Your Florida Divorce Could Be Done in 20 Days—Or Take Two Years Here’s Why
Most uncontested Florida divorces finalize in 4-6 weeks. Contested ones? Plan on 12-18 months, sometimes longer. The difference comes down to five factors: whether you agree on everything, how complex your assets are, if kids are involved, court backlog, and whether you’re willing to mediate.
Florida law requires a minimum 20-day waiting period from the day you file. That’s the absolute fastest anyone gets divorced here. But that only happens if both spouses agree on everything, have no kids or property to divide, and file for simplified dissolution.
What’s the Minimum Timeline for a Florida Divorce?
20 days. That’s Florida’s mandatory waiting period under Florida Statutes § 61.19. The clock starts when you file the petition.
But here’s the catch—almost nobody hits that 20-day mark. You need:
- Both spouses agreeing to everything in writing
- No minor children
- No contested property or debts
- Neither spouse requesting alimony
- Both willing to attend the final hearing together
Miss any of these? You’re looking at a longer process.
Uncontested Divorces: The 4-6 Week Reality
If you and your spouse agree on custody, property division, and support, you’re filing an uncontested divorce. This is where most people land, and it typically takes 4-6 weeks after the 20-day waiting period.
Here’s what stretches it beyond 20 days:
- Drafting and filing the marital settlement agreement
- Scheduling the final hearing (courts book 2-4 weeks out)
- Filing financial affidavits and parenting plans
- Judge review time
Want it faster? File with your settlement agreement already done, all financial documents ready, and request the earliest hearing date available.
Contested Divorces: 12-18 Months (Sometimes Longer)
When spouses disagree, the average contested divorce in Florida takes 12-18 months. High-conflict cases with complex assets or custody battles can stretch to 2+ years.
What causes the delays:
- Discovery phase: 3-6 months exchanging financial records, depositions, interrogatories
- Mandatory mediation: Required under Florida Family Law Rule 12.740 before trial
- Court scheduling: Trial dates get set 6-12 months out in busy counties
- Multiple hearings: Temporary support, custody modifications, contempt motions
- Asset valuation: Business appraisals, real estate valuations, pension calculations
Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties have the longest wait times. Rural counties move faster.
The Hidden Timeline Killers
Most delays aren’t about the law—they’re about logistics:
Your spouse doesn’t respond. If they ignore the petition, you wait 20 days then file for default. Adds 30-45 days.
Financial disclosure problems. Missing bank statements or hidden assets trigger discovery disputes. Adds 2-6 months.
Court backlogs. COVID-19 created massive delays that some counties still haven’t cleared. Miami-Dade family courts run 4-6 months behind pre-pandemic levels.
Parenting plan disagreements. When you can’t agree on timesharing, courts order social investigations or guardian ad litem appointments. Adds 3-6 months.
Appeals. Disagree with the final judgment? Appeals to Florida’s District Courts of Appeal add 12-18 months minimum.
Can You Speed Up a Florida Divorce?
Yes, but only if you control what you can control:
File correctly the first time. Rejected petitions restart your 20-day clock. Use the Florida Supreme Court-approved forms.
Agree to mediate. Courts require it anyway for contested cases. Going voluntarily saves months of litigation. Good mediators settle 70-80% of cases.
Respond to discovery fast. Every delay you cause extends the timeline. Your attorney can’t move forward without your documents.
Be realistic about assets. Fighting over a $5,000 car for six months makes no financial sense.
Pick your battles. Not everything is worth litigating. Focus on what matters: kids, major assets, long-term support.
[Internal Link: “How Much Does Divorce Mediation Cost in Florida?”]
Simplified vs. Regular Dissolution: What’s the Difference?
Florida offers simplified dissolution under Florida Statutes § 61.052. It’s faster but has strict requirements:
Simplified dissolution requirements:
- Both spouses agree on everything
- No minor or dependent children
- Wife is not pregnant
- Neither wants alimony
- Both waive appeals and trial rights
- Full financial disclosure completed
Timeline: 20 days minimum, usually 30-45 days with scheduling.
Regular dissolution is everything else. It allows for contested issues, trials, and full court review. Takes longer but gives you more legal protections.
What Happens at Each Stage?
Filing (Day 1): Petition filed, 20-day clock starts. Spouse gets served.
Response (Day 20-30): Respondent files answer. If they ignore service, you file for default.
Financial disclosure (30-60 days): Both parties file mandatory Florida Family Law Financial Affidavits and exchange documents.
