Learn how to file family court documents online – without having to go to court. You can file for a divorce, parenting orders, support, division of property and other family court orders.
Court offices will be closed on Monday, September 30, 2024 in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Online filing services will remain available 24/7, including on September 30, 2024. However, any documents submitted through the online portals on that day will be marked as filed/issued on the next business day, October 1, 2024.
You can submit a request to file family court documents to the Ontario Court of Justice, Superior Court of Justice, including the Family Court Branch of the Superior Court of Justice and the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice (but not the Ontario Court of Appeal).
After you submit your family court documents, court staff will notify you within 5 business days if your documents have been accepted or rejected for filing with the court.
Filing your family court documents online may not be the right choice for you, depending on your circumstances. Contact a lawyer for more information and advice.
You can submit most family court documents online, including to:
It’s best to contact a lawyer before filing documents online or in court. A lawyer knows what documents you must file, as set out in the Family Law Rules or any court Notices and Practice Directions. A lawyer can provide advice on your options and legal risks, the evidence that should be provided to the court and the consequences of not providing the required information or following court procedure.
If you need to contact a lawyer, you can find one through:
The Family Law Guided Pathways asks you questions and puts your answers into the required court forms. When you’re finished, you can save or print your completed forms before filing them online.
You can also find more information about family law on CLEO’s Steps to Justice website.
Before you file online, make sure you complete, sign and date all required documents according to:
In some circumstances, you must also swear or affirm an oath in front of a notary public or commissioner of oaths that your documents are true.
You cannot submit documents online:
If you cannot submit online, file your documents in person at the courthouse or by email in accordance with the Family Law Rules and any orders, Notices and Practice Directions issued by the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice.
Before you file, make sure you have:
You need Adobe Acrobat® Reader version 5.0 (or higher) installed on your computer to complete these forms.
The fees to file documents online or at a court counter are the same. For the:
You must use Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard, or Debit Mastercard cards to pay filing fees online.
If you can’t afford to pay the fees in your case, you can ask the court to waive the fees by requesting a fee waiver certificate.
Use the Family Submissions Online portal to submit your family court documents for an Ontario Court of Justice or a Superior Court of Justice case.
If you cannot afford to pay the applicable filing fees, you can also use the Family Submissions Online portal to:
In addition, when submitting documents you must indicate if you have a fee waiver or want to apply for a fee waiver.
Please note, if you are making a claim for divorce and applying for a fee waiver, or already have a fee waiver certificate, choose “Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings (for divorce proceedings with a fee waiver request or certificate only)” for your application or answer form. The Ministry of the Attorney General is responsible for collecting a $10 clearance report fee for divorce filings on behalf of the federal Department of Justice’s Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings. This fee cannot be waived.
Use the Civil Submissions Online portal to submit your court documents for an appeal to the Divisional Court of a family law matter.
When submitting documents you must indicate if you have a fee waiver or want to apply for a fee waiver.
Your session will expire if you’re inactive for 15 minutes. Your information will not be saved.
Family court forms are public documents. The information you provide in the forms can be viewed by the public whether you file in-person or online. Learn more about public access to family court files or find a family court location.
Be careful when entering personal information online, where people can see and/or capture it on camera. Try not to open an online account or enter your password in public – and if you are in public, shield any forms you are completing.
You should keep a copy of all your documents for your records. After you submit your documents online, you cannot view the documents online.
You will receive confirmation that your documents have been submitted but not yet filed with the court. Take a screenshot or print a copy of this screen for your records.
Court staff will review your documents within 5 business days to determine if they are accepted or rejected for filing with the court. If your documents are:
If your documents are rejected, you can address the reason(s) for the rejection by revising your documents and resubmitting the revised documents together with any applicable court filing fee(s) to the court.
If the court issued your document, you will receive the issued document by email.
If you have any questions about your specific case, contact the court office where your documents were submitted or filed. You can find a list of courthouse addresses and phone numbers here.