How much are court fees?

The legal process of divorce (or dissolution of a civil partnership) involves the courts and there are various fees to pay.

You can either do this yourself or ask a solicitor to help you. Some firms offer a fixed fee and others might charge on an hourly basis. In Scotland, if you have children under 16, you are likely to need a solicitor to draft the court papers. The cost of this will depend on the firm of solicitors you instruct.

Court fees in England and Wales

The court fee for filing your divorce (or dissolution) petition

(If the petition for divorce (or dissolution) was issued before 1 July 2013, the fee is £340)

£410

The court fee for obtaining your decree absolute (or final order)

(Filing an application to make a decree nisi, absolute (divorce), or a conditional order, final (dissolution) - only applicable if the original application for divorce, nullity or civil partnership dissolution was filed before 1 July 2013)

£50

The court fee for an application for financial proceedings

£255

If you have agreed the financial arrangements and detailed them in a consent order the court fee for asking a judge to approve the consent order and make it binding

£45

Court fees in Scotland

The court fee for a simplified divorce

From November 2012, £101

From April 2013, £104

From April 2014, £107

In an ordinary divorce, the court fee for lodging an action of divorce

From November 2012, £133

From April 2013, £136

From April 2014, £141

Fee for minuting for decree

From November 2012, £58

From April 2013, £60

From April 2014, £62

Court fees in Northern Ireland

The court fee for lodging a petition

£200

Applying for a court hearing

£250/£300

Application to make decree nisi absolute (divorce) £75

Application to make conditional order final (dissolving a civil partnership) £75

The court fee for an application for ancillary relief (to sort out the finances)

*£250/£300 *