Divorce without a solicitor — the complete no-fault roadmap

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-28

Since 6 April 2022, getting a divorce in England and Wales is a no-fault process. There is no need to prove either spouse behaved badly, no need to name blame, and no court hearing unless something unforeseen happens. For a straightforward, uncontested divorce you can legally do the entire application yourself through the government's online portal — no solicitor required. This guide lays out each step, the paperwork, the costs, the pitfalls, and when using a solicitor is still the right call.

A single no-fault application

Since April 2022 a divorce is started with one application rather than a petition with three separate "facts" (unreasonable behaviour, desertion, etc.). There is now a single ground: the marriage has irretrievably broken down. Critically, there is a one-year minimum — you cannot apply within the first year of marriage.

You do not need the other spouse's consent to start, and you do not need to give a reason. The law is set out in the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020, which amended the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973.

The online portal

The application is made through the court fee and form-filling service at gov.uk. You will need:

your marriage certificate details (or a certified translation if the marriage took place abroad or is not in English);
both your full names, addresses, and jobs (you can give a "do not know" where genuinely unknown);
your partner's full name, email or postal address, and date of birth (or a "do not know").

The application is submitted electronically and the court fee (£593 at the time of writing) is paid online. If you are on certain benefits or a low income, you may be eligible for Help with Fees (Form EX160), which can reduce or waive the fee.

The 20-week reflection period

After the court acknowledges your application and the respondent acknowledges it (or the time to respond expires), the process is paused for 20 weeks. This is the mandatory reflection period — it exists to give both parties time to think, and (in theory) to reach agreement about money and children before the divorce is finalised. You generally cannot skip or shorten it. Use this time to sort out the financial and children arrangements, because finalising the divorce without your financial claims dealt with has consequences (see paperwork, below).

Conditional order (formerly decree nisi)

Once the 20 weeks have passed and the court is satisfied the legal conditions are met, you apply for the conditional order — this is the old decree nisi, renamed. It is a statement that the court sees no reason the divorce cannot proceed. You apply for it online; there is no hearing in a straightforward case. This step confirms the process is on track but does not end the marriage.

Final order (formerly decree absolute)

After the conditional order you must wait a further 6 weeks (43 days, to allow for appeals) before applying for the final order — the old decree absolute. This is the step that actually ends the marriage. You apply online.

If you were the respondent the whole way through and the applicant does not apply for the final order, you can apply yourself after 3 months (a respondent's application for a final order). If you do nothing, the marriage stays in force indefinitely — so do not assume it has ended.

Paperwork

For a straightforward do-it-yourself divorce the paperwork is minimal:

The divorce application itself (done online).
The marriage certificate (scanned/uploaded), plus certified translations if needed.
Proof of UK address, or of the grounds for jurisdiction, if the marriage took place abroad.
If you apply for Help with Fees: Form EX160.
If financial arrangements are involved: the D81 and consent order (see our consent order guide) — or a court application via Form A if you cannot agree.

There is no requirement to attend court for the procedural steps in an uncontested case.

When you DON'T need a solicitor

You can genuinely handle the divorce application itself without a solicitor when:

the divorce is not disputed — there are no arguments over the ground, children, or money;
there are no assets of complexity (no pension sharing, business, property with significant equity, or overseas assets);
you and your spouse largely agree on the arrangements;
you are comfortable reading forms and following gov.uk's step-by-step guidance.

For many couples the application is essentially form-filling. Where the process tends to require a lawyer is not the divorce itself but the financial settlement and, where they are contentious, child arrangements. A clean divorce with an unresolved financial claim can leave you able to claim against assets later on — so the finances need to be settled properly, which is often where independent advice earns its keep.

Common pitfalls

Applying too early. You cannot apply within the first year of marriage — an early application is rejected.
Missing the 20-week and 6-week waits. These are mandatory. Factor them into your timing.
Forgetting to apply for the final order. The marriage is not over until you do. Set a calendar reminder the day the 6 weeks elapse.
Finishing the divorce with no financial order. Finalising on the cheap without a consent order can leave one spouse with a live right to make a financial claim later. If you have a pension, a house, or meaningful assets, settle the finances first.
Giving the wrong address or details. The respondent must be properly served; a wrong email or address causes delay.
Ignoring Help with Fees. If your income is low you may pay nothing or much less for the £593 fee — the EX160 is quick to submit.
Treating the final order as the end of everything. The divorce is separate from children arrangements and finances; the family court can still be involved after.

Costs

Court fee for the divorce application: £593 (subject to change — check gov.uk).
Conditional order application: no separate fee in a DIY case.
Final order application: no separate fee.
Solicitor: quotes vary widely and depend on whether the work is the divorce only, or includes a financial settlement. Many solicitors charge a modest fixed fee for the divorce application alone, and a separate (larger) fee for the financial order. If you only need help with the financial or children side — not the divorce — you can use a solicitor unbundled (for discrete pieces, e.g. reviewing a consent order) rather than running the whole case.
Help with Fees (EX160): may reduce or waive the £593 fee on low income or benefits.

Get a written, itemised quote before instructing anyone, and remember that the cheapest route is only sensible if your financial and children arrangements are genuinely straightforward.

Official links

Divorce, dissolution and separation: https://www.gov.uk/divorce
Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/11
Divorce application service (HMCTS): https://www.gov.uk/divorce/apply-for-a-divorce
Divorce financial arrangements: https://www.gov.uk/divorce-financial-arrangements
Consent orders: https://www.gov.uk/make-consent-order
Help with Fees (Form EX160): https://www.gov.uk/get-help-with-court-fees

This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.