The court fee to apply for a divorce in England and Wales is £628, up from £612 on 13 July 2026. The same fee covers the conditional order and final order. Making a financial agreement legally binding with a consent order costs £62, asking the court to decide your finances costs £321, and an application about children costs £270.
Every family court fee in one table
This is every fee you’re likely to meet in a divorce, a financial case or a case about children. Each one is checked against the government’s Family court fees (EX50) list, and the previous fee comes from the Ministry of Justice’s announcement of the July 2026 changes. Correct at 20 October 2026.
| Application | Form | Fee now | Before 13 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce and separation | |||
| Divorce, dissolution or nullity application | D8 or online | £628 | £612 |
| Applying for the conditional order and final order (undefended divorce) | Online or paper form | No fee | No fee |
| Answer to a divorce application (formally disputing it) | £240 | £234 | |
| Judicial separation application | £426 | £415 | |
| Amended divorce or separation application | £61 | £59 | |
| Money and property | |||
| Consent order (financial order by consent) | Form A and statement of information | £62 | £60 |
| Financial order, not by consent | Form A | £321 | £313 |
| Varying a maintenance order, other side notified | Application within proceedings | £195 | £190 |
| Varying a maintenance order, by consent | Application within proceedings | £62 | £60 |
| Children | |||
| Child arrangements, prohibited steps or specific issue order (also used to end an order) | C100 | £270 | £263 |
| Enforcing a child arrangements order | C79 | £270 | £263 |
| Breach, change or ending of an existing enforcement order | £119 | £116 | |
| Changing an application the court is already dealing with, with a hearing | C2 | £195 | £190 |
| Changing an application the court is already dealing with, by consent | C2 | £62 | £60 |
| Enforcing a money order | |||
| Asking the court to choose the method of enforcement | £63 | £61 | |
| Order for someone to attend court and give information | £63 | £61 | |
| Attachment of earnings order (per person) | £39 | £38 | |
| Charging order (per order) | £44 | £43 | |
| Third-party debt order (per person) | £90 | £88 | |
| Judgment summons | £85 | £83 | |
| Warrant of control | £117 | £114 | |
| Protection orders | |||
| Non-molestation order, occupation order or Domestic Abuse Protection Order | No fee | No fee | |
| Forced marriage or FGM protection order | No fee | No fee | |
| Appeals and other fees | |||
| Appeal against a Children Act decision | £251 | £245 | |
| Other appeal from a district judge or magistrates | £146 | £142 | |
| Bailiff serving a document | £47 | £46 | |
| Search of the central index of final orders (to find a lost one) | £89 | £65 | |
| Copy of a court document (up to 10 pages) | £14 | £11 | |
Fees apply in the family court in England and Wales. “No fee” for the conditional and final orders applies when the divorce is undefended, which covers almost every divorce. Form names are given where GOV.UK names them. Your local court can confirm any fee not listed here.
Want to know what the whole thing could cost, not only the court fees? Try our divorce cost calculator, or get matched with a family solicitor or mediator who can quote.
What does the £628 divorce fee cover?
The £628 fee covers the whole divorce, from the application through the conditional order to the final order that ends the marriage. There’s no extra fee to apply for either order if your spouse doesn’t defend the divorce. It’s the same fee whether you apply alone or together, and in a joint application you can agree to split it.
GOV.UK says the fee won’t be refunded once you’ve been sent the notice that your application has been issued (GOV.UK, Get a divorce). The fee doesn’t cover anything to do with money, property or children. Those are separate applications with their own fees, shown in the table above.
How much does a consent order cost?
The court fee for a consent order is £62. A consent order turns the financial agreement you’ve reached into a court order, so either of you can enforce it. You can send it to the court once you have your conditional order, and it takes effect when the final order is made (GOV.UK).
The £62 is only the court fee. Someone has to draft the order in the right legal form. MoneyHelper says a solicitor’s fixed fee for drafting a consent order after an agreed settlement could start from £250 plus VAT (MoneyHelper). Our guide to consent orders and clean break orders explains what goes in one.
How much does it cost to ask the court to decide finances?
Applying for a financial order on Form A costs £321. You’ll usually need to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) first, unless you’re exempt. Under the court rules, the first appointment is set 12 to 16 weeks after you apply (Family Procedure Rules, rule 9.12). The court fee is a small part of the cost of a contested case, where legal fees can run to thousands of pounds.
How much does a child arrangements order cost?
It costs £270 to apply to court for a child arrangements order, prohibited steps order or specific issue order, using form C100. GOV.UK uses the same form, and the same fee, to end an order that no longer works. Enforcing an order someone isn’t following costs £270 on form C79 (GOV.UK).
Before applying you’ll usually need to attend a MIAM, which GOV.UK says usually costs around £120. If you go on to mediate, a government voucher can pay up to £500 towards it. Our guide to a child arrangements order without a solicitor takes you through the C100.
Can you get help paying court fees?
Yes. Help with Fees can cover some or all of a court fee if you have little in savings and either get certain benefits or have a low income (GOV.UK). In summary:
- Savings: usually under £4,250 if the fee is £1,420 or less, which covers every fee in the table above. If you or your partner are 66 or older, the limit is £16,000.
- Benefits: income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related ESA, Income Support, Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), or Universal Credit if you earn less than £6,000 a year.
- Income: £1,420 a month or less if you’re single, or £2,130 with a partner, plus £425 for each child aged 0 to 13 and £710 for each child aged 14 or over. If you earn more, you may still get part of the fee paid.
In a joint divorce application, you both have to apply for help, and if one of you isn’t eligible you pay the full fee. You can also claim a refund if you paid a fee in the last 3 months and were eligible at the time. Our step-by-step guide to Help with Fees for divorce covers the form.
When did divorce court fees last change?
The divorce fee has risen twice in just over a year:
- £593 to £612 from 8 April 2025 (Ministry of Justice)
- £612 to £628 from 13 July 2026 (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice said the July 2026 changes raised 170 fees by 2.6% to keep pace with inflation. Older figures such as £593 and £612 still appear on many websites. If you’re applying now, the fee is £628. We check this page against GOV.UK whenever fees change.
Are court fees different in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Yes. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own courts, divorce laws and fees, so nothing in the table above applies there. MoneyHelper lists a simplified (DIY) divorce in a Scottish sheriff court at £156, and a divorce application in Northern Ireland at £326 (MoneyHelper). Check with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service or the Northern Ireland Department of Justice before you apply.
How to cite this page
divorcd, “Divorce and family court fees 2026”, https://divorcd.com/divorce-court-fees, figures correct at 20 October 2026.
Source: GOV.UK, Family court fees (EX50), updated 13 July 2026. You’re welcome to quote these figures with a link to this page.
Want someone to handle the paperwork?
Tell us what’s going on and we’ll introduce you to two or three family solicitors or mediators near you. It won’t cost you anything.
Get matchedCommon questions
How much is the court fee for a divorce in 2026?
The fee to apply for a divorce in England and Wales is £628. It went up from £612 on 13 July 2026. It’s the same whether you apply on your own or jointly, and it covers the whole divorce up to the final order.
Is there a fee for the conditional order or the final order?
No, not in an undefended divorce. The £628 application fee covers both orders. Separate fees only apply to things like financial orders, applications about children, or a formal defence to the divorce.
How much does a consent order cost?
The court fee for a consent order is £62. If a solicitor drafts it for you, MoneyHelper says fixed fees could start from £250 plus VAT.
How much does it cost to apply for a child arrangements order?
It costs £270 to apply using form C100. You’ll usually need to attend a MIAM with a mediator first, which GOV.UK says usually costs around £120, unless you’re exempt.
Can I get the divorce fee reduced or waived?
Yes, through Help with Fees, if you have under £4,250 in savings and get certain benefits or have a low income. In a joint application, you both have to apply and both be eligible.
Who pays the divorce court fee?
The person who applies pays it. In a joint application you can split it between you. You can also agree, as part of your financial settlement, that one of you contributes to the other’s costs.
Sources
- GOV.UK, Family court fees (EX50), updated 13 July 2026
- Ministry of Justice and HMCTS, Court and tribunal fees: updates from July 2026 (published 19 June 2026)
- Ministry of Justice and HMCTS, Court and tribunal fees: updates from April 2025
- GOV.UK, Get a divorce
- GOV.UK, Money and property when you divorce or separate
- GOV.UK, Making child arrangements if you divorce or separate
- GOV.UK, Get help paying court and tribunal fees
- MoneyHelper, How much does divorce or dissolution cost?
Keep reading
This page is general information about divorce, not legal or financial advice. Laws, fees and figures change, so check the sources above and speak to a qualified professional about your situation. Facts checked 20 October 2026.