A divorce in Snohomish County follows rules specific to this courthouse, and most of what’s online describes some other county or no county at all. This post is part of a series answering the questions our clients ask about how the process actually works here.
You file at the Snohomish County Clerk’s office in the courthouse at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue in Everett, or online. The fee is $364. You file a petition, a summons, and a confidential information form, all on Washington’s mandatory statewide forms. The clerk hands back two Snohomish County documents you have to serve with them: the automatic temporary order and the Compliance Schedule.
Step one: confirm you can file here
You can file in Snohomish County if you live in Snohomish County. RCW 26.09.010(2). It doesn’t matter where you were married or where your spouse lives now. If your spouse lives here and you don’t, your spouse can file here, or you can file in your own county. If neither of you lives in Washington, which state has jurisdiction is a different question. Talk to an attorney about that one.
Step two: prepare the forms
Washington requires the same forms in every county. The main three for a divorce are the Petition for Divorce (FL Divorce 201), the Summons (FL Divorce 200), and the Confidential Information Form (FL All Family 001). All of them are free on the Washington Courts forms page. If you have children, you’ll also file a proposed parenting plan and child support worksheets at some point, though not necessarily on day one.
The petition asks what you want. That means how property and debt should be divided, whether either spouse should pay maintenance, and what the parenting plan and child support should look like. Be thoughtful here. If your spouse never responds and you take a default, the court can generally only give you what you asked for in the petition.
Step three: file and pay
Attorneys are required to e-file through the clerk’s online system. Self-represented parties may e-file or file paper documents at the clerk’s office. SCLGR 30(a)(1)(a). The filing fee for a divorce, legal separation, or invalidity case is $364 under the clerk’s fee schedule. If you can’t afford the fee, you can ask a commissioner to waive it. Fee waiver motions are heard on the commissioner’s ex parte calendar in Courtroom 1B.
When the case is filed, two Snohomish County documents are generated. The first is the court’s automatic temporary order under SCLSPR 94.04(b). It restrains both spouses from disposing of property outside the ordinary course and from changing insurance. If there are children, it bars moving their residence. It also requires each spouse to give the other access to financial records. The second is the Compliance Schedule, which sets your deadlines for proving service and completing mediation. SCLSPR 94.04(c)(1).
Step four: serve your spouse
Your spouse has to receive five documents: the summons, the petition, the confidential information form, the automatic temporary order, and the Compliance Schedule. You can’t serve the papers yourself. Any adult who isn’t a party can. Most people use a process server or the sheriff. The Compliance Schedule must be served with the petition, or within five court days of filing if your spouse was served before you filed. SCLSPR 94.04(c)(1).
After service, your spouse has 20 days to respond if served in Washington and 60 days if served outside the state. RCW 4.28.180. File proof of service with the clerk. If 180 days pass with no proof of service, no joinder, and no response, the court can dismiss the case without further notice. SCLSPR 94.04(c)(2).
There’s a simpler route if your spouse is cooperative. The respondent can sign a Joinder to the petition. That eliminates formal service, starts the 90-day waiting period on the filing date, and signals to the court that the case may resolve by agreement.
Step five: calendar the deadlines
Three dates matter right away. The 90-day waiting period runs from the later of filing and service. RCW 26.09.030. If you have children, both parents must finish an approved parenting seminar within 60 days after the respondent is served. SCLSPR 94.04(d)(4)(B). And mediation must be completed within eight months of filing or before trial is confirmed, whichever is first. SCLSPR 94.04(c)(3)(C). The Compliance Schedule will list the last two.
The mistake people make
People file before they gather their records. Every motion involving money in Snohomish County requires a Financial Declaration. It also requires two years of federal tax returns with all schedules, plus a current pay stub with year-to-date figures or six months of pay stubs, all filed under seal. SCLSPR 94.04(e). People who file first and then scramble for documents pay for that scramble in attorney time. Pull the records, then file.
If you’re doing this without a lawyer
The Snohomish County Courthouse Facilitator in Room 1-525 will review your forms for completeness and explain how the process works. The fee is $25 per visit, prepaid. The facilitator can’t give legal advice and can’t help anyone who has an attorney. Appointments are by phone message at (425) 388-3795. Snohomish County Legal Services runs a free clinic for low-income residents. The county bar’s referral service offers a half-hour consultation for a modest fee.
Common questions
Can I file for divorce in Snohomish County if my spouse lives in another county? Yes. RCW 26.09.010 lets you file in the county where the petitioner lives. Your spouse’s county doesn’t control.
Can I file online without a lawyer? Yes. Self-represented parties may e-file through the clerk’s system or file paper documents at the courthouse. Attorneys are required to e-file.
What if I can’t afford the $364 filing fee? You can ask a commissioner to waive it. Fee waiver requests are heard on the commissioner’s ex parte calendar in Courtroom 1B.
This post is part of our series on how a divorce works in Snohomish County. Start with the main guide, How a Divorce Actually Works in Snohomish County, or read about how long a divorce takes here and what it costs.
This post describes Snohomish County procedure and fees as of September 2026. Fees, forms, and local rules change on their own schedule; check the clerk’s current fee schedule and the court’s current rules before filing.
Last updated September 2026.
Law Offices of Daniel Ehrlich, Everett. Family law in Snohomish, Island, King, and Skagit Counties. (425) 954-5578.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. If you’re facing a divorce in Snohomish County, talk to an attorney.
