File & serve your Family Court documents

Note: When you print the forms it's important to print them single sided.

On this page:

File your documents

When you apply to the Family Court or respond to someone else’s application, you will need to give documents to the court. This is called filing. All documents filed in Family Court must be printed single-sided.

You’ll find more specific information about filing documents under each section on this website – for example, apply for a Parenting Order or apply for a divorce.

How to file your documents

You can file documents by handing them in at your local court or mailing them to the court.

Sometimes you can email them to the court.

Number of copies

You’ll usually need to file the original documents and some copies.

Filing fees

You might need to pay a fee when you file your documents.

Find out more about Family Court fees

Contact us if you’re not sure

Contact your local court

Call 0800 2 AGREE (0800 224 733)

Serving your documents on the other person

The court will usually arrange to give a copy of the documents that you filed at court to the other people involved in the case. This is called serving documents.

If you're applying for a divorce on your own (a one-party dissolution of marriage), you'll need to arrange service yourself. You'll be given instructions on how to do this after you have filed the application.

Address for service

Many forms ask for an address for service. This is the address that’s used to serve documents to someone. Your lawyer can help you serve documents.

Contact us if you’re not sure

Contact your local court

Call 0800 2 AGREE (0800 224 733)

This page was last updated: 10th June 2021