Alberta Divorce Checklist
divorce.law/resources/divorce-checklist/alberta/
Prepared: 5/20/2026
Data updated: 3/1/2026
Estimated Timeline
4-6 months for an uncontested desk divorce in Alberta (including 4-6 weeks for Central Registry clearance and 31-day mandatory appeal period), 12-24 months for a contested divorce requiring Judicial Dispute Resolution and trial
Documents to Gather
- Marriage Certificate (original or certified copy)
- Birth Certificates for Dependent Children
- Statement of Claim for Divorce (Form FL-1 or Joint Form FL-2)
- Divorce Registration Form (Federal Form 3)
- Affidavit of the Applicant (Form FL-3)
- Draft Divorce Judgment (Form FL-12)
- Financial Statement (Form FL-6)(if applicable)
- Child Support Guidelines Calculation (Form FL-7)(if applicable)
- Separation Agreement (if applicable)(if applicable)
- Parenting Plan(if applicable)
Financial Documents
- Last 3 Years of T1 General Income Tax Returns
- Last 3 Years of CRA Notices of Assessment
- Recent Pay Stubs (Last 3 Months)
- Bank Account Statements (Last 6 Months)
- RRSP, TFSA, and RESP Account Statements
- Pension Statements and Valuations
- Real Estate Documentation
- Vehicle Ownership and Loan Records(if applicable)
- Credit Card and Loan Statements
- Business Financial Statements (If Self-Employed)(if applicable)
Key Steps
1. Before Filing
- Verify Residency and Jurisdictional Requirements
- Gather Essential Personal and Marriage Documents
- Compile Financial Disclosure Documents
- Consider Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Determine Whether Your Divorce Is Contested or Uncontested
2. Filing Process
- Complete the Required Court of King's Bench Forms
- File the Application with the Court of King's Bench
- File the Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings Registration
3. After Filing
- Serve Your Spouse with the Filed Documents
- Wait for the Respondent's Statement of Defence or Demand of Notice
- Submit Desk Divorce Materials or Proceed to Contested Process
- Obtain the Divorce Judgment and Certificate of Divorce
- Address Property Division Under the Family Property Act
Key Deadlines
Quick Reference
To file for divorce in Alberta, you must have been ordinarily resident in the province for at least one year and demonstrate grounds for divorce under the federal Divorce Act — most commonly a one-year separation period. File a Statement of Claim for Divorce (Form FL-1 for sole, Form FL-2 for joint) along with a Divorce Registration Form (Federal Form 3), Affidavit of the Applicant (Form FL-3), and Draft Divorce Judgment (Form FL-12) at the Court of King's Bench. The filing fee is CAD $260 plus a $10 Central Registry fee. Fee waivers are available for low-income filers at https://www.alberta.ca/waive-filing-fee. After filing, serve your spouse personally (unless filing jointly). The respondent has 20 days within Alberta, 30 days elsewhere in Canada, or 50 days outside Canada to respond. An uncontested desk divorce takes 4-6 months, including 4-6 weeks for the Central Registry clearance from Ottawa and a mandatory 31-day appeal period before the Certificate of Divorce is issued. For contested divorces, Judicial Dispute Resolution is mandatory before trial and the process typically takes 12-24 months. Full financial disclosure is required under the Family Property Act when support or property division is claimed.