DIY Divorce: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

A DIY divorce is when you handle the legal process yourself without instructing a solicitor. This guide walks you through every step, from checking eligibility to receiving your final order.

Is a DIY divorce right for you?

A DIY divorce can work well if:

• You and your spouse agree the marriage is over
• You have straightforward finances (or none to divide)
• You can communicate with your spouse about practicalities
• You don’t have complex assets like businesses, multiple properties, or significant pensions
• There are no disputes about children arrangements

What you’ll need before you start

Before beginning your DIY divorce, gather the following:

Essential documents

• Marriage certificate – Original or official certified copy. If married abroad, you’ll need a certified translation if not in English
• Your spouse’s current address – The court needs this to serve papers. If you provide their email, papers can be sent digitally
• £612 – The court fee (as of April 2025). Pay by debit or credit card online

Information you’ll need

• Full names and addresses of both parties
• Date and place of marriage
• Whether you’re applying jointly or as a sole applicant
• Confirmation that the marriage has irretrievably broken down

The DIY divorce process: Step by step

Step 1: Check you can apply

You can apply for divorce in England and Wales if:

• You’ve been married for at least 12 months
• Your marriage is legally recognised in the UK
• You or your spouse have a permanent home in England or Wales (or other jurisdictional connection)
• Your marriage has irretrievably broken down

Since April 2022, you don’t need to prove fault or blame. Simply stating the marriage has broken down is enough.

Step 2: Decide – joint or sole application

You have two options:

Recommendation: If you’re on good terms, a joint application shows cooperation and may make financial negotiations easier.

Step 3: Apply online

Go to gov.uk/apply-for-divorce and create an account.

The online application asks for:

1. Your personal details and your spouse’s details
2. Marriage certificate information
3. Whether you want to apply jointly or solely
4. Confirmation that the marriage has irretrievably broken down
5. Payment of the £612 fee

Tips for the application:

• Have your marriage certificate to hand
• The process takes about 30 minutes
• You can save and return if needed
• Keep a copy of everything you submit

Step 4: Court issues your application

Once you submit and pay, the court will:

1. Check your application
2. Issue it (send it out officially)
3. Send you a notice confirming the issue date

For sole applications: The court sends the divorce papers to your spouse along with an acknowledgement of service form. They have 14 days to respond.

For joint applications: Both parties receive confirmation and proceed together.

Step 5: The 20-week reflection period

After your application is issued, there’s a mandatory 20-week waiting period before you can apply for the conditional order.

Use this time to:

• Discuss and agree financial arrangements
• Sort out children’s living arrangements
• Gather financial information if you need a consent order
• Consider mediation if you can’t agree on finances

Step 6: Apply for the conditional order

After 20 weeks, you’ll receive an email inviting you to apply for the conditional order (previously called decree nisi).

For sole applications:

• You apply online through your gov.uk account
• Confirm the information in your application is still correct
• The court reviews your application

For joint applications:

• Either party can start the application
• The other party has 14 days to confirm
• If they don’t respond, you can switch to a sole application

The court will review your application. If approved, you’ll receive a certificate confirming the date your conditional order will be granted.

No court attendance required – this is handled on paper unless there are complications.

Step 7: Wait 6 weeks and 1 day

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

Step 8: Apply for the final order

After the 6-week wait, apply for the final order (previously decree absolute).

• Apply online through your gov.uk account
• There’s no additional fee
• The court processes your application

Apply within 12 months of the conditional order. If you’re late, you’ll need to explain the delay to the court.

Step 9: You’re divorced

Once the final order is granted:

• Your marriage is legally over
• You’re free to remarry
• Keep your final order safe – you’ll need it as proof of divorce

The court sends both parties a copy of the final order.

DIY divorce timeline

Here’s the minimum timeline for a DIY divorce:

Realistic timescale: Most DIY divorces take 6-9 months. Delays can occur if your spouse doesn’t respond promptly or there are complications.

DIY divorce costs

Court fees (2025)

Total DIY divorce cost

The consent order: Don’t skip this step

Even if you’re doing a DIY divorce, you need a consent order to make your financial agreement legally binding.

Why you need a consent order

Without a consent order:

• Your ex could claim against your future assets
• They could claim a share of lottery winnings, inheritance, or pension
• You have no legal protection even years after divorce
• Financial claims don’t expire just because you’re divorced

What’s involved

A consent order requires:

1. Form A – Application notice for a financial order (marked ‘for dismissal purposes only’)
2. Draft consent order – The actual agreement, signed by both parties
3. Form D81 – Statement of information showing both parties’ finances
4. £60 court fee

The judge reviews your application to check the agreement is fair. If approved, it becomes legally binding.

Can you do a consent order yourself?

Yes, but it’s more complex than the divorce itself. Many people:

• Do the divorce application themselves
• Use a fixed-fee service or solicitor for the consent order

Forms you may need

Divorce forms

Financial forms

Common DIY divorce problems

Your spouse doesn’t respond

If your spouse doesn’t acknowledge the divorce within 14 days:

1. Try contacting them directly (if safe to do so)
2. They can still respond after the deadline
3. If they still don’t respond, the court will advise on next steps
4. You may need to apply for deemed service (proving they received it) or alternative service

The divorce isn’t blocked – you can still proceed to the conditional order.

You can’t find your marriage certificate

Order a replacement from the General Register Office:

• Standard service: £11
• Priority service: £35

If married abroad, contact that country’s authorities.

You don’t know your spouse’s address

You must provide an address for service. Options:

• Try to find it through friends, family, or social media
• Apply to the court for alternative service (serving via email, social media, or other means)
• Apply to dispense with service if all attempts fail (rare)

You disagree on finances

If you can’t agree on finances, a DIY divorce becomes more complex:

1. Try mediation first (required before court in most cases)
2. If mediation fails, you may need to apply for financial remedy proceedings
3. Consider getting legal advice at this point

When to get professional help

Consider getting legal advice (even for just a one-off consultation) if:

• You have property, pensions, or significant savings
• You or your spouse own a business
• There’s a significant income disparity
• You’re not sure what you’re entitled to
• Your spouse has a solicitor and you don’t
• There are child arrangement disputes
• There’s any history of domestic abuse

Many solicitors offer:

• Free initial consultations
• Fixed fees for specific work (like drafting a consent order)
• Unbundled services (help with specific tasks only)

DIY divorce checklist

Use this checklist to track your progress:

Before you start:

• Married for at least 12 months
• Have your marriage certificate (or ordered a replacement)
• Know your spouse’s current address
• Decided: joint or sole application
• Have £612 for the court fee (or checked Help with Fees eligibility)

Application stage:

• Created account at gov.uk/apply-for-divorce
• Completed and submitted application
• Paid court fee
• Received confirmation application has been issued

20-week reflection period:

• Started discussing financial arrangements
• Gathered financial information
• Considered children arrangements
• Looked into consent order requirements

Conditional order:

• Received invitation to apply (after 20 weeks)
• Applied for conditional order
• Received conditional order certificate

Before final order:

• Financial consent order drafted
• Form D81 completed
• Consent order submitted and approved
• Waited at least 43 days since conditional order

Final order:

• Applied for final order
• Received final order
• Kept final order certificate safe

Summary

A DIY divorce can save thousands of pounds if your situation is straightforward. The key steps are:

1. Apply online at gov.uk (£612)
2. Wait 20 weeks (use this time to sort finances)
3. Apply for conditional order
4. Get your consent order approved before the final order
5. Wait 6 weeks then apply for final order
6. You’re divorced

The minimum time is about 26 weeks, and most DIY divorces complete within 6-9 months.