Divorce in England & Wales is applied for online. You can do it yourself directly, or use a preparation service that gathers your information, checks it for the usual errors and keeps both of you organised through the months that follow.
What to have ready before you start
- Your original marriage certificate, or a certified copy - a photo of a photocopy is not accepted.
- Both spouses' full legal names exactly as they appear on the certificate.
- Your spouse's current postal address, and their email address if you have it.
- Any name-change deed, if either of you has changed name since marrying.
- A debit or credit card for the £593 court fee.
The steps
- Choose sole or joint application.
- Enter both parties' details and upload the marriage certificate.
- Confirm the ground: the marriage has broken down irretrievably.
- State the basis for the court's jurisdiction (usually habitual residence in England & Wales).
- Tick whether you want to apply for financial orders - do tick this, it keeps your options open.
- Sign the statement of truth and pay the fee.
What happens after you submit
The court issues the application, and on a sole application it serves your spouse, who has 14 days to file an acknowledgement of service. The 20-week reflection period runs from the date of issue, not the date they respond.
Help with the court fee
If you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may pay a reduced fee or nothing at all under the Help with Fees scheme. Apply for that before submitting, and enter the reference number on the application.
Doing it yourself versus using a service
The court fee is the same either way. A DIY application costs nothing extra but leaves you to manage the paperwork, deadlines and, crucially, the separate financial order. A fixed-fee service like CalmSplit costs £125 per person and keeps the application, disclosure, agreement and consent order paperwork in one place for both of you.
This article is general information about the law of England and Wales, not legal advice. For advice on your situation, speak to a solicitor.