Average Divorce Cost in Florida: Fees and Options

How much does a divorce cost in Florida? There is no single average that applies to every case. The total cost depends primarily on whether the spouses agree, whether formal service is required and whether the case involves disputed children, property, support or other issues.

Every Florida divorce includes a court filing fee. Other possible expenses include service by a sheriff or process server, publication, parenting courses, mediation, document preparation or attorney representation.

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What Is the Average Divorce Cost in Florida?

The phrase “average divorce cost” can be misleading because a cooperative divorce and a contested divorce are entirely different processes.

A couple who agrees on everything may need document preparation, filing and notarization. A couple who disagrees may also face formal service, mediation, discovery, hearings, expert evaluations and attorney fees.

Florida Divorce Court Filing Fee

The court filing fee is separate from document preparation, attorney fees and other professional services.

For cases filed through our current process, the court filing fee is approximately $419 plus the applicable card-processing fee. Court fees and payment methods can change, so the exact amount should be confirmed before filing.

The filing fee is generally required regardless of whether the case involves:

• A mutual agreement
• Formal service by summons
• Service by publication
• Children
• Property or debts

Children and property may make the documents more involved, but they do not automatically create a different base filing fee.

Can the Florida Divorce Filing Fee Be Waived?

A person who cannot afford the court filing fee may apply for a determination of civil indigent status. This is commonly called applying for a filing-fee waiver.

The clerk reviews the applicant’s income, expenses, assets, debts and household information. Filing an application does not guarantee approval.

If the person qualifies, the court filing fee may be waived or handled according to the clerk’s determination. Other expenses—such as process-server, publication, parenting-course or professional-service fees—are not necessarily covered.

Use our Florida civil indigent status and filing-fee waiver guide to review the process.

Process-Server and Sheriff Fees

If a spouse will not sign the documents before filing, the other spouse generally must be formally served with the divorce papers.

Service is normally completed by a sheriff or private process server. The expense commonly falls between approximately $70 and $140, although the actual amount depends on the county, process server, location and number of attempts required.

Additional service expenses may arise when:

• The spouse lives in another county or state.
• The address is difficult to access.
• Several service attempts are necessary.
• The spouse avoids the process server.
• Special service arrangements are required.

Learn more about the Florida divorce-by-summons process.

Publication and Missing-Spouse Expenses

Publication may be an option when a spouse’s location is genuinely unknown after the required diligent search. It is not used merely because a known spouse refuses to sign.

Possible publication-related costs include:

• Diligent-search expenses
• Newspaper or approved publication charges
• Certified copies or supporting records
• Additional document preparation
• A hearing when required by the type of case

The total varies because publication providers and case requirements are different.

Visit our Florida divorce-by-publication guide for more information.

Parenting-Course Costs

When minor children are involved, both parents generally must complete an approved four-hour parenting course.

The course provider charges its own fee. This expense is separate from the court filing fee and document-preparation service.

Parents may also need additional documents, including:

• A parenting plan
• A time-sharing schedule
• Child-support guideline calculations
• A child-support worksheet
• A Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act affidavit

Additional paperwork does not necessarily mean the divorce will become contested. Parents who agree on every issue may still use the mutual-agreement divorce process with children.

How Property and Debts Affect Divorce Cost

Owning property does not automatically make a divorce expensive. The cost and complexity depend largely on whether the spouses agree on what will happen.

A written agreement may need to address:

• A marital home or other real estate
• Vehicles
• Bank and investment accounts
• Retirement benefits
• Businesses
• Credit cards and loans
• Refinancing or sale deadlines

If the spouses have reached a complete agreement, the case may remain relatively straightforward. If they disagree about value, ownership or division, mediation, attorney representation or court involvement may increase the expense.

Learn more about a mutual-agreement divorce involving property.

Do-It-Yourself Divorce Costs

Preparing and filing a divorce without hiring an attorney or document preparer may reduce professional-service expenses. However, the person filing still remains responsible for:

• The court filing fee
• Choosing the correct forms
• Completing the forms accurately
• Signing and notarizing documents properly
• Completing financial disclosures
• Arranging formal service when required
• Responding to deficiency notices
• Following the case until the Final Judgment is entered

Court clerks can provide procedural information, but they cannot give legal advice or select a legal strategy for someone filing their own case.

