Filing for Divorce in Hardee County, Florida

File your Hardee County divorce paperwork with the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller at 417 W. Main Street, Suite 202, in Wauchula. The clerk's Pro Se Packets & Fees program is the main resource for anyone representing themselves. Packets for the Florida Supreme Court's simplified and contested dissolution forms cost $6.15 to $24.35, far less than the $408 total filing fee, which includes a $10.50 judgment fee collected as part of the case.

Hardee is a small, rural county in the Tenth Judicial Circuit, shared with Highlands and Polk counties. Self-represented parties can e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal or bring paper forms to the clerk's office, open weekdays 8:30am to 4:00pm.

If your case involves minor children, both parents must complete a state-approved parenting course before the judge signs off. Hardee's simplified dissolution packet only fits couples with no children together, no property left to divide, and no alimony request.

Clerk staff can sell you the correct packet and point you to the Family Court Self-Help Program phone line, 1-800-780-5346 extension 4015. They cannot tell you which forms fit your specific situation.

Where you file in Hardee County, FL

Divorce cases in Hardee County, FL are handled by the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Hardee 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 Hardee 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 Hardee County, FL

Hardee is one of the smaller counties in the Tenth Circuit, so its clerk's office doubles as the main point of contact for both filing and self-help packets rather than running a separate self-help center. The Family Court Self-Help Program phone line, shared with other circuit counties, is a faster way to ask general procedural questions than visiting in person, especially if you live far from Wauchula.

The circuit's self-help website also links virtual hearing tutorials for Zoom and Teams, since some Tenth Circuit family hearings, including in Hardee, happen remotely. Check your notice of hearing to see whether you need to appear in person or virtually.

If the $408 filing fee is out of reach, the clerk's office has indigent fee waiver applications on hand. A judge still has to approve the waiver before it takes effect, so file it as early in your case as possible.

Official divorce resources in Hardee County, FL

Hardee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller handles divorce filings, located at 417 W. Main Street, Suite 202, Wauchula 33873.

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/. The clerk's fee schedule lists Marriage Dissolution/Annulment at $408, which it notes includes a $10.50 judgment fee. Hardee is a small, rural county, and the clerk's site mostly points self-represented filers to the statewide e-filing portal for details beyond paper filing.

Pro Se Packets & Fees Program (https://www.hardeeclerk.com/departments/family-law/pro-se-packets-fees/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Offers Florida Supreme Court simplified and contested dissolution packets, child support and parenting plan modification packets, paternity, name change, and stepparent adoption packets, priced $6.15 to $24.35. Family Court Self-Help Program phone 1-800-780-5346 ext. 4015. Clerk located at 417 W. Main St, Suite 202, Wauchula, FL 33873, Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm.

• Hardee Clerk - Pro Se Packets & Fees
• Tenth Judicial Circuit Self-Help
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• DCF Parent Education Course Providers

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

Hardee County, FL Divorce FAQs