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How long does a divorce take? The three main stages
Stage 1: How long does it take to apply for a divorce?
Applying for a divorce can take minutes, but getting to the stage where you know divorce is right for your marriage could take months or years longer. It’s important to note you must have been married for at least 12 months to get a divorce.
To start the divorce process, you need to submit an application to the family court (Form D8) with a declaration that your marriage has broken down irretrievably. You do not have to provide any other reason other than this, nor do you have to be separated for a specific period before you can apply for a divorce.
The application is usually made online via a court portal (although you can make a paper application). Either method requires an initial divorce cost of £612 (previously £593, usually paid by the applicant).
You can apply for a divorce by yourself (sole applicant) or make a joint application with your ex-spouse (joint applicants). In the case of a joint application, one of you will need to be the ‘applicant’ and the other the ‘respondent’.
Alternatively, if you receive a divorce application from your spouse, you are called the respondent in the legal process.
Stage 1.1: The Acknowledgement of Service
Once the divorce has been applied for, the respondent is sent the divorce application and the Acknowledgement of Service, which is a document declaring that the application has been received and that the respondent agrees to the divorce. The respondent has 14 days to return the completed Acknowledgement of Service to the court.
This part of the process may take longer if the respondent has not received a draft copy of the divorce application or does not respond at all.
It is possible to dispute proceedings, but the reasons for doing so are limited and generally have to do with the validity of the marriage and whether it was celebrated according to the correct procedure. Of course, this means your spouse can drag out divorce proceedings, but it is unlikely that a refusal to acknowledge the divorce will be accepted.
Stage 2: How long does it take to get a conditional order?
The conditional order is a certificate that says the court does not see any reason you should not divorce.
The conditional order is granted by your local family court when:
- The divorce application has been received
- The Acknowledgement of Service (signed by the respondent in the case of a sole application) has been received
- The conditional order application has been received, using Form D84 ‘Application for a conditional order or (judicial) separation order’
As long as the paperwork is completed correctly and the court is satisfied that the marriage has irretrievably broken down, both parties will receive a letter called the ‘Certificate of Entitlement’ confirming the date that the conditional order will be granted.
The date of your conditional order being granted will be after the 20-week cooling off period, in which time you should ideally negotiate your finances and any children matters.
Stage 3: How long does a final order take?
Six weeks and one day after the granting of a conditional order, you can apply for a final order of divorce.
This is the last stage of divorce and legally ends your marriage or civil partnership. This means there are significant implications of the final order and you should make sure that your financial settlements are finalised before you apply for one.
How long it takes to get a final order depends on how long it takes for you to reach a financial settlement. Importantly, however, if you do not apply for a final order within 12 months of getting the conditional order, you will have to explain the delay to the court. It might be that your financial or children arrangements take longer than expected but the court needs to know that you still intend to progress with the divorce.
You should keep your final order once you have received it as you may require it if you remarry or change your name, e.g. back to your maiden name.
The divorce process
Application
One or both spouses submit a divorce application to the court using the HMCTS Portal, citing irretrievable breakdown of the marriage without assigning blame.
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20-week reflection period
After the application is filed, and your former spouse has responded to the petition, a mandatory 20-week reflection period begins. During this time, spouses may also exchange financial information using Form E and address any necessary child arrangements, including including the time your children spend with you both.
Conditional order
After the reflection period, the applicant(s) apply for a Conditional order (previously known as Decree Nisi). The court reviews the case and, if satisfied, grants the order.
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6-week waiting period
Following the Conditional order, there is a mandatory 6-week waiting period before the final step can be taken.
Final order
After the 6-week waiting period, the applicant(s) may apply for the Final Order (previously known as Decree Absolute), officially ending the marriage.
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Average 9-12 months
If more than 12 months have elapsed between obtaining your conditional order and applying for your final order, you will have to submit a short statement to support your application, explaining the delay.
How long does it take to sort out divorce finances?
It can take between 6 and 12 months to sort out divorce finances. However, the length of time will often be comparable to how complex your assets are. For example if you have international assets, multiple properties or shares, it can take longer to reach a financial settlement.
An expert family lawyer will draw up the financial agreement you and your ex-spouse make, setting out the financial arrangements and any further financial commitments.
This agreement should then be made legally binding through applying to the family court for a financial consent order.
This will mean that you and your spouse’s finances become separate, and neither person can make a claim against the other in the future.
How do I make arrangements for children in divorce?
If you are a parent, you will need to consider the options for child arrangements going forwards. Our specialist children solicitors advise clients on making these arrangements, and ensuring the wellbeing of the child/ren is prioritised, and helping parents navigate any contested issues.
In cases involving children, court action should be used as a last resort, and the welfare of the children will remain the paramount consideration.
Child Arrangement Orders, which have replaced Child Contact, Child Custody Orders and Residence Orders, are legal agreements setting out where a child should live (residence), who they should spend time with (contact) and who the children are allowed to see during the contact.
Mediation and collaborative law
The quickest way to finalise your divorce is to, where possible, avoid court. Disagreements can be resolved through a number of non-court dispute resolution methods such as mediation, collaborative divorce, negotiation through solicitors or private financial dispute resolution.
Where these will not be appropriate is in cases involving domestic abuse.
Professional mediators or collaborative lawyers can work with you and your ex-spouse to navigate your disagreements and obstacles without tensions escalating. Mediation and other NCDR methods are a cheaper and more time efficient option than court.
Gemma Davison, Head of our Oxford law office and trained mediator and collaborative lawyer, says:
“Mediation is a great way of having those difficult conversations in a constructive environment. Having an unbiased party present to help guide your discussions means emotional reactions can be minimised and both you and your ex can focus on the important matters at hand.