Mediation (3-9 months in contested cases): Court-ordered mediation attempts settlement. Required before trial.
Temporary hearings (2-4 months if needed): Judge sets temporary custody, support, and exclusive use of home while case proceeds.
Discovery (3-12 months in contested cases): Interrogatories, depositions, subpoenas for financial records.
Pre-trial conference (9-15 months): Judge reviews case, pushes settlement, sets trial date.
Trial (12-18 months): If you can’t settle, trial lasts 1-5 days depending on complexity. Judge issues final judgment within 30 days.
Final judgment entered: Divorce is official. Either party has 30 days to appeal.
County-Specific Differences
Miami-Dade and Broward are the slowest. Expect 15-20% longer timelines than state averages.
Rural counties like Gilchrist, Glades, and Lafayette move faster—sometimes 20-30% quicker than urban areas.
Orange County (Orlando) runs middle-of-the-pack at 14-16 months for contested cases.
Recent Changes to Florida Divorce Law
2023 update: Florida eliminated permanent alimony for divorces filed after July 1, 2023. This simplified many contested cases because durational alimony has clear end dates.
2022 parenting plan modifications: Courts now prioritize 50/50 timesharing unless one parent shows why it’s not in the child’s best interest. This changed settlement negotiations.
2024 enforcement updates: Florida courts increased penalties for hiding assets, including criminal contempt charges in extreme cases. Discovery moves faster when parties know judges will punish non-compliance.
What Legal Experts Say About Florida Divorce Timelines
Florida Bar family law attorneys report the median contested divorce now takes 14 months, up from 11 months pre-pandemic.
The biggest factor? Whether couples mediate before filing. Couples who complete mediation before filing often finalize in 60-90 days because they only need court approval of their agreement.
Miami family law attorney Maria Gonzalez told the Daily Business Review in 2024: “We’re seeing judges push harder for settlement. Courts are backlogged, so judges give parties less time to negotiate and more pressure to compromise.”
FAQ: Florida Divorce Timeline Questions
Can I get divorced in Florida in 30 days?
Technically no. Florida’s mandatory waiting period is 20 days, but court scheduling adds another 10-20 days minimum. Realistically, 30-45 days is the absolute fastest.
What’s the longest a Florida divorce can take?
There’s no legal maximum. Complex cases with substantial assets, custody battles, and appeals can take 3-5 years. But most settle within 18 months.
Does Florida require separation before divorce?
No. Florida is a no-fault divorce state. You just need to state the marriage is “irretrievably broken.”
How long does divorce take if one spouse doesn’t respond?
About 50-60 days. You wait 20 days after service, file for default, then schedule a default hearing about 30 days later.
Can domestic violence speed up a Florida divorce?
It can affect temporary orders for custody and exclusive home use, but it doesn’t bypass the 20-day waiting period. However, courts may expedite hearings for safety reasons.
Does having kids make Florida divorces take longer?
Usually yes. Parenting plans require more detail, and courts scrutinize custody arrangements carefully. Add 2-4 months to typical timelines.
What if we own a business together?
Business valuations add 3-6 months. You’ll need a forensic accountant, and courts must determine if the business is marital property.
Can we extend the timeline if we’re trying to reconcile?
Yes. Either party can request the court to hold the case in abeyance for up to 90 days. But this pauses proceedings—it doesn’t reset the 20-day clock.
Bottom Line
Your Florida divorce timeline depends on one thing: cooperation. Agree on the big stuff and you’re done in weeks. Fight over everything and you’re looking at a year or more.
The 20-day waiting period is non-negotiable. Everything else—scheduling, discovery, mediation, trial—depends on how you and your spouse approach the process.
Want the fastest path? Get financially organized before filing, agree on custody and assets, and show up to mediation ready to compromise. Fighting adds months and thousands in legal fees.
Most Florida divorces fall somewhere in the middle: uncontested cases wrapping up in 4-6 weeks, contested cases settling after mediation in 9-12 months. The question is which category yours falls into—and that’s largely up to you.
About the Author
Sarah Klein, JD, is a former family law attorney with over a decade of courtroom and mediation experience. She has represented clients in divorce, custody cases, adoption, Alimony, and domestic violence cases across multiple U.S. jurisdictions.
At All About Lawyer, Sarah now uses her deep legal background to create easy-to-understand guides that help families navigate the legal system with clarity and confidence.
Every article is based on her real-world legal experience and reviewed to reflect current laws.
Read more about Sarah