What is local and what is statewide
Dallas County handles the filing; Texas law decides the case
The Texas Family Code governs the grounds for divorce, residency, property division, conservatorship, child support, and statutory maintenance. The district clerk and local courts supply the filing method, court assignment, fee collection, standing orders, service information, and access to the case record.
The same across Texas
- The usual six-month state and 90-day county residency periods
- The 60-day waiting rule and its narrow exceptions
- Chapter 154 child-support percentages
- The community-property presumption and just-and-right division
- Chapter 8 maintenance eligibility and limits
Check in Dallas County
- How and where the new case is filed
- The amount due for a case with or without children
- Citation issuance and service charges
- Standing orders, local rules, and available forms
- How the assigned court schedules a prove-up or hearing
Current district-clerk schedule
What it costs to open a divorce in Dallas County
Texas’s required district-court charges total $350. Dallas County adds $51 in Family Protection and Domestic Relations Office fees when the divorce involves children. The county also offers Guide & File for an uncontested divorce without children. The amounts below do not include a lawyer, mediation, appraisal or expert work, copies, card charges, or documents needed after the decree.
| Charge | Amount listed | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| New divorce without children | $350 | Required new-suit charges; check again before filing |
| New divorce involving children | $401 | Includes the child-case fees adopted by this county |
| Issue one citation | Ask the clerk | Added only when a citation is requested |
| Serve one citation by county constable | $80 | Another method or an out-of-county address can cost a different amount |
Before you submit the petition
Five checks that can prevent a rejected or misrouted filing
1. Confirm venue and child-custody jurisdiction
Check the six-month Texas and 90-day county periods. If a child has recently lived elsewhere, analyze UCCJEA jurisdiction separately.
2. Use the form set for this family
A case with children, an existing order, real estate, a missing spouse, family violence, or a pregnancy may require different papers.
3. Read the local orders before filing
Look for current standing orders and local rules through the clerk and the OCA database; they may take effect as soon as the case is filed.
4. Ask what is due today
Confirm the new-suit total, any citation and service charges, accepted payment methods, and any nonrefundable card fee.
5. Decide how legal notice will be completed
Plan for formal service unless the respondent will knowingly sign a valid waiver after filing or the court authorizes another method.
When court costs are unaffordable
Use the statewide Rule 145 form
A person who cannot afford court costs may file the Supreme Court-approved Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs. Rule 145 covers filing, issuance, service, copies, and other court costs defined by the rule. Those charges are not due unless the court later orders payment after the rule’s notice and hearing procedure.
Open the current bilingual Texas form ↗Calculations used statewide
Estimate support or build a divorce budget
Questions about filing in Dallas County
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Dallas County?
Dallas County currently lists $350 for a new divorce without children and $401 when the case involves children. Citation issuance, service, copies, card charges, and legal work are outside those filing totals. Check the clerk’s schedule again before paying.
Does Dallas County use a different child support formula?
No. Texas Family Code Chapter 154 applies across the state. The county affects court assignment, local orders, filing instructions, and service—not the standard 20%–40% schedule or the low-income rates.
Where is a divorce filed in Dallas County?
A new family case is filed through the Dallas County District Clerk. The clerk accepts the papers and assigns or routes the case under local practice. Confirm the filing method and correct case type before submitting documents.
What if I cannot afford the filing and service costs?
File the Supreme Court-approved Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs under Rule 145. Filing, issuance, service, copies, and other court costs covered by the rule are not due unless the court later orders payment after the required process.