St. Petersburg Divorce Court: Where to File (2026 Guide)

In St. Petersburg, you file for divorce with the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court, part of Florida's 6th Judicial Circuit. An uncontested dissolution requires 6-month Florida residency (F.S. 61.021) and agreement on all issues. Our firm prepares uncontested cases for a $750 flat attorney fee (court costs of roughly $408-$410 and notary are separate).

Where Is the St. Petersburg Divorce Court?

St. Petersburg sits in Pinellas County, which is served by Florida's 6th Judicial Circuit. Divorce (called "dissolution of marriage" in Florida) is a circuit court matter, so every St. Petersburg divorce is handled by the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court and heard by a 6th Judicial Circuit judge.

Pinellas County operates courthouses in both St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Family law cases for south Pinellas residents are commonly processed through the St. Petersburg Judicial Building, while the county seat and clerk's headquarters are in Clearwater. Because Florida now uses mandatory electronic filing for divorce petitions, most St. Petersburg divorce court filings are submitted online through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com rather than in person.

You file where you or your spouse lives. Under F.S. 61.021, at least one spouse must have been a Florida resident for 6 months before filing. If you live in St. Petersburg, Gulfport, Pinellas Park, or anywhere else in Pinellas County, the Pinellas County Clerk is your filing venue — even though our firm serves clients in all 67 Florida counties at the same flat fee.

How Do I File an Uncontested Divorce in St. Petersburg?

Filing an uncontested divorce through the St. Petersburg divorce court follows a defined sequence under Chapter 61 of the Florida Statutes. "Uncontested" means both spouses agree on every issue — property, debts, time-sharing, child support, and alimony. If you agree on everything, the process is straightforward:

For a step-by-step walkthrough of the same process in a neighboring metro, see our guide on how to file an uncontested divorce in Tampa FL.

What Does It Cost to File at the St. Petersburg Divorce Court?

There are two separate costs in every St. Petersburg divorce: the court filing fee (paid to the Pinellas County Clerk) and, if you hire counsel, the attorney fee.

The Pinellas County filing fee for a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is approximately $408 to $410. This amount is set by the local clerk of court, not by our firm, and may be paid online through the E-Filing Portal. Additional court-related costs can include a summons issuance fee and a small electronic-payment convenience fee.

Our firm handles uncontested Florida divorces for a $750 flat attorney fee — the same price statewide, in Pinellas County and in every one of Florida's 67 counties. Court costs (the roughly $408-$410 county filing fee) and notary fees are separate and paid by the client.

Court filing fees are set by each county clerk and are separate from our flat attorney fee. As of August 2026, verify the current amount with the Pinellas County Clerk of Court. For a fuller breakdown of what drives divorce costs, our Tampa uncontested divorce cost guide explains the same fee structure that applies across the 6th Circuit region.

Simplified Dissolution vs. Regular Uncontested Dissolution

Florida offers two uncontested paths, and choosing the right one matters. Simplified dissolution (F.S. 61.052(2)) is faster but has strict eligibility limits. A regular uncontested dissolution is more flexible and works when there are children, alimony, or a spouse who cannot appear.

In a simplified dissolution, both spouses must sign the petition, appear together at the final hearing, and give up the right to a trial and to formal financial disclosure. It fits couples with no children, no alimony, and a clear property agreement.

A regular uncontested dissolution uses a written Marital Settlement Agreement and, when children are involved, a Parenting Plan. Only one spouse must appear at the final hearing in most cases, which is why it suits couples who have children or where one spouse has moved out of the St. Petersburg area. If you have minor children, review our overview of an uncontested divorce with children to see how the parenting plan fits in.

What Is a Marital Settlement Agreement?

The Marital Settlement Agreement (MSA) is the centerpiece of most uncontested cases filed through the St. Petersburg divorce court. It is the written contract that tells the 6th Circuit judge exactly how you and your spouse have resolved every issue. For a simplified dissolution, the standard form is Form 12.902(f)(3).

A complete MSA addresses:

• Division of marital property and assets under equitable distribution (F.S. 61.075)
• Responsibility for marital debts
• Time-sharing and a parenting plan, if there are minor children (F.S. 61.13)
• Child support calculated under Florida's guidelines (F.S. 61.30), if applicable
• Alimony terms, or a mutual waiver of alimony (F.S. 61.08)

Florida is an equitable distribution state, meaning marital property is divided fairly — not automatically 50/50 — under F.S. 61.075. In an uncontested case, the spouses decide the split themselves and put it in the MSA, and the court generally approves an agreement both parties signed voluntarily. A vague or incomplete MSA is the most common reason an otherwise simple case stalls, which is why attorney preparation matters.

Does St. Petersburg Divorce Court Require a Final Hearing?

Yes. In the 6th Judicial Circuit, uncontested divorces are typically resolved at a short final hearing where a judge confirms the residency requirement is met, verifies the marriage is irretrievably broken (F.S. 61.052), and reviews the settlement before signing the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage. These hearings are usually brief — often ten minutes or less — because the substantive work is already in the paperwork.

For a simplified dissolution, both spouses must attend the final hearing. For a regular uncontested dissolution, generally only the petitioner must appear. Some circuits and divisions permit uncontested final hearings by video, but availability varies by judge and by division, so the requirement should be confirmed for your specific case. The court controls scheduling, so we cannot promise a specific hearing date — but uncontested matters generally move faster than contested ones because there is nothing for the judge to decide beyond approving your agreement.

Florida has no mandatory waiting period after filing, though F.S. 61.19 provides a general 20-day period after service before final judgment, which the court may shorten for good cause. To compare how nearby courts handle the same step, see our Tampa divorce court guide.

Attorney-Prepared Divorce vs. Non-Lawyer Form Services

Many St. Petersburg residents searching for the cheapest divorce encounter online form-filling services or non-lawyer document preparers. It is legal to represent yourself in Florida, but there is a meaningful difference between typing services and full representation by a licensed Florida attorney.

A non-lawyer preparer can only enter the information you give them onto a form; they cannot advise you on whether your property division is enforceable, whether your parenting plan meets F.S. 61.13, or whether waiving alimony is wise in your situation. Our firm prepares and reviews your documents, confirms the settlement is complete, and answers your questions — all for the same $750 flat fee. When a case is genuinely uncontested, this is often the best value; when it is complex or contested, a flat-fee uncontested package is not the right fit, and we will tell you so.

When an Uncontested Divorce Is (and Isn't) the Right Fit

An uncontested divorce works when both spouses genuinely agree on all issues and are willing to sign. It is a strong fit for couples with a clear property picture, cooperative co-parenting plans, and no active disputes. If you disagree on time-sharing, alimony, or how to divide a business or retirement account, the case is contested and the flat fee does not apply — though disagreements can sometimes be resolved, converting the matter to uncontested. Our guide on converting a contested divorce to uncontested explains how that works in Florida.

Frequently Asked Questions

See the FAQ section below for detailed answers about St. Petersburg divorce court filing, fees, timelines, and our flat-fee service.

This article provides general information about Florida divorce law and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. The Law Office of Antonio G. Jimenez can prepare your uncontested divorce for a $750 flat attorney fee (court costs and notary separate); contact our office to confirm whether your case qualifies as uncontested.