Chapter 2 of 6 · Cost and help · The cost page
What a divorce costs in Ireland
Last verified2026-10-07Three things decide the bill: whether you use a solicitor, whether anything is contested, and whether there are pensions or property that need valuing. The court itself charges nothing. The ranges below are what family-law solicitors told the Irish Times survey of family-law solicitors, April 2026; they are a survey, not a tariff, and your own quote may sit outside them.
Court fee
€0
The Courts Service does not charge either person a fee for making family law applications.
Courts Service: Applying for divorce · checked 2026-10-07Solicitor costs by route, per spouse
| Route | Range per spouse | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Apply yourself, everything agreed | €0 to €500 | No court fee. Costs are documents, certificates and perhaps a one-off consultation. |
| Solicitor, everything agreed | €3,000 to €6,000 | The survey put the floor near €5,000 per spouse where a solicitor runs the whole case; a consent divorce with little property can come in under that. |
| Solicitor, money or children contested | €10,000 to €20,000+ | Each contested motion, valuation and court day adds to this; a fully fought case can go well past the top of the range. |
| High Court | €30,000 to €100,000+ | Senior counsel, forensic accountants and valuers. Only where the assets justify it. |
Hourly rates in the survey ran from €250 to €400. Each side normally pays their own costs; the court can order one spouse to pay the other's, but rarely does in family cases.
What drives the cost up
- Anything contested: each motion, affidavit and court day is billed.
- Pensions. A defined benefit or public service pension usually needs an actuarial valuation before a pension adjustment order can be agreed.
- Property valuations and, where a business is involved, a forensic accountant.
- A barrister for the hearing, which is usual in contested Circuit Court cases.
- A spouse who will not engage: service, motions for judgment in default and adjournments all cost time.
If you cannot pay
Legal aid covers divorce, judicial separation and separation agreements where disposable income is under €18,000 and disposable capital under €100,000, not counting the family home. The minimum contribution is €130. The legal aid estimator gives a first reading. The Family Mediation Service is free to everyone and can settle most of what a solicitor would otherwise argue over.