How to Apply for a Divorce in England and Wales Online or by Post

Check that you can apply for a divorce

You can get divorced through the England and Wales process if all three core conditions are met: you have been married for over one year, the marriage is legally recognised in the UK and the relationship has permanently broken down.

The modern divorce process does not require you to prove adultery, unreasonable behaviour or a period of separation. The application is based on a statement that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.

This procedure applies to divorces dealt with under the law of England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate processes.

Decide whether to apply jointly or on your own

You can make a joint divorce application if you and your husband or wife both agree that you should divorce and you are not at risk of domestic abuse.

Both spouses must use the same application method, either online or by post, and both must separately confirm that they want the divorce to continue at the later stages.

A sole application is more appropriate if your spouse does not agree that you should divorce or you do not expect them to cooperate or respond to court notifications.

If a joint applicant later stops responding, the other applicant can, under the applicable HMCTS process, continue as a sole applicant.

Prepare your marriage certificate and personal details

Before applying, prepare your full name and address and your spouse's full name and current address. The court needs the respondent's address so it can send the divorce documents where required.

You also need your original marriage certificate or a certified copy. If the certificate is not in English, HMCTS requires a certified translation.

If your name has changed since the marriage, provide evidence of that change, such as your marriage certificate or a deed poll.

If you give your spouse's email address in a sole application, the court can send the divorce papers electronically. Without an email address, the papers are normally sent by post.

Apply online through the HMCTS divorce service

The standard digital route allows individuals to apply for divorce online. You will enter the required marriage and contact information, upload or provide the relevant documents and pay the court fee online.

You normally need a debit or credit card when applying online. If you successfully apply online for Help with Fees first, you receive a reference number that can be entered in the divorce application instead of paying the fee upfront while HMCTS considers the fee-remission application.

Use Form D8 if you prefer to apply by post

You can apply on paper using Form D8. HMCTS provides English and Welsh versions of the form.

The completed paper application is sent to HMCTS Divorce and Dissolution Service, PO Box 13226, Harlow, CM20 9UG. Keep your own copy.

For a postal application, HMCTS can arrange payment by debit or credit card, or you can pay by cheque made payable to HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

The divorce filing fee is £628 in 2026

The current fee for filing an application for divorce in England and Wales is £628. The fee increased from £612 in July 2026.

You may qualify for Help with Fees if you have little or no savings, receive certain benefits or have a low income. The outcome can mean paying none, some or all of the fee.

For a joint divorce application, both spouses must apply for and qualify for Help with Fees. If either spouse is not eligible or does not apply, the full divorce fee must be paid.

Once HMCTS has sent the notice confirming that the divorce application has been issued, the divorce application fee is not refundable merely because you later decide not to continue.

The other spouse normally has 14 days to respond

For a sole application, HMCTS checks the application and, if it is correct, issues it and gives you a case number. The court normally sends your spouse the divorce application and an acknowledgement of service notification.

Your spouse normally has 14 days to respond and state whether they agree with the divorce or intend to dispute it.

A spouse cannot prevent the divorce simply because they do not want one or because they want to delay proceedings. A dispute requires a genuine legal basis. Official HMCTS guidance identifies limited grounds such as jurisdiction or the legal validity of the marriage.

Both joint applicants continue the case together

If a joint application is accepted, HMCTS sends both spouses a notice that the application has been issued, a stamped copy, acknowledgement information and a case number.

Both applicants then wait for the mandatory period before applying for the conditional order. At the relevant stages, each person separately confirms that they want the divorce to continue.

Wait 20 weeks after the divorce application is issued

You cannot move immediately from the initial application to the conditional order. For applications under the current divorce law, you must wait at least 20 weeks from the date HMCTS issues the application before applying for a conditional order.

A conditional order confirms that the court does not see a legal reason why the divorce cannot proceed. You are still legally married after the conditional order is made.

Wait another 6 weeks and 1 day before finalising the divorce

After the conditional order has been granted, you must wait at least 43 days, which is 6 weeks and 1 day, before applying for the final order.

The final order is the document that legally ends the marriage. GOV.UK advises applying within 12 months of the conditional order; if you apply later, you will have to explain the delay to the court.

Taken together with court processing, the statutory stages mean a divorce normally takes at least 7 months, and complicated cases can take longer.

Deal with money, property and pensions separately

A divorce does not automatically create a legally binding agreement about your finances. Property, pensions, savings, investments and maintenance can require a separate financial agreement or court order.

If you and your spouse agree how to divide your finances, you can ask the court to turn that agreement into a legally binding consent order. If you cannot agree, you can ask the court to make a financial order.

GOV.UK advises that it is usually simpler to deal with a financial order after obtaining the conditional order but before applying for the final order, because obtaining the final order first can have financial consequences, particularly for pensions.

If a death also creates estate-administration issues during family proceedings, the separate process for applying for probate in England or Wales may become relevant.

Divorce does not itself decide child arrangements

The divorce application ends the legal marriage, but it does not automatically decide where children live, how much time they spend with each parent or how child maintenance is handled.

Parents can usually make arrangements themselves. Separate family-law processes are available if agreement is not possible.

Tell government bodies when divorce changes your circumstances

A divorce can affect other government records and entitlements. GOV.UK specifically notes that you may need to report the change if you receive benefits or if your permission to stay in the UK is based on the marriage.

If your immigration status depends on your relationship, do not assume the divorce process itself updates your Home Office record. Immigration requirements are separate from the family-court process.

Avoid delays in the divorce application

• Do not apply before you have been married for more than one year.
• Do not use the England and Wales procedure for a divorce that must be handled under Scottish or Northern Irish procedure.
• Provide the original marriage certificate or a certified copy and the required certified translation if it is not in English.
• Give the court accurate contact information for your spouse where possible so service of the application is not unnecessarily delayed.
• Choose a joint application only if both spouses agree to divorce and there is no risk of domestic abuse.
• Do not expect a spouse to be able to stop a divorce merely by refusing to agree; disputes are limited to genuine legal grounds.
• Budget for the current £628 court fee unless you qualify for Help with Fees.
• Do not try to apply for the conditional order before the 20-week period has expired.
• Do not apply for the final order until at least 43 days after the conditional order.
• Consider financial orders before finalising the divorce, particularly if property or pension rights need to be protected.