The actor cited irreconcilable differences in his petition to end the couple's 12-year marriage.
Arquette filed the petition on Friday in Los Angeles and the paperwork indicates he is self-represented. A publicist for the actor declined to comment and the Cox Arquette camp could not be immediately reached.
The 40-year-old actor is traveling overseas and had a bar mitzvah ceremony at Jerusalem's Western Wall on Monday.
Arquette and Cox have a 7-year-old daughter and the actor is seeking joint custody. The pair met on the set of the film "Scream" in 1996 and married three years later.
They announced their separation in October 2010, but Arquette's filing lists the separation date as Dec. 31, 2011. It does not include any other details, but indicates Arquette signed the documents on March 23.
. "We remain best friends and responsible parents to our daughter and we still love each other deeply," the former couple wrote in a statement released after their separation.
Cox gained widespread fame for her role on the TV comedy "Friends" and currently stars in ABC's "Cougar Town." Arquette is an executive producer of that show and has appeared in numerous films, including "Never Been Kissed" and "3000 Miles to Graceland."
