Missouri • Uncontested • No minor children
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Divorce Cost Estimate
Missouri Divorce Cost Calculator
Estimate divorce costs in Missouri using state-specific filing fee, attorney rate, mediation, children, property, and case complexity assumptions.
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Filing fee$160
Service of process$75
Attorney range$2,400 - $4,800
Mediation$400
These estimates are for planning only. They use the existing state-specific filing, attorney, and mediation assumptions and are not legal advice.
Missouri Divorce Cost Snapshot
Use this 2026 Missouri divorce cost guide to compare circuit filing fees, attorney expenses, Missouri's 30-day minimum period, property-division rules, parenting-plan requirements, and the cost difference between agreed and contested cases.
CategoryTypical range
Divorce filing feeAbout $130–$250 by circuit
Service of processOften $35–$60+
Attorney planning rate$250–$450+/hr
Uncontested planning range$3,000–$8,000
Contested planning range$15,000–$50,000+
Residency / minimum after filing90 days / 30 days
How Much Does Divorce Cost in Missouri?
The cost to start a Missouri dissolution depends on the judicial circuit. Greene County currently lists a $132.50 filing fee and $55 for sheriff service within the county, while other circuits maintain their own deposits and service charges.
Court costs are usually a small part of the total once attorneys become involved. Disputes over a home, retirement, business ownership, debt, maintenance, custody, parenting time, child support, asset classification, or valuation can add substantial expense.
Missouri sets aside nonmarital property and divides marital property and debts in proportions the court considers just; it does not require a 50/50 division. These figures are planning ranges—not statewide averages, legal advice, or attorney quotes.
Local court charges are only the starting point in Missouri; attorney involvement, property issues, mediation, and contested proceedings can have a much larger effect on the final budget. See our national guide to divorce costs for a deeper explanation of how those expenses fit together.
Missouri Divorce Filing Fees by Circuit
Missouri dissolution cases are filed in Circuit Court. Filing deposits, service charges, parenting programs, and procedural requirements can vary by judicial circuit.
Circuit or countyCurrent costWhat to know
Greene County$132.50Dissolution filing fee. Greene County sheriff service currently adds $55 per service return when required. Court source
Jackson CountyConfirm with clerkFamily Court publishes circuit-specific filing deposits and separate civil-process charges; its fee page says deposits do not include service. Court source
St. Louis CountyConfirm with clerkThe 21st Judicial Circuit maintains its own Family Court filing requirements, forms, and fee procedures. Court source
- Sheriff or private service, certified mail, publication, electronic filing, certified copies, and motions may add cost.
- Mediation, parenting education, appraisals, business valuation, retirement orders, custody professionals, and experts are separate from filing fees.
- Confirm the current filing deposit, service amount, payment method, and local requirements with the Circuit Clerk before filing.
Missouri Divorce Rules That Can Affect Cost and Timing
90-day Missouri residency
One spouse generally must have been a Missouri resident—or stationed in Missouri as a member of the armed forces—for the 90 days immediately before the proceeding begins.
30-day minimum after filing
The court generally cannot enter a dissolution judgment until at least 30 days after the petition is filed. This is a minimum, not a typical completion promise.
Dissolution of marriage
Missouri court materials commonly use 'dissolution of marriage' for the legal proceeding that ends a marriage.
Irretrievable breakdown
The court must find no reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved and that it is irretrievably broken. Marital conduct may still be relevant to statutory property division.
Is Missouri a 50/50 Divorce State?
No. RSMo § 452.330 requires the court to set apart each spouse's nonmarital property and divide marital property and marital debts in proportions it considers just after reviewing the statutory circumstances.
Property acquired after marriage and before legal separation or dissolution is generally presumed marital regardless of title. Gifts, inheritances, qualifying exchanges, property excluded by agreement, and certain premarital interests may remain nonmarital.
- Each spouse's economic circumstances
- Financial and homemaker contributions to marital property
- The value of nonmarital property set aside to each spouse
- Conduct during the marriage
- Custodial arrangements and the family residence
Parenting Plans in a Missouri Divorce
A Missouri judgment establishing custody must contain a specific written parenting plan. Parents may submit individual or joint proposals; when they cannot agree, the court determines a plan based on the child's best interests.
The plan addresses a detailed residential schedule, holidays, transportation, decision-making, communication, dispute resolution, child support, insurance, education, child care, and extraordinary expenses. Missouri law calls for family-specific plans rather than one standardized default for every case.
- Physical and legal custody
- Weekday, weekend, holiday, vacation, and transfer schedules
- Education, health care, activities, and child-care decisions
- Support, insurance, extraordinary expenses, and dispute resolution
Financial Information in a Missouri Divorce
Financial filing requirements are shaped by statewide procedure and local circuit rules. For example, St. Louis County Rule 68.2 requires sworn Income and Expense and Property Statements in dissolution and other covered family cases unless waived.
Under that local rule, petitioners file the statements with the first pleading and respondents generally file them within 60 days after service or appearance. Other circuits may use different deadlines and forms.
- Income, expenses, property, debt, and support information
- Business, real-estate, investment, and retirement records
- Evidence tracing claimed nonmarital property
- Additional discovery, subpoenas, depositions, or experts when records are disputed
Uncontested vs. Contested Divorce Costs in Missouri
Agreed or uncontested Missouri divorce
- The spouses have resolved property, debt, the home, retirement, maintenance, custody, parenting time, and child support.
- Fewer disputes generally mean fewer attorney hours, motions, discovery requests, and hearings.
- Missouri provides statewide self-representation forms, but circuit-specific requirements and the 30-day minimum still apply.
Contested Missouri divorce
- One or more significant property, maintenance, custody, parenting, or support issues remain unresolved.
- Discovery, temporary orders, appraisals, valuation, mediation, experts, depositions, and trial preparation can add cost.
- A prolonged parenting dispute, closely held business, substantial estate, or trial can exceed the range.
Attorney time often becomes the largest variable when a Missouri case remains disputed. Our divorce lawyer cost guide explains retainers, hourly billing, and why total legal fees vary.
What Can Make a Missouri Divorce More Expensive?
Circuit filing costs matter initially, but unresolved financial and parenting questions usually drive the eventual total.
- Marital-versus-nonmarital classification and financial tracing
- Home valuation, refinancing, buyouts, and premarital contributions
- Retirement benefits and qualified domestic relations orders
- Business ownership, income disputes, or valuation
- Maintenance claims and marital-conduct evidence
- Parenting plans, local programs, discovery, experts, mediation, or trial
How Long Does Divorce Take in Missouri?
Missouri residency
At least 90 daysOne spouse generally must satisfy the state residency or military-stationing requirement immediately before the case begins.
Minimum after filing
At least 30 daysThe dissolution judgment generally cannot be entered before this statutory minimum.
Straightforward agreed divorce
Often 2–4 monthsComplete settlement terms and accurate paperwork may permit completion relatively soon after the minimum, subject to local scheduling.
Agreed case with children or substantial property
Often 3–8 monthsA parenting plan, child