Uncontested divorce Arizona couples pursue is the fastest and cheapest version of dissolution the state offers, and a 2022 law made it faster still. “Uncontested” means the spouses agree on everything: property, debt, parenting, and support. When that is true, nobody needs a trial, and in many cases nobody even needs to be formally served. This guide walks through the two consent routes, what full agreement actually requires, and the timeline and cost each route carries.
What uncontested divorce Arizona law actually requires
Agreement has to be complete, not approximate. The spouses must resolve the division of every community asset and debt, legal decision-making and parenting time for any children, child support under the state guidelines, and spousal maintenance. One unresolved issue makes the case contested on that issue. Arizona remains a no-fault state either way. Under A.R.S. § 25-312, the court needs a finding that the marriage is irretrievably broken, plus at least 90 days of Arizona domicile by one spouse. Nobody has to prove wrongdoing, and agreeing to divorce is not something a court second-guesses.
The summary consent decree: uncontested divorce Arizona style, streamlined
Since 2022, couples who reach a comprehensive settlement before anyone files can use A.R.S. § 25-314.01. The spouses file a single combined petition and response together. Formal service of process is waived in the filing itself, which removes the process server from the picture entirely. The filing fee is cut to fifty percent of the combined petition-and-response total. In Maricopa County that currently means $331.50, instead of $376 to file plus $287 to respond. The parties then submit their signed agreements and proposed decree, either at filing or within 60 days. The court cannot enter the decree earlier than 60 days after filing, consistent with the waiting period in A.R.S. § 25-329, and either spouse can withdraw during that window. A cooperative couple with paperwork in order can realistically be divorced shortly after day 60.
The traditional consent decree route
Plenty of divorces start contested, or at least start separately, and become uncontested along the way. In that pattern, one spouse files a petition, the other accepts service or is served, and the couple negotiates. Once everything is agreed, they submit a consent decree for the judge’s signature. Maricopa County even accepts consent decrees through a dedicated eFiling process, and no hearing is usually required. The same 60-day waiting period applies, counted from service or acceptance of service under § 25-329. This route costs more in filing fees than the summary process. However, it remains available at any point, which matters when agreement arrives late.
Where uncontested cases go wrong
The common failure is an agreement that papers over a real issue. A decree that skips a retirement account, assigns a debt vaguely, or leaves the parenting schedule as “as agreed” invites years of post-decree litigation. Courts will also review child-related terms against the child support guidelines and best-interests standards rather than rubber-stamping them. Consequently, “we agree” works best when both spouses have actually exchanged financial information and, ideally, each had an attorney at least review the final documents. An uncontested divorce is cheap because the conflict is resolved. It is not cheap because the details stopped mattering.
The bottom line
An uncontested divorce in Arizona runs through either the summary consent decree under A.R.S. § 25-314.01, with its waived service and reduced $331.50 Maricopa County fee, or a traditional consent decree filed after the case begins. Both respect the 60-day waiting period, and both depend on genuinely complete agreement. Couples who do the settlement work up front get the fastest exit Arizona law allows.
Frequently asked questions
About two months at the fastest. The court cannot enter a decree until 60 days after filing in a summary consent case, or 60 days after service in a standard case.
A streamlined process under A.R.S. § 25-314.01 for couples who settle everything before filing. They file a combined petition and response together, waive formal service, and pay a reduced fee.
The summary consent decree carries a combined $331.50 filing fee, compared with $376 to file and $287 to respond in a standard case.
Usually not. Courts typically approve complete consent decrees on the papers once the waiting period has run.
Ready to meet your legal match?
Right case, right lawyer, zero awkward first dates. Tell us what happened and we’ll introduce you to attorneys who actually fit.
Get MatchedKeep reading
- The Arizona Divorce Process, Step by Step
- Community Property in an Arizona Divorce
- Arizona Child Support Guidelines: How the Calculation Works
This guide is general legal information about Arizona family law, not legal advice about your situation. Statutes, court fees, and procedures change, and every family’s circumstances differ. Consult a licensed Arizona family law attorney before making decisions about your case.