There are several different variations of mediation which mean that most couples can find a suitable option. Child-inclusive mediation is good for parents, as it allows the children to share their wishes and feelings in a safe space.”
Many of our lawyers are members of, and accredited by, Resolution, an organisation bringing together family law professionals who support clients through the divorce process to keep matters amicable. Our family lawyers are focused on building a solid foundation for you to move forward, rather than getting caught up in acrimonious disputes.
Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
Prenuptial contracts or postnuptial agreements set out your arrangements for finances in the event of a divorce or separation. If you already have one, this can speed up the divorce process as all matters have been decided on beforehand. However, they are not legally binding and if a judge deems the terms of the agreement to be unfair then it will not be upheld.
It is also important to note that you cannot get a nuptial agreement if you are anticipating a breakdown in your relationship or have had discussions with your spouse about ending your marriage.
How can I speed up how long divorce process takes?
Here are some useful tips to help make the divorce quicker.
- An online application has proved to be more efficient than a paper-based application. They can often be issued within 24 hours when using the online portal.
- Provide your solicitor with your marriage certificate, information about your wedding and evidence of the facts proving the marriage’s breakdown at the earliest opportunity.
- Complete all paperwork as promptly as possible and return it to your solicitor.
- Check all paperwork carefully for mistakes. Mistakes can add to the timescale if papers have to be resubmitted to court due to errors, as your application will go to the back of the queue when you re-submit it, causing unnecessary delays.
- Use non-court dispute resolution methods where safe to do so as this will enable disagreements to be ironed out faster – waiting for a court hearing can take several months.
What our clients say
Luanne Morton
Nov 2025
Luanne has been fantastic in helping me navigate the complexities of my divorce, child arrangements, and potential financial orders. Her advice was always delivered professionally, yet in a way that was easy to understand and empathetic to the emotional rollercoaster I’m currently experiencing.
Stowe Family Law, as a firm, were transparent from the beginning about the potential costs and stages of my case. This honesty gave me clarity and peace of mind, knowing that everything was being managed properly.
—A Matthews
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Imrana Masters
Nov 2025
Imrana from Stowes has done a tremendous amount of work for me in the last 4 weeks.
Previously, I was with another solicitor for nearly two years, I was constantly chasing, instructions were not clear & hardly any progress was made. The final straw was when my old solicitor said she was unavailable to represent me in court with no explanation (even though I asked)
I decided to take the plunge so close to the hearing and move over to Stowes after reading their reviews & I'm so pleased I did.
Imrana has and still is very clear, reassuring and checks in on how I'm doing regularly, her standard of work has been impeccable and I cant thank her enough.
There has been so much for her to complete in the timeframe she's had, all deadlines have been made.
Imrana has made a really difficult time feel easier, she has taken a lot of my anxiety away by her kind words & reassurance.
Thank you so much, I will 100% recommend Imrana and the team at Stowes.
—K Brooks
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Amy Turner
Nov 2025
Firstly I’d like to thank Amy Turner for all her hard work and continued support while going through a break up with my ex partner. Not only did I get the result I wanted today out of a very complicated situation, but throughout my case I felt she genuinely cared about my wellbeing. Amy was always professional & gave me clear advice making me feel she always had my back. If you want a good solicitor Amy is the best in my eyes.
—D Wilson
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Emel Hamit
Filomena Sterkaj
Nov 2025
Filomena and her team helped me through the worst time of my life. Having left an abusive marriage with my two little girls, I was living in the UK without any family support, Filomena was there every step of the way with expert advice and support. The court granted me permission to relocate to Ireland with my girls. It was a very difficult case, one that seemed impossible to win, but thanks to Filomena, Emel and the rest of the team my children and I were able to permanently leave the UK. I will never be able to thank them enough for getting me through such a horrible time and getting us home to our family in Ireland.
—Anon
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Amy Turner
May 2024
Amy Turner at Stowe and Law solicitors has been working on dealing with my affairs through a divorce. Amy gave advice and support when needed and tells you as she sees it. Amy gave options through out the process at every stage that I could take without pushing me into an option and respects your decisions.
Amy worked tirelessly to achieve the aims that I asked her to deal with efficiently and professionally and wasted no time when receiving emails. Amy judging by the time of emails i received works long hours to achieve her targets. Amy is a pleasure to work with and will follow through on what she says she will do, you can rely on her to get the work done
—Ms R B
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Sarah McLoughlin
May 2024
I saw Sarah McLoughlin as part of my 'Next steps Meeting.'
Sarah was an excellent listener giving easy to understand information in a calm manner.
She broke down the next steps in a format that I felt empowered to undertake.
She was knowledgeable and friendly.
I was nervous at the start of the meeting but she was able to put my fears at ease and I finished the meeting feeling relieved and smiling.
—J D
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Pooja Patel
Sep 2023
Pooja Patel helped me through cases involving my children and divorce. She is very supportive and was very amazing and got the results needed in very difficult circumstances. I’m thankful l had Pooja at my side and do not know what l would have done without her.
—Mr S N
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Sarah Peters
Sep 2023
Sarah was my brother’s divorce solicitor from beginning to end. She also dealt with me as my brother often found it difficult to comprehend all the legal terminology and needed help to source all the paper work that Sarah required. Sarah was so understanding and patient with my brother, always answering my phone calls immediately, even when she was on holiday with her family! She was extremely professional and highly committed throughout the difficult months of court hearings, constantly reassuring us when we could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. I would highly recommend her.
—Ms M T
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