United States · State guide
Divorce inCalifornia.
Family law is state law. Here is how it works in California: the property rules, support, how to file, what it costs, who enforces it, and every FairWell guide and tool set up for California.
Official source: selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
Property division
Community property state: assets and debts acquired during the marriage are generally divided equally; separate property (pre-marital, gifts, inheritances) stays with the owner.
Residency and waiting period
Court: Superior CourtYou need six months in California and three months in the county before filing. The judgment can be final six months after service at the earliest.
Child support
California uses a statewide guideline formula. Both spouses must exchange preliminary and final declarations of disclosure. A simpler process, summary dissolution, exists for some short, simple marriages.
Retirement accounts
Workplace retirement plans are divided by a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) prepared after the decree; IRAs are divided by the decree itself. A former spouse married ten years or more may claim Social Security on the ex's record.
Enforcement
Child support is enforced by California Department of Child Support Services under the federal Title IV-D program: income withholding, tax refund intercepts, license suspension and passport denial for arrears.
Health insurance
Divorce ends a former spouse's eligibility on an employer plan. COBRA continuation is available for up to 36 months at full cost; the ACA marketplace opens a special enrollment period.
Official guidelines and tools
The government and court sources for child support, spousal support, the family law statute and self-help. Use these to check any estimate, including ours.
Common questions
How is property divided in a California divorce?
Community property state: assets and debts acquired during the marriage are generally divided equally; separate property (pre-marital, gifts, inheritances) stays with the owner.
How do I file for divorce in California?
You need six months in California and three months in the county before filing. The judgment can be final six months after service at the earliest. File in the Superior Court.
When does child support end in California?
Child support usually ends at 18, but continues for an unmarried, full-time high school student who is not self-supporting until they finish 12th grade or turn 19, whichever comes first. Both parents remain responsible for an adult child who cannot support themselves because of incapacity; college support is not required unless agreed.
What happens to property when unmarried couples separate in California?
California does not allow couples to form a common-law marriage, so unmarried partners who separate are not covered by the state's divorce property-division rules. Property generally belongs to whoever holds title, subject to any written agreement or contract between you.
How long do you need to live in California to file for divorce?
One spouse must have lived in California for the last 6 months and in the current county for the last 3 months before filing. Divorce is filed in the Superior Court of California for that county.
Official help: California Courts Self-Help Guide: Divorce. Rules change, so confirm with a family lawyer in California before you rely on them.
Read next
Guides for California
Filing for an uncontested divorce in the US
GuideWhat divorce costs in the US
GuideQDROs and retirement accounts
GuideDivorce and US taxes
GuideHealth insurance after divorce
GuideRelocation with children
GuideThe complete parenting plan guide
GuideYour separation date controls everything
GuideHidden assets: warning signs
GuideJoint debt at separation
GuideWhen your ex won't pay
GuideSeparating when there is abuse
Professionals
Family lawyers, mediators and coaches in California
Family lawyers
Listings marked Verified have been checked against the state bar directory. Each lawyer sets their own fees.
DirectoryMediators
Family mediators for parenting and financial issues. Listings marked Verified have been checked against their association.
DirectoryDivorce coaches and counselors
Decision support, communication and co-parenting help. What a coach does.
Are you a professional in California? List your practice.
California
Get organized in California
Guided questions for separation agreements, parenting plans and financial disclosure, linked to the official sources on this page and organized into a plain-language summary for a local family lawyer, who prepares the agreement and advises you.
Sources and further reading
This page is legal information, not legal advice. It summarizes how the process works in California so you can plan; the official sources above are where current fees, forms and deadlines live, and they are the final word if anything here differs. When you're ready, the assessment and FairWell's guided questions link to the rules for California; a local lawyer prepares any agreement and advises you before you sign.