Filing for Divorce in Bay County, Florida

Bay County divorce cases go through the Bay County Clerk of Court, Family Law Division, at the Bay County Courthouse, 300 E 4th St in Panama City, (850) 747-5100. The standard filing fee for dissolution of marriage is $397.50, listed directly on the clerk's fees page.

Bay is the largest county in Florida's Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, and it anchors the circuit's family court work, including a structured family mediation program. Contested Bay cases, meaning cases where spouses disagree over property, support, or parenting, go to mediation under Fourteenth Circuit Administrative Order 2007-00-03. That order covers dissolution of marriage, alimony, property distribution, parenting responsibility, child support, and parenting time.

Mediation fees follow a sliding scale tied to combined household income: $60 per person per session for combined income up to $50,000, and $120 per person per session for combined income between $50,000 and $100,000. Fees are paid to the clerk before the session. Sessions run about three hours, and most cases need only one. Families above $100,000 combined income use a private mediator instead. To schedule, contact mediation@jud14.flcourts.org.

Bay's clerk also offers TurboCourt for simplified dissolution filings, an added-fee option beyond the standard downloadable forms and the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com.

Where you file in Bay County, FL

Divorce cases in Bay County, FL are handled by the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Bay County. Because courthouse locations, hours, filing fees, and electronic filing options change over time and can differ between branches, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm the current address and filing details for your case:

Find the Bay County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)

The Florida divorce process, step by step

Florida calls divorce "dissolution of marriage," governed statewide by Florida Statutes chapter 61. At least one spouse generally must have lived in Florida for six months before filing (Fla. Stat. 61.021). The core steps are:

1. File a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with the circuit court.
2. Serve your spouse, or, if you are filing together and agree on all terms, file jointly and skip service.
3. Exchange mandatory financial disclosure, including a Financial Affidavit (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c) depending on income).
4. Reach a Marital Settlement Agreement, or ask the court to decide contested issues.
5. Attend a mandatory parenting course if you have minor children and your circuit requires one, then submit your final paperwork for the judge to enter a Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage.

The clerk's filing fee to open a dissolution case is generally around $409, and an application for civil indigent status is available if you cannot afford it (Fla. Stat. 57.082). Florida does not use a fixed statewide waiting period from filing to final judgment the way some states do; timing depends on your circuit's calendar, whether the case is contested, and how quickly required steps like financial disclosure are completed. Couples who agree on every term, have no minor children, and meet certain conditions may qualify for Florida's simplified dissolution of marriage process, which is faster.

Local notes for Bay County, FL

Florida's parenting course requirement, under Fla. Stat. 61.21, applies in Bay County the same as everywhere else in the state. Both parents in a case involving minor children must complete an approved course and file proof of completion before a judge signs a final judgment covering those children.

Bay serves as the Fourteenth Circuit's hub county, so its mediation program is documented in more depth than in most of the circuit's smaller counties. Three staff mediators plus contract mediators handle referrals under Administrative Order 2007-00-03, and fees go directly to the clerk before a session starts. Anyone who wants to argue that their combined income falls above or below a fee-scale threshold should be ready to document that income when scheduling.

Because the fee structure is spelled out clearly and applies circuit-wide, a Bay County filer heading into a contested divorce can budget $60 to $120 per person for a single mediation session before a final hearing. Filers in some of the circuit's smaller counties do not have that same clarity.

Official divorce resources in Bay County, FL

Bay County Courthouse handles divorce filings, located at 300 E 4th St, Panama City 32401. Phone: (850) 747-5100.

The filing fee is $397.50. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide, plus TurboCourt for simplified dissolutions.

Bay Clerk Family Law (https://www.baycoclerk.com/court-divisions/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Bay County Clerk Family Law page. Forms available via flcourts.gov or purchasable from the Clerk's office; simplified dissolutions can also be filed through TurboCourt for an added fee.

• Bay County Clerk of Court
• Family Law
• Fourteenth Circuit Family Mediation
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

Bay County, FL Divorce FAQs