DivorceWise

Divorce and separation in Ireland, in plain English

Separating or divorcing in Ireland?

How long it takes, what it costs, and what happens to the home, the pension and the children.

Plain-English guides and free tools that turn the rules into your own dates and figures. Every fact cited to a dated official source. A solicitor only when you need one.

Work out my date →Read the guides
Rule change tracker · checked 7 Oct 2026Family Courts Act 2024: new family courts from 2027, tracked →

First, the difference

A legal separation keeps you married. A divorce ends the marriage.

Ireland has three routes. The first two settle money, the home and the children while you remain married; only the third lets you remarry. Time spent separated counts towards the two years a divorce needs.

  1. Route 1

    Separation agreement

    A binding contract you both sign. No court, no waiting period. Cannot split a pension. You stay married.

  2. Route 2

    Judicial separation

    A court decree after one year apart (or on other grounds). Orders on money, the home, pensions. You stay married.

  3. Route 3

    Divorce

    A court decree after two years apart in the last three. Ends the marriage; either of you can remarry.

Legal separation versus divorce, compared in full →

The tools

Your own dates and figures, not a leaflet

Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server.

Tool 1FreeHow long?Earliest divorce dateEnter the date you began living apart. See the earliest date you can apply for divorce under the two-years-in-three rule, and the judicial separation route alongside.Work out my date →Tool 2FreeHow much?Cost and route plannerWhich court, which route, the honest cost range and the documents you will need, from four answers. No court fee in Irish family law.Plan my route →Tool 3FreeCan I get help?Legal aid estimatorIncome, dependants, outgoings and capital against the Legal Aid Board's means test, with an estimate of the contribution.Check my eligibility →Tool 4FreeWhat happens to the money?Maintenance and pensionsWalk through the State child maintenance calculator and screen your pensions: is a pension adjustment order likely, and is a valuation worth it?Screen my pensions →

The guides · 19 at launch

Six chapters, in the order most people need them

  1. Chapter 1

    Starting out

    Separation, judicial separation and divorce: what each one is and which applies to you.

    5 guides

  2. Chapter 2

    Cost and help

    What it costs, who can get legal aid, and how to choose a solicitor.

    3 guides

  3. Chapter 3

    Money and the home

    The family home, maintenance, pensions and what the court calls proper provision.

    5 guides

  4. Chapter 4

    Children

    Guardianship, custody and access, parenting plans and maintenance.

    1 guide

  5. Chapter 5

    The court process

    Which court, which documents, how long it takes, and the changes coming.

    3 guides

  6. Chapter 6

    Afterwards and special cases

    Cohabitants, foreign divorces, your will, and protection from abuse.

    2 guides

Rules version 2026-10, last verified 2026-10-07. Every figure is traceable to an official source: Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996, s.5 (revised) · Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996, s.38 (jurisdiction, €3m transfer) · Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996, s.39 (domicile or residence) · Courts Service: Can I get divorced? · Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act 1989, s.2 (revised) · Courts Service: Judicial separation · Courts Service: Applying for divorce · Legal Aid Board: financial eligibility and merits test · Legal Aid Board: contributions · Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996 to 2017 · Legal Aid Board: Family Mediation Service · childmaintenancecalculator.ie · Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996, s.17 (pension adjustment orders) · Courts Service: Understanding divorce · Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996, s.20 (revised)