Filing for Divorce in Lafayette County, Florida

Lafayette County is one of Florida's smallest counties by population. Divorce cases go to the Lafayette County Clerk of Court at the courthouse, 120 West Main Street in Mayo, the county's only incorporated city and its seat. The clerk's website does not list a dissolution of marriage filing fee, so call the Clerk's office directly for the current amount.

The Family Law page on lafayetteclerk.com notes that the Florida Supreme Court has created general information packets for self-represented divorce litigants. It links to the statewide flcourts.gov Family Law Forms page instead of hosting county-specific packets. A separate Fee Calculators tool on the site covers only deed and mortgage documentary-stamp tax, not court filing fees.

Self-represented Lafayette filers can use the statewide Florida Courts Family Law Self-Help Information page and FloridaLawHelp.org for the standard Form 12.901 series packets. This is effectively where the clerk's own page sends filers anyway.

Lafayette is part of the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. This option is worth using in a small county, since the courthouse in Mayo may be a long drive for residents spread across the rest of the county.

Where you file in Lafayette County, FL

Divorce cases in Lafayette County, FL are handled by the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette County, FL

Fla. Stat. 61.21's parenting course requirement applies in Lafayette the same as 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.

Contested Lafayette divorces generally fall under Florida's mediation referral rule, Fla. Stat. 61.183, with fees set on the state's income-based scale in Fla. Stat. 44.108. No Lafayette- or Third Circuit-specific fee table appears on the current official sites, so ask the clerk's office for the current mediation cost once a case is referred.

Lafayette's clerk sends filers to the statewide flcourts.gov forms page rather than hosting its own packets, and does not publish a fee schedule. Because of this, the most efficient path is usually to start directly with the statewide Florida Courts Family Law Self-Help Information page instead of searching lafayetteclerk.com first.

Official divorce resources in Lafayette County, FL

Lafayette County Courthouse handles divorce filings, located at 120 West Main Street, Mayo 32066.

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

Florida Courts Family Law Self-Help Information (https://www.flcourts.gov/Resources-Services/Family-Courts/Family-Law-Self-Help-Information) can help with procedure and paperwork. Lafayetteclerk.com's Family Law page states the Florida Supreme Court has created general information packets for self-represented divorce litigants, but links out to flcourts.gov's statewide Family Law Forms page rather than hosting its own dedicated self-help page.

• Lafayette County Clerk of Court
• Florida Courts Family Law Self-Help Information
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• FloridaLawHelp.org

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

Lafayette County, FL Divorce FAQs