An uncontested divorce costs $300 to $5,000 total, with the cost determined by who prepares the paperwork — you, an online service, or an attorney. The filing fee is the same in every case: $150 to $450 depending on the state and county. The rest of the cost is the labor to prepare the divorce petition, the settlement agreement, the parenting plan, and the final decree. If you prepare those documents yourself, the divorce costs the filing fee plus the cost of service — roughly $300 to $500. If you hire an attorney on a flat fee, the divorce costs $2,000 to $5,000 including the filing fee. The cost is low because there is nothing to litigate. Agreement eliminates the expense.
An uncontested divorce is not the same as a simple divorce. A simple divorce requires that there are no children, no real estate, and few assets. An uncontested divorce can have children, a house, retirement accounts, and spousal support — as long as both parties agree on every issue and sign a comprehensive settlement agreement. The agreement is the defining feature. The complexity of the assets does not matter. The agreement does.
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Uncontested Divorce Cost by Method
| Method | Total Cost | What You Get | Best For |
| Pure DIY | $300-$500 | Filing fee + you prepare all forms | No kids, no assets, both agree, comfortable with paperwork |
| Online divorce service | $500-$1,500 | Completed forms + filing instructions + support | Kids and/or assets, want guidance, lower cost than attorney |
| Flat-fee attorney (one party represented) | $2,000-$4,000 | Attorney prepares all documents, attends hearing | One party wants professional preparation, other party unrepresented but agrees |
| Flat-fee attorney with review for both | $3,500-$5,000 | Attorney prepares documents; other party’s review attorney checks them | Kids, house, retirement — both parties want legal protection |
Uncontested ≠ no attorneys. Uncontested = no disputes. The most common uncontested divorce with children and a house involves a flat-fee attorney who prepares all documents, a review attorney for the other party, and both parties signing the same settlement agreement. The total cost is $3,500 to $5,000 — far less than the $25,000 to $50,000 that the same divorce would cost if any single issue were contested. The attorneys are there to draft, review, and file. They are not there to litigate because there is nothing to litigate.
State Filing Fees for an Uncontested Divorce
| Filing Fee Range | States |
| $150-$250 | MO, IN, MI, OH, KY, WV, MS, AL |
| $250-$350 | TX, IL, PA, GA, NC, VA, CO, WA, AZ |
| $350-$450 | CA, FL, NY, NJ, CT, MA, MD, OR, NV |
What the $300-$5,000 Covers — and What Costs Extra
| Included in the Base Cost | Additional If Needed |
| Divorce petition and summons | QDRO for retirement division ($500-$2,000 per plan) |
| Marital Settlement Agreement | Real estate transfer documents ($200-$800) |
| Parenting Plan (if children) | Parenting class ($25-$75 per parent) |
| Final Decree of Divorce | Certified copies of decree ($5-$20 each) |
| Filing fee (court cost) | Name change order (typically included, verify) |
| Service of process or waiver | Service by publication if spouse cannot be located ($200-$500) |
FAQ: Common Questions About Uncontested Divorce Costs
Does having children increase the cost of an uncontested divorce?
Yes — but not dramatically. An uncontested divorce with children costs $500 to $1,500 more than a childless uncontested divorce because additional documents are required: a Parenting Plan, a Child Support Worksheet, and sometimes a mandatory parenting class certificate. The cost increase is for the additional document preparation, not for litigation — there is still no dispute to litigate. An attorney-drafted uncontested divorce with children typically costs $3,000 to $5,000 total versus $2,000 to $3,500 for a childless uncontested divorce.
What happens to the cost if an uncontested divorce becomes contested mid-process?
The flat fee is void, and the attorney converts to hourly billing. The $3,500 flat-fee uncontested divorce becomes a $15,000 to $50,000 contested case if one party changes their mind and disputes custody, support, or asset division. The money already paid is credited toward the hourly billing, but the cost escalates immediately. This is why attorneys require that both parties have genuinely agreed before they accept a flat-fee uncontested divorce — an agreement that collapses is a loss for the attorney as well as the client.
$300 to $5,000. Agreement Sets the Price.
An uncontested divorce costs $300 to $5,000 — roughly the cost of a major appliance rather than a new car. A DIY uncontested divorce costs $300 to $500 — the filing fee and the cost of service. A flat-fee attorney-handled uncontested divorce with children and a house costs $3,500 to $5,000. The cost is controlled entirely by agreement. As long as both parties agree on every issue, the cost stays in this range. The moment any issue becomes disputed, the cost multiplies by five to ten.