A do-it-yourself case may be appropriate for someone comfortable managing the process. Mistakes or missing documents can create delays and additional expenses.

Attorney Fees in a Florida Divorce

Attorney fees vary significantly. Some attorneys charge hourly, while others may offer a flat fee for a defined uncontested matter. A retainer may be required before work begins.

The total attorney cost depends on factors such as:

• The attorney’s billing structure
• The complexity of the financial issues
• Disputes involving children or support
• The amount of communication and negotiation required
• Discovery and document review
• Mediation
• The number of hearings
• Whether the case proceeds to trial

An attorney may be appropriate when a person needs legal advice, representation or protection of individual legal rights.

See our comparison of a divorce attorney versus an online document-preparation service.

What Does a Divorce Document Preparer Do?

A nonlawyer document preparer is different from an attorney. The preparer does not represent either spouse, give legal advice or decide what agreement the spouses should make.

Based on information supplied by the client, a document-preparation service may:

• Prepare the appropriate divorce forms
• Prepare agreed settlement and parenting documents
• Organize signatures and notarization
• Submit documents for electronic filing
• Provide procedural information and case updates
• Help identify missing factual information needed to complete the forms

At Divorce in Florida Online, we prepare documents for mutual-agreement, summons and publication cases throughout all 67 Florida counties.

Because every situation requires different documents and procedures, we provide our service pricing after reviewing the person’s information rather than publishing prices on our webpages.

What Makes Divorce More Expensive?

The factors most likely to increase the total cost include:

• Disagreement between the spouses
• Formal service and repeated service attempts
• Difficulty locating a missing spouse
• Disputes involving children
• Disputed property, debts or alimony
• Financial discovery
• Business or retirement-account valuations
• Mediation
• Multiple hearings
• Expert witnesses or evaluations
• Attorney hourly billing
• Errors requiring documents to be corrected or refiled

The amount of conflict usually affects cost more than the mere existence of children or property.

How to Reduce the Cost of Divorce

• Determine early whether both spouses are willing to cooperate.
• Organize financial records and important documents.
• Resolve as many issues as possible before filing.
• Provide complete and accurate information.
• Respond promptly to document and signature requests.
• Complete required parenting courses early.
• Avoid using publication when the spouse’s address is known.
• Use the correct divorce procedure from the beginning.
• Ask for a clear explanation of professional and third-party fees.
• Consult an attorney when genuine legal advice is needed.

Read our guide to finding a legitimate affordable divorce option in Florida.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to file for divorce in Florida?

For cases filed through our current process, the court filing fee is approximately $419 plus the applicable card-processing fee. The fee is separate from document preparation, service, publication, parenting courses and attorney expenses.

What is the cheapest way to get divorced in Florida?

A fully cooperative mutual-agreement divorce is generally the least expensive path because the spouses avoid formal service, contested hearings and litigation over unresolved issues.

Does a divorce with children cost more?

A case with children requires additional documents and a parenting course. The total professional-service cost may be different, but having children does not automatically make the divorce contested or change the base court filing fee.

Does owning property make divorce more expensive?

Not necessarily. If the spouses agree on the property and debts, those terms can be included in a written agreement. Disagreement, valuation problems or complex ownership issues are more likely to increase the cost.

Can the court filing fee be waived?

A person who cannot afford the filing fee may apply for a determination of civil indigent status. Approval is based on the applicant’s financial information and is not automatic.

Can I get divorced without hiring an attorney?

Yes. Florida does not require every person filing for divorce to hire an attorney. People may represent themselves, use a nonlawyer document preparer for permitted document-preparation services or consult an attorney when legal advice is needed.

Can Divorce in Florida Online tell me exactly what my case will cost?

After reviewing your information, we can explain which document-preparation service appears to fit the situation and identify the known court or third-party expenses. Unexpected court requirements or third-party charges may still affect the final total.

Understand the Costs Before You File

The least expensive option is not simply the service with the lowest advertised price. It is the process that correctly fits the situation and avoids unnecessary corrections, formal procedures and conflict.

Tell us about your situation. We will contact you to gather more details, determine whether the matter is within our scope and request any additional information needed.

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Questions? Call 800-474-1970.

Disclaimer: Divorce in Florida Online is a nonlawyer document-preparation service. We do not provide legal advice, legal representation or advice about whether a particular agreement protects either spouse’s legal interests.