A divorce in Florida costs $300 to $50,000 or more, depending on whether the divorce is uncontested or contested. An uncontested divorce — both parties agree on every issue, no trial, minimal attorney involvement — costs $300 to $5,000, including the $409 filing fee and either DIY paperwork or a flat-fee attorney. A contested divorce — the parties dispute custody, support, or asset division and require attorneys — costs $10,000 to $30,000 if it settles before trial, and $30,000 to $50,000 or more if it goes to trial. The filing fee is the same in every Florida county: $409 for a dissolution of marriage. The cost of everything else is determined by the level of conflict.
Florida is a no-fault divorce state. The only ground required is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Neither party must prove fault, and fault — adultery, cruelty, abandonment — is not considered in property division or alimony determinations except in cases involving dissipation of marital assets. Florida has one of the shortest divorce waiting periods in the country: 20 days from the date of filing. A fully agreed-upon divorce can be finalized in as little as 3 to 4 weeks.
Florida Divorce Cost by Type
| Divorce Type | Typical Cost (Per Side) | Time to Final | Who Handles the Work |
| DIY / pro se (uncontested, no kids, no assets) | $409 + service cost ($40-$150) | 3-6 weeks | You — with court-provided forms |
| Online service (uncontested, simple assets) | $500-$1,500 (includes filing fee) | 3-8 weeks | Online document preparation |
| Flat-fee attorney (uncontested) | $2,000-$5,000 | 4-12 weeks | Attorney handles paperwork and hearing |
| Mediated (some disputes, no trial) | $5,000-$15,000 | 3-6 months | Attorneys + mediator |
| Contested — settles before trial | $15,000-$30,000 | 6-18 months | Attorneys for both sides |
| Fully litigated trial | $30,000-$50,000+ | 12-24 months | Attorneys, experts, trial |
Florida-Specific Factors That Affect the Cost
| FL Divorce Law | How It Affects Cost |
| Equitable distribution | FL divides marital property fairly, not necessarily 50/50. A judge has discretion. Disputes over what is “equitable” require attorneys and often a trial. |
| Mandatory financial disclosure | Both parties must file a Financial Affidavit (short form for income <$50K, long form for >$50K). Hiding assets risks sanctions. Discovery disputes over hidden assets drive up costs. |
| Parenting plan required | Every divorce with minor children must include a detailed Parenting Plan — custody, time-sharing, holidays, decision-making. Disputes over the plan require mediation and possibly a custody evaluation. |
| Alimony — multiple types, no formula | FL awards bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, durational, and permanent alimony based on need and ability to pay — with no mathematical formula. Alimony is heavily litigated, which drives costs. |
| Mandatory mediation | FL requires mediation before trial in contested family cases. Mediation costs $1,500-$4,000 total, split between parties, and often resolves the case — but if it fails, trial costs are still incurred. |
Florida’s $409 filing fee covers the entire case — but that is only the starting cost. Do not confuse the filing fee with the total divorce cost. The $409 fee is what the court charges to accept your paperwork. It does not include serving the other spouse ($40-$150), completing mandatory financial disclosure forms, negotiating a settlement, attending mediation, or paying an attorney. A $409 divorce is possible — if the case has no children, no property, no support claims, and the other spouse signs a waiver of service and an answer admitting the marriage is irretrievably broken.
Florida Attorney Fees for Divorce
Florida divorce attorneys charge $250 to $550 per hour, with an initial retainer of $2,500 to $7,500. Rates are highest in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties — $350 to $550 per hour — and lower in rural counties — $250 to $350 per hour. Florida courts can order one spouse to pay the other spouse’s attorney fees if there is a significant income disparity, under Florida Statute 61.16. This is not automatic — it must be requested by motion, and the judge must find that one spouse has the need and the other has the ability to pay. A spouse who cannot afford an attorney should not assume that the other spouse will be ordered to pay — the fee award must be requested and justified.
FAQ: Common Questions About Florida Divorce Costs
What is the fastest and cheapest divorce in Florida?
A Simplified Dissolution of Marriage — available only when there are no minor children, neither spouse is pregnant, both parties agree that the marriage is irretrievably broken, both parties agree on the division of all assets and debts, and neither party is seeking alimony. The filing fee is $409. Both parties sign the petition together and appear at the same final hearing — typically 20 to 30 days after filing. This is the only divorce procedure in Florida where both parties file the initial paperwork jointly.
What happens if my spouse hides assets during a Florida divorce?
Florida’s mandatory financial disclosure requirement — Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure — requires both parties to disclose all assets, debts, and income under oath. A spouse who intentionally hides assets faces sanctions including being ordered to pay the other spouse’s attorney fees, having the hidden asset awarded entirely to the other spouse, and potential perjury charges. Discovery — bank subpoenas, forensic accountants, depositions — is the primary cost driver in contested Florida divorces because hiding assets is both common and expensive to uncover.
$409 to File. The Rest Is Negotiation, Mediation, or Litigation.
A divorce in Florida costs $300 to $50,000+, with the filing fee fixed at $409 and everything else determined by the level of agreement between the parties. An uncontested simplified dissolution with no children and no assets costs $409 plus the cost of serving the other spouse. A fully litigated divorce with custody disputes, hidden assets, and alimony claims costs $30,000 to $50,000 or more. The 20-day waiting period is one of the shortest in the country, but the waiting period is irrelevant in a contested case — the dispute resolution process takes 6 to 24 months regardless of the 20-day minimum.
The money you spend on a Florida divorce is almost entirely determined by how much you and your spouse agree versus how much you litigate. A five-figure divorce in Florida is not a function of the legal system’s complexity. It is a function of two people who cannot agree on one or more issues, forcing the court to decide for them.
