The filing fee for a divorce in Florida is about $400 at the clerk’s window, though the exact figure varies slightly by county. Lake County, for example, charges $397.50 for the dissolution petition, plus $10 to issue the summons and $10.50 to record the final judgment, which brings the upfront total to roughly $418 before anyone has been served.1Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court. Domestic Relations Fees Expect to spend more once service of process, a mandatory parenting course if you have children, and possibly mediation are added in. A fee waiver is available if your income sits at or below twice the federal poverty level.
What the Clerk Collects When You File
Florida Statute 28.241 sets a base filing fee of up to $295 for family law cases filed under Chapter 61, which covers dissolution of marriage.2Online Sunshine. Florida Code 28.241 – Filing Fees for Trial and Appellate Proceedings The $295 is just the starting point. The same statute adds a $4 education trust fund fee, and other surcharges authorized by general law stack on top. By the time everything is tallied, most clerks charge around $400 for the petition.
Two smaller charges are usually collected at the same window. The clerk charges $10 to issue the summons that formally notifies your spouse of the case, a fee set directly by statute.2Online Sunshine. Florida Code 28.241 – Filing Fees for Trial and Appellate Proceedings Another $10.50 or so covers recording the final judgment once the divorce is granted. Both are typically paid upfront along with the petition fee.
If your spouse responds with a counter-petition, they owe a separate filing fee of their own. In Broward County that counter-petition fee is $392.50.3Broward County Clerk of Courts. Fees and Costs The amount varies by county but generally runs close to the original petition fee.
Serving Your Spouse
After the clerk issues the summons, someone has to physically deliver it to your spouse. If you use the county sheriff’s office, plan on around $40 per person served. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office charges exactly $40 for serving a civil summons.4Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Civil Process These fees are set by Florida Statute 30.231 and are non-refundable even if the sheriff cannot locate your spouse on the first attempt.
A private process server is the other option, which can make sense if your spouse is hard to find or you need faster delivery. Private servers in Florida generally charge $40 to $100 for standard service, and rush or same-day requests add $25 to $50 on top. Travel outside the server’s usual area or repeated attempts push the cost higher.
When your spouse cannot be found at all, the court may allow service by publication, which involves running a legal notice in a local newspaper. This runs considerably more than personal service and can reach several hundred dollars depending on the paper’s rates and how many weeks the notice must run. The court will require you to document your efforts to locate your spouse before approving this method.
Parenting Course Costs If You Have Children
If you have minor children, Florida law requires both parents to complete a state-approved Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course before the court will enter a final judgment.5Online Sunshine. Florida Code 61.21 – Parenting Course Authorized The course runs at least four hours and covers how divorce affects children, communication strategies, and co-parenting skills.
The deadlines are tight. The parent who files the petition must complete the course within 45 days of filing, and the other parent has 45 days from the date they are served.5Online Sunshine. Florida Code 61.21 – Parenting Course Authorized Proof of completion goes in the file before the final hearing. Course fees vary by provider but are typically modest compared to the petition fee.
Mediation Fees If You Don’t Agree on Everything
When spouses disagree on property division, parenting time, or support, the court will often order mediation before setting the case for trial. Florida’s court-connected mediation program sets rates by the parties’ combined annual income:
- Combined income under $50,000: $60 per person, per session.
- Combined income between $50,000 and $100,000: $120 per person, per session.
- Parties declared indigent: no charge.
These rates apply to the court’s own program.6Seventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. Family Mediation A private mediator costs more, often $150 to $300 per hour or above. Most mediated divorces need one to three sessions, so the court program represents real savings if you qualify. Couples with combined income above $100,000 are generally expected to hire a private mediator.
Simplified Dissolution at the Same Filing Fee
Florida offers a streamlined process called simplified dissolution. The filing fee is the same, but the paperwork is lighter and you avoid the cost of formal service because both spouses sign the petition together. You both qualify only if every one of these is true:
- You have no dependent children together, the wife has no minor children born during the marriage, and she is not pregnant.
- Neither spouse is seeking alimony.
- You have already divided all assets and debts to both parties’ satisfaction.
- Both of you are willing to give up the right to a trial and appeal.
- Both spouses can appear at the clerk’s office to sign the petition and attend the final hearing together.
- At least one spouse has lived in Florida for six months or more before filing.
The trade-off is that you cannot ask the court for alimony or contest how property is divided, so this path only works when both sides are genuinely on the same page.
Fee Waiver for Financial Hardship
If you cannot afford the filing fee, you can apply for indigent status through the clerk’s office. Florida Statute 57.082 lets the clerk waive court costs for people whose income falls at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.7Florida Senate. Florida Code 57.082 – Determination of Civil Indigent Status For 2026, that works out to a single person earning roughly $31,920 or less per year, or a two-person household earning about $43,280 or less.
The application asks for a full picture of your finances. You will need to disclose take-home pay after mandatory deductions, any government benefits or pension income, and the value of your assets including bank accounts, real estate equity, and vehicles.7Florida Senate. Florida Code 57.082 – Determination of Civil Indigent Status The clerk reviews the application and makes the determination, not a judge. Be thorough and honest; the clerk can deny the application or revoke the waiver later if the information turns out to be inaccurate.
One detail catches people off guard. Even if you are approved as indigent, you will still need to enroll in the clerk’s payment plan and pay a one-time $25 administrative fee. The waiver defers your costs rather than eliminating them outright, so you may eventually owe the balance if your financial situation improves.
How You Pay
Florida requires all court filings to go through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, which serves as the statewide access point for submitting documents and paying fees electronically.8Florida Courts E-Filing Authority. Florida Courts E-Filing Authority The portal accepts credit cards and electronic checks. As of July 2025, credit card payments carry a convenience fee of 3.95 percent, while ACH transactions have a flat $5 fee.9The Florida Bar. Significant Updates Ahead for E-Filers and Florida’s E-Filing Portal On a $400 filing fee, the credit card surcharge alone adds about $16, so paying by ACH saves real money.
Before uploading anything, make sure all forms are signed and notarized where required.10Florida Courts Help. Filing Your Forms The petition for dissolution of marriage, financial affidavit, and certain other documents need notarized signatures. A missing notarization will delay your case because the clerk will not accept the filing until it is corrected. Florida notaries can charge up to $10 per signature.