What does it cost to file for divorce?
Start with your local court’s fee schedule. California Courts lists $435–$450 for the initial divorce filing. New York Courts lists a $210 index-number fee and at least $335 in court filing fees for an uncontested divorce. Harris County, Texas lists $350 without children or $365 with children before service. Those are different scopes of payment, so they are starting points for a budget, not interchangeable national prices.
The comparison below covers California, New York, and one Texas county. For other states, use the official court directory and confirm the divorce fee with your filing court. If paying the fee would cause financial hardship, read the divorce fee-waiver guide before filing.
Verified state and county filing-fee examples
Official sources checked on . Each amount describes the charge shown in its linked source; your final court bill may include other filings or services.
| Jurisdiction | Published fee | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| California | $435–$450 Initial divorce filing; the amount depends on the county. | Check the superior court that accepts your divorce case. California Courts: file divorce papers |
| New York | $210 to start; at least $335 in filing fees Uncontested divorce: the index number is $210; later filings bring the stated minimum to $335. | Ask the county clerk about the full filing sequence and any copy or certification fees. New York Courts: filing an uncontested divorce |
| Texas — Harris County example | $350 without children; $365 with children New divorce suit in Harris County, before service fees; schedule effective January 1, 2026. | This is a county example. Confirm the district clerk’s divorce fee in your own county. Harris County District Clerk: 2026 civil and family fee schedule (PDF) |
In New York, the remaining $125 can be allocated between the note of issue and a request for judicial intervention. The statewide fee schedule explains those separate charges. Ask your county clerk which filings your case requires.
Find the fee for any U.S. state
- Identify the right court. Check residency and venue first. A fee comparison does not tell you where you are eligible to file.
- Open your state’s court website. The Department of Justice’s court resources by state links to court systems across the country. Find the local court or clerk for your county and its current fee schedule.
- Match the exact case type. Look for divorce, dissolution of marriage, or domestic relations. Check whether the schedule distinguishes cases involving children, initial petitions, responses, and later motions.
- Confirm the total due now. Ask the clerk whether service, summons or citation issuance, e-filing-provider charges, copies, or payment processing are separate. Record the schedule’s effective date and the clerk’s answer in your budget.
A useful question for the clerk is: “What is the current total court charge to start this type of divorce in this county, which charges are separate, and where are the fee-waiver instructions?”
Keep court fees separate from the divorce budget
The initial filing fee is one line of a larger budget. Service of papers, document copies, later court filings, attorney work, mediation, and professional reports may each have their own price. An uncontested case may still require paid filings; agreement alone is not a fee waiver.
- Court charges: use the official schedule and the case types that apply to you.
- Service and copies: confirm who performs the service, what it costs, and which copies you need.
- Professional work: use a written quote or your own estimate for lawyers, mediators, and other providers.
Use the divorce cost calculator to build that budget, then replace planning assumptions with local fees and actual quotes.
Divorce filing-fee questions
Is there one national divorce filing fee?
No. Use the fee schedule for the state court and county where you are eligible to file. Even two fees with similar amounts may cover different steps, so compare an initial petition fee with an initial petition fee, not with the total fees for finishing a case.
Does an uncontested divorce still have court fees?
Agreement does not automatically remove court fees. New York Courts, for example, lists at least $335 in court filing fees for an uncontested divorce. A financial-hardship waiver is a separate process.
Do the prices here include a lawyer or process server?
No. These examples describe court filing fees. Harris County’s new-suit amount excludes service, and New York’s stated minimum excludes lawyers and other expenses. Ask your court and any service provider for their separate charges.
Can I file in a cheaper state?
A lower fee does not establish your eligibility to file there. Before comparing prices, check the court’s residency and venue requirements for your situation. A court self-help center or local attorney can help with that question.
What if I cannot afford the filing fee?
Check your court’s fee-waiver or inability-to-pay procedure before submitting the divorce papers. The form, financial criteria, filing sequence, and covered costs vary. Our national divorce fee-waiver guide links to official starting points.
Official sources
Confirm the current schedule before paying or filing.
- California Courts: file divorce papers
Initial divorce filing; the amount depends on the county.
- New York Courts: filing an uncontested divorce
Uncontested divorce: the index number is $210; later filings bring the stated minimum to $335.
- Harris County District Clerk: 2026 civil and family fee schedule (PDF)
New divorce suit in Harris County, before service fees; schedule effective January 1, 2026.
- New York Courts: statewide filing fees
Distinguishes index-number, judicial-intervention, note-of-issue, motion, and other fees.
- U.S. Department of Justice: court resources by state
A starting point for locating official court systems in other states and territories.