish form. The Texas Judicial Branch publishes it directly under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145, available from txcourts.gov. Unlike the petition itself, this is an official, state-issued form.
Can I e-file my Texas divorce without a lawyer?+
Yes, if you choose to. E-filing through eFileTexas.gov is mandatory for attorneys but optional, and encouraged, for self-represented filers. Some Justice of the Peace courts permit e-filing only voluntarily, so local practice can vary.
This page is general information about forms in Texas, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with Texas's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in Texas. Virdix does not prepare or file Texas divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Texas.
More Texas 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 Texas, 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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