Form D8: the divorce application form explained

Form D8 is the paper application for a divorce, or to end a civil partnership, in England and Wales. You can apply on your own or jointly with your spouse. The court fee is £628. Most people now apply online through GOV.UK, which does the same job; the paper D8 is free to download from GOV.UK.

Official name: Application for a divorce or dissolution (ending a civil partnership)
Court fee: £628, unless you get Help with Fees
Online or paper: Online at GOV.UK is the usual route. D8 is the paper version.
Who fills it in: The person applying, or both of you if you apply jointly
When: At the start, once you have been married for at least a year
Current version: D8 (01.25)
Where it goes: HMCTS Divorce and Dissolution service, PO Box 13226, Harlow CM20 9UG

Correct at 20 October 2026. Fees from GOV.UK, Family court fees (EX50).

How do you fill in Form D8?

The D8 has ten numbered sections plus a page about the fee. You’ll need your marriage or civil partnership certificate beside you, because several answers must match it exactly.

Section 1: your application

Choose divorce or dissolution, then choose a sole or joint application. A sole application means you apply and the court sends the papers to your spouse, who becomes the respondent. A joint application means you both fill in the form and both sign it; your spouse is then applicant 2 and completes Section 3 and their own statement of truth. GOV.UK says a joint application suits couples who both agree to the divorce and where neither is at risk of domestic abuse.

Question 1.3 asks what documents you’re sending. The court needs your original marriage certificate or a certified copy from the register office. A photocopy will not be accepted. If the certificate is not in English you also need a certified translation.

Section 2: about you

Give your name as you use it now. If it differs from the certificate for a reason other than marriage, attach your change of name deed or explain why. Question 2.2 asks whether you want your contact details kept from your spouse. Tick yes if you have any concern about them knowing where you live, and the court will not share them.

Section 3: about the respondent or applicant 2

For a sole application, give your spouse’s address and, if you have it, the personal email address they actually use. The court normally sends the application by email with a notice by post. Avoid a work email, which may not be private. If your spouse lives outside England and Wales, you have to arrange service yourself, and different rules apply. If you don’t know where they are, read our guide to divorcing when you can’t find your spouse before you apply.

Section 4: details of the marriage

Copy the date and both names exactly as they appear on the certificate. If something on the certificate is wrong, say so at question 4.5 rather than correcting it silently. If you married abroad, give the place as written on the certificate. If you cannot get the certificate at all, you need a separate application on form D11, with another fee.

Section 5: why the court can deal with your case

This is jurisdiction. Tick every reason that applies. For most people it’s the first box: you both live in England or Wales. The form explains habitual residence (where your life is mainly based) and domicile (your permanent home). If either of you lives abroad, get legal advice before you choose.

Section 6: statement of irretrievable breakdown

Tick the box to confirm the marriage has broken down irretrievably. That is the only legal ground for divorce now, and you don’t give reasons or blame anyone. In a joint application each of you ticks your own box.

Section 7: other court cases

Tell the court about any past or current proceedings about the marriage or its validity, including cases abroad. If there are none, tick no.

Section 8: dividing money and property

This asks whether you want to apply for a financial order. Ticking yes keeps your claim open, but nothing happens until you file Form A or a consent order with its own fee. The form’s note matters here: if you tick no, you can still apply later, but only until you remarry or form a new civil partnership (pension sharing is the exception). If you’re unsure, ask a family solicitor before you sign.

Sections 9 and 10: summary and statement of truth

Section 9 confirms what you’re asking for. Section 10 is the statement of truth. You must sign and date it, and in a joint application both of you sign. An unsigned form is returned.

The court fee page

Choose how to pay the £628: by card (the court contacts you within 28 days of receiving the form), or by cheque or postal order made payable to HMCTS. If you’ve applied for Help with Fees online, enter your HWF reference. If you’re applying on paper instead, attach a completed form EX160. In a joint application you must both qualify for Help with Fees, otherwise the full fee is payable.

What are the common mistakes on Form D8?

Sending a photocopy of the marriage certificate. It must be the original or a certified copy, and the court keeps it.
Names or dates that don’t match the certificate, with no explanation.
Giving a work email for your spouse, or an old address they no longer use, which delays service.
Ticking no at Section 8 without realising remarriage can end your right to claim money later.
Forgetting the statement of truth, or only one signature on a joint application.
Applying before the first anniversary of the marriage. The court cannot accept it.
Using a form from before April 2022, which asked for reasons such as adultery. Download the current D8 from GOV.UK each time.

What happens after you send Form D8?

The court checks the application and, if it’s in order, issues it. You’ll get a notice of issue, a stamped copy and a case number. The fee is not refunded once you’ve been sent the notice of issue.

In a sole application the court sends your spouse the application with an acknowledgement of service, and they have 14 days to reply (see form D10). Whichever way you applied, you must wait 20 weeks from the date of issue before applying for the conditional order on form D84. GOV.UK says a divorce normally takes at least 7 months in total. Our timeline calculator works out your earliest dates.

Where do you get Form D8?

Download the current D8 from GOV.UK, where there is also a large print version and a Welsh version. If you’d rather apply online, the GOV.UK service asks the same questions and takes card payment at the end. Post the completed paper form, your certificate and the fee to HMCTS Divorce and Dissolution service, PO Box 13226, Harlow CM20 9UG, and keep a copy.

Open Form D8 on GOV.UK

We explain forms but never host them, so you always download the current version from GOV.UK.

When should you get help with Form D8?

Most people complete a D8 without a lawyer. Get advice from a family solicitor if your spouse lives abroad, if you’re unsure which jurisdiction box applies, if you married overseas and the certificate is unusual, or if there’s significant money or a pension at stake and you need to decide what to tick at Section 8.

Get help with Form D8

Tell us what’s going on and we’ll introduce you to two or three family solicitors who can help. Introductions are free for you.

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Common questions

Can I still apply for a divorce on paper?

Yes. Form D8 is the paper application and the court accepts it by post. Most people apply online through GOV.UK because it is quicker and avoids postal delays, but the questions and the fee are the same.

How much does it cost to file a D8?

The court fee is £628, which covers the whole divorce up to the final order. If you have little in savings and a low income or certain benefits, Help with Fees can reduce or cover it.

Do I need my original marriage certificate?

You need the original or a certified copy from the register office where you married. A photocopy will not be accepted, and the court keeps the document you send.

Can we fill in a D8 together?

Yes. In a joint application you both complete the form, and applicant 2 fills in Section 3 and signs their own statement of truth. Either of you can later continue alone if the other stops responding.

What if I don’t know my spouse’s address?

Give their last known address and any email address they use. If the papers can’t be delivered, the court has other options, including deemed service and, as a last resort, dispensing with service on form D13B.

Sources

Guides and tools

This page is general information about court forms, not legal or financial advice. Forms, fees and rules change, so always download the current form from GOV.UK and speak to a qualified professional about your situation. Facts checked 20 October 2026.

Form D8: the paper divorce application