If you are ready to file for divorce but your spouse is not willing to sign the divorce papers, you can file for divorce by yourself. There are certain forms you must fill out and file with the court to open a divorce case. Instructions and all the forms you need to open a divorce case are in this section.
Make sure you understand the basic divorce concepts before filling out any forms. Visit the Divorce Overview and Custody Overview pages for an overview of the law and the legal requirements to file for divorce in Nevada.
Start Your Divorce Forms Online
Our guided interviews make it easy to prepare your Complaint for Divorce forms step-by-step. It's private, secure, and you can save your progress.
Check Eligibility
Answer a few questions to see if you qualify to file for divorce in Nevada.
Complete Your Forms
Use our guided interview to prepare your Complaint for Divorce forms step-by-step.
Follow these steps to start a divorce case:
1. Fill out the forms. There are 3 forms you have to fill out.
2. File the forms. Take the completed forms to the District Court to file.
3. Serve Defendant. You must have a neutral person hand-deliver a copy of the filed forms to Defendant.
Step 1. Fill out the Forms
Option 1: Complete a Guided Interview that Creates Forms for You
All the necessary forms will be created based on your answers to the questions in this guided interview:
Q&A Form Interview: Complaint for Divorce DIY
Option 2: Fill out ALL of the individual forms below separately:
Cover Sheet - required
This form asks for basic information about you, your spouse, and any children that you and your spouse have together. You are the Plaintiff and your spouse is the Defendant.
Family Cover Sheet (pdf fillable)
Summons - required
This form tells your spouse that you have filed for divorce. The form also tells your spouse that he or she must file a response within 21 days, or a default may be entered against them.
Complaint for Divorce - required
This form tells the judge and your spouse what you want out of the divorce. You are the Plaintiff and your spouse is the Defendant. You will check boxes and fill in blanks to tell the judge and your spouse what you suggest for things like: child custody/visitation, property/debt division, if child support or spousal support is requested, and whether you want to go back to a former name.
Be sure to fill out all of the sections. If you leave something blank, the judge will not know what you are asking for, and it may slow down your case.
Complaint for Divorce - No Children (pdf fillable)
Complaint for Divorce - With Children (pdf fillable)
Step 2. File the Forms
After you fill out the papers above, you will need to file them with the district court in your county. Visit Find My Court if you are not sure where your local district court is located.
The court will charge you a filing fee to file your papers. The fee is different in every county. Find out from your local court what the filing fee will be.
If you cannot afford the filing fee, please see Filing Fees and Waivers to find out how to ask the court to waive the fee.
Next Step: Serve the Defendant
After you complete the steps on this page, a copy of the summons and complaint (and anything else you filed) must be hand-delivered to your spouse (the “Defendant”). The Court does not serve the papers for you. It is up to YOU to make sure your spouse gets served after you file for divorce. After you have completed the steps on this page, learn all about how to have your spouse served by visiting the How to Serve the Divorce Papers page.
WARNING!
The Court does not serve the papers for you. If you do not make sure the Defendant is properly served, your case could be dismissed.
