What does DIY divorce actually mean?
In England and Wales, "DIY divorce" typically means applying for the divorce itself, the legal dissolution of the marriage, without a solicitor. Since April 2022, this is done entirely online through the HMCTS portal, and the no-fault divorce law means you no longer need to blame your spouse or prove anything beyond that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.
However, the divorce application itself is only one part of the picture. The financial settlement, dealing with property, savings, pensions, debts, and maintenance, is a separate process entirely, and it is here that most people benefit from at least some professional input.
When DIY divorce works well, and when it doesn't
✓ Usually fine to DIY
- Both parties agree on the divorce
- No significant shared assets
- Short marriage with limited financial ties
- Both parties are in communication
- No children or children's arrangements already agreed
- Neither party has complex finances (business, overseas assets, large pensions)
⚠ Take advice first
- Significant shared property, savings or pensions
- One party has a business interest
- There is a history of financial control or coercive behaviour
- One party earns significantly more than the other
- Long marriage with intertwined finances
- Either party is considering remarrying soon
How to apply for divorce yourself in England and Wales
- Apply online at gov.uk/apply-for-divorce, you can apply as a sole or joint applicant
- Pay the court fee, currently £612. If you are on a low income, check whether you qualify for a fee remission using the Help with Fees scheme (form EX160)
- The court serves the application on your spouse (in a sole application) or confirms receipt (in a joint application)
- Wait 20 weeks from the date the application was issued, this is the mandatory reflection period
- Apply for the conditional order through the same portal
- Wait 6 weeks and 1 day after the conditional order, sort your finances in this window
- Apply for the final order, your marriage is now legally dissolved
The HMCTS online divorce portal guides you through the application step by step, no legal training required.
The part most people get wrong: finances
The divorce application ends the marriage. It does not deal with money. Many people assume that once divorced, the financial slate is wiped clean, it is not. Without a court-sealed financial order, both parties retain the legal right to make financial claims against the other indefinitely, even years after the divorce is finalised.
If you and your spouse have agreed how to divide your assets, you still need a consent order sealed by the court to make that agreement legally binding. An agreement written on paper, or even a solicitor's letter confirming the terms, is not enforceable on its own.
What does DIY divorce actually cost?
- Court fee: £612 (waivable or reduced under Help with Fees)
- Marriage certificate: £11 per copy (required for the application)
- Consent order (if needed): £60 court fee to apply; drafting costs vary, a solicitor may charge £500-£1,500 to draft and check the order
- Guidance tools: DivorceCompanion is free to start and guides you through the process step by step
Not sure which route is right for you?
DivorceCompanion's free route checker helps you understand whether your situation is straightforward enough for DIY, or whether you need professional support, in under 5 minutes.
- ✓ Free route checker: amicable or contested?
- ✓ Stage tracker: step-by-step through the process
- ✓ Form E Builder: for financial disclosure if needed