Florida E-Filing for Family Cases: Spend Less Time on Paperwork

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One statewide portal covers every Florida county and is built for self-represented people as well as lawyers. E-filing is optional for you, and paper filing with your clerk is still fine.

Divorce, custody, and other family cases can be started and filed entirely through the portal.

E-filing is optional for self-represented parents in Florida. If you prefer paper, your county clerk of court still accepts filings over the counter, and the clerk's staff can tell you about local requirements like cover sheets.

How to e-file a Florida family case, step by step

Step 1: Create a portal account. Register for a free account on the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com and choose the Self-Represented Litigant role. The portal is open 24 hours a day and covers every Florida county.

Step 2: Prepare your forms. Complete the Florida Supreme Court approved family law forms for your case. DIY Florida, a free interview program inside the portal, can prepare forms for simplified dissolution, domestic relations and domestic violence cases from your answers.

Step 3: Choose your county and case. Start a new case or file into an existing one, and pick the county where the case belongs. The portal sends the filing to that county's clerk of court.

Step 4: Pay the filing fee, or ask about indigent status. Filing fees are paid through the portal when you file, and a convenience fee may apply. If you cannot afford the fee, ask the clerk about applying for civil indigent status before you file.

Step 5: Decide how you will receive papers. Self-represented parents may serve and receive documents by email, but are not required to. To use email, file Form 12.915, Designation of Current Address and E-mail Address. If you choose email, you must keep following the email service rules from then on.

Step 6: Serve the other parent the right way. E-filing a new petition does not serve the other parent. The first service of a petition is usually made by the sheriff or a certified process server. If you cannot find the other parent, ask the clerk about service by publication (Notice of Action, Form 12.913(a)). Later papers can be served by email or mail.

Official Florida e-filing resources

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Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (Florida Courts E-Filing Authority): One statewide portal covers every Florida county and is built for self-represented people as well as lawyers. E-filing is optional for you, and paper filing with your clerk is still fine. https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/

Florida court locations (Florida State Courts System): Official directory of Florida courts, so you can find the circuit and courthouse that serves your county. https://www.flcourts.gov/Florida-Courts/Court-Locations

Florida courts family law self-help information (Florida State Courts System): Official self-help information for Florida family cases, including where to find help in your county. https://www.flcourts.gov/Resources-Services/Court-Improvement/Family-Courts/Family-Law-Self-Help-Information

Florida Family Law Forms (official index) (Florida State Courts System): The complete, current collection of Florida Supreme Court approved family law forms with instructions. When in doubt, start here. https://www.flcourts.gov/Services/family-courts/domestic-relations-court-resources/family-law-forms

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to e-file my Florida family case?

No. E-filing through the statewide portal is available to self-represented parents and covers every county, but paper filing with your county clerk remains an option.

Does the portal cost money?

Creating a portal account is free. Court filing fees still apply to the case itself and are paid through the portal or to the clerk, and fee deferral is available through the clerk for those who qualify.

Can I e-file my divorce in Florida without a lawyer?

Yes. Register on the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal with the Self-Represented Litigant role. Divorce, custody and other family cases in every county go through the same statewide portal.

What is DIY Florida?

DIY Florida is a free program inside the E-Filing Portal that asks you interview questions and fills in official court forms from your answers. It covers simplified dissolution, domestic relations and domestic violence forms, and the finished forms can be sent to your clerk through the portal.

How do I e-file in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach County?

Every Florida county uses the same statewide portal, so you choose your county when you file. Local rules still apply. In Miami-Dade, the Eleventh Judicial Circuit requires self-represented filers in dissolution of marriage, paternity, post-judgment modification, temporary custody and name change cases to have their papers reviewed as to form by the Family Court Self-Help Program before e-filing, as explained on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit's eFiling Portal page (jud11.flcourts.org).

Do I have to receive court papers by email?

No. Self-represented parents may choose email service but are not required to. If you choose it by filing Form 12.915, you must keep following the email service rules from then on.