Filing for Divorce in Gulf County, Florida

File Gulf County divorce paperwork with the Gulf County Clerk of Court at the county courthouse, 1000 Cecil G. Costin, Sr. Blvd, Room 148, in Port St. Joe. The dissolution of marriage filing fee runs around $397.50, the same amount charged by neighboring Fourteenth Circuit counties Bay and Washington.

Gulf's own Family Law page covers dissolution of marriage, domestic violence, and other family matters in general terms, but it doesn't host downloadable forms. Self-represented litigants instead buy packets at the Clerk's office in Port St. Joe, or download the standard Form 12.901 series free from flcourts.org.

Gulf is part of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit and shares the circuit-wide family mediation program run out of Bay County. A contested Gulf divorce, where spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting, gets referred to mediation under Administrative Order 2007-00-03. The fee scale is the same used throughout the circuit: $60 per person per session for combined household income up to $50,000, and $120 per person per session for income between $50,000 and $100,000.

Gulf also takes part in the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com, so filers along this stretch of the Gulf coast have an electronic filing option.

Where you file in Gulf County, FL

Divorce cases in Gulf County, FL are handled by the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Gulf 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 Gulf 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 Gulf County, FL

Fla. Stat. 61.21's parenting course requirement applies in Gulf just like it does statewide. Both parents in a case involving minor children must complete an approved course and file proof of completion before a judge enters a final judgment covering those children.

Gulf shares the Fourteenth Circuit's mediation program rather than running its own. A filer referred to mediation should schedule through mediation@jud14.flcourts.org and pay the same $60 to $120 per-person, per-session fee scale used circuit-wide, based on combined household income. Sessions are paid to the clerk beforehand.

Gulf's clerk doesn't host divorce forms on its own site. A self-represented filer without reliable printing access may find it easier to buy a packet in person at the Port St. Joe courthouse than to download and print the flcourts.org forms at home.

Official divorce resources in Gulf County, FL

Gulf County Courthouse handles divorce filings, located at 1000 Cecil G. Costin, Sr. Blvd, Room 148, Port St. Joe 32456.

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

Gulf Clerk Family Law (https://www.gulfclerk.com/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Explains dissolution of marriage, domestic violence, and other family matters but does not host forms itself; directs self-represented litigants to purchase packets at the Clerk's office or use the flcourts.org forms page.

• Gulf 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.

Gulf County, FL Divorce FAQs