Annulment in Licking County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 17, 2026

Licking County, Ohio · Newark

An annulment declares that a marriage was never valid — for example, bigamy, underage marriage without consent, fraud, incapacity, or a marriage that was never consummated. Grounds and time limits are strict under R.C. 3105.31, and annulments are far less common than divorce or dissolution. They are heard by the Licking County Domestic Relations Court.

How do I get an annulment in Licking County, Ohio?

File a Complaint for Annulment in the Licking County Domestic Relations Court, 75 E. Main Street, Newark. An annulment declares that the marriage was never valid on one of the strict R.C. 3105.31 grounds — bigamy, underage without consent, fraud, incapacity, or never consummated — and the grounds carry tight time limits. Annulment is not separately itemized on the fee schedule; per the Clerk it uses the divorce filing fee ($400). Because the grounds are narrow, confirm the required pleadings and your eligibility with the Clerk at (740) 670-5400.

Ohio Divorce by the Numbers

6 months Ohio residency required before you can file Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
90 days Residency in the county of filing (venue) Source: Ohio Civ. R. 3
30–90 days Typical time to finalize an uncontested dissolution Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.64
1 year Living separate and apart that qualifies as no-fault grounds Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01

Compare Your Options for Ending a Marriage in Ohio

Path	Ends the marriage?	Agreement required?	Best when
Dissolution	Yes	Yes — on every term before filing	Both spouses agree on everything and want the fastest, lowest-cost path
Divorce (contested)	Yes	No	Spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting and need a judge to decide
Divorce (uncontested / default)	Yes	No	One spouse will not respond or cannot be located
Legal separation	No — you stay married	Optional	You need court orders but must stay married (religion, insurance, or benefits)
Annulment	Treated as never valid	No	The marriage was never legally valid (fraud, bigamy, underage, or incapacity)

Where to File: Licking County Domestic Relations Court

75 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055
Phone: (740) 670-5400
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–Noon and 1:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Website: lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/default.htm
e-Filing: https://efileoh.tylertech.cloud/OfsEfsp/ui/landing

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Licking County Probate & Juvenile Court
1 North Park Place, Newark, OH 43055
Phone: (740) 670-5624
Hours: Monday–Friday (call the court to confirm current hours)

Annulment is the right path if…

You believe your marriage was never legally valid on an R.C. 3105.31 ground.
You can act within the strict time limit that applies to your specific ground.
You want the marriage declared void rather than ended by divorce or dissolution.
You can document the ground (e.g., bigamy, fraud, incapacity, underage without consent, or non-consummation).

Filing Fees

Annulment is not separately itemized on the Domestic Division fee schedule; per the Clerk it uses the divorce filing fee ($400). A fee waiver is available if you can't afford the deposit. Confirm current amounts with the Licking County Clerk of Courts at (740) 670-5400 before filing.

Forms & Filing Packets

File for annulment — Uses the divorce filing fee ($400) per the Clerk (not separately itemized) — confirm at filing

Filed in the Licking County Domestic Relations Court on one of the strict R.C. 3105.31 grounds, within the applicable time limit.

Complaint for Annulment (Ohio Uniform Domestic Relations Forms) — Asks the court to declare a marriage was never valid (R.C. 3105.31). Grounds and time limits are strict; use the Ohio Uniform Domestic Relations Forms posted on the Licking County Domestic Relations forms page and confirm the required pleadings with the Clerk.
Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.

How to File Annulment in Licking County

Confirm an R.C. 3105.31 ground applies. Annulment is only available on narrow grounds — bigamy, underage without consent, fraud, incapacity, or non-consummation — each with its own time limit.
Act within the time limit. The grounds carry strict deadlines; confirm your specific ground's time limit before filing.
File the Complaint for Annulment. File in the Domestic Relations Court, 75 E. Main Street, Newark (the Clerk applies the $400 divorce fee), and serve your spouse.
Attend the hearing. Present evidence of the ground; if proven, the court declares the marriage void.

Licking County Practice Notes

Grounds and time limits are strict. An annulment declares a marriage was never valid (bigamy, underage without consent, fraud, incapacity, or never consummated). Grounds and time limits are strict under R.C. 3105.31, and annulments are far less common than divorce or dissolution.
Heard in the Domestic Relations Court. Annulments are heard by the Licking County Domestic Relations Court, 75 E. Main Street, Newark. Because the grounds are narrow, confirm the required pleadings with the Clerk before filing.
Annulment vs. divorce. If your facts don't fit an R.C. 3105.31 ground, the right action is a divorce or dissolution, not an annulment. An attorney can help you confirm which path fits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the grounds for annulment in Licking County?: An annulment declares a marriage was never valid — for example, bigamy, underage marriage without consent, fraud, incapacity, or a marriage that was never consummated. Grounds and time limits are strict under R.C. 3105.31, and annulments are far less common than divorce or dissolution. Annulment is not separately itemized on the fee schedule; per the Clerk it uses the divorce fee ($400).
How much does it cost to file a family-law case in Licking County?: In the Domestic Relations Court, divorce, dissolution, and parentage are each $400, a counterclaim is $250, a post-decree motion/reopen is $200, and a QDRO is $50. In the Probate & Juvenile Court, a Complaint for Custody is $250.00 and a Motion for Further Hearing is $50.00. A DVCPO petition has no filing fee. If you can't afford the deposit, file a Poverty Affidavit / Affidavit of Indigency. Confirm current amounts with the Clerk at (740) 670-5400.
What are the residency requirements to file in Licking County?: For divorce, dissolution, legal separation, or annulment, at least one spouse must have been a resident of Ohio for 6 months and a resident of Licking County long enough to satisfy venue (generally 90 days) before filing. For never-married parents filing custody in the Probate & Juvenile Court, Ohio must be the children's "home state" under the UCCJEA (R.C. 3127) — generally, the children have lived in Ohio for the last 6 consecutive months.

Free Local Resources in Licking County

Licking County Clerk of Courts — Domestic Relations. 75 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 670-5400, fax (740) 670-5419. Provides current filing deposits, the Domestic Relations forms, rules & guides page (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/forms_rules.htm), and CPO packets. Clerk of Common Pleas: Olivia C. Parkinson.
Licking County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). 65 East Main Street, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 670-5998 or 1-800-513-1128 (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/csea/). Opens IV-D cases, sets and collects support by wage withholding, and enforces orders. CSEA enforces the court's order; it does not represent either parent.
Parenting seminar — "Helping Children Succeed After Divorce" (The Woodlands). Required for everyone with minor children who files for divorce or dissolution. About 90 minutes online or a 2-hour in-person class. Register at www.thewoodland.org or (740) 349-7066 (online tech support ext. 241).
Licking County Domestic Relations Mediation. Mediation Coordinator Christopher R. Meyer, (740) 670-5409 (https://lickingcounty.gov/depts/domestic/mediation.htm). Offers assessment and referral to a court-approved mediator for divorce and post-divorce parenting disputes. A domestic-violence victim may decline mediation or bring a support person.
The Center for New Beginnings (domestic-violence help). Helps victims obtain a protection order and offers free confidential housing and services: (740) 345-4498 or (740) 349-8719, toll-free 1-800-686-2760.
Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (SEOLS) — Newark. 15 West Locust Ave., Suite A, Newark, OH 43055; (740) 345-0850 or 1-888-831-9412. Free civil legal help for those who qualify.

Related to your annulment case

Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on annulment and related Ohio family law topics.

Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio: Which Path Is Right for You? — Divorce and dissolution both end an Ohio marriage, but they work very differently. Dissolution is a no-fault, agreed process; divorce is a lawsuit for couples who can't agree. Here's how to choose.
How to File for Divorce in Ohio: A Step-by-Step Guide — Filing for divorce in Ohio follows a defined path: confirm residency, choose your grounds, file the complaint, serve your spouse, and work toward temporary orders and a final decree. Here is how each step works.

Keep exploring

Ohio Annulment guide — Statewide overview of annulment in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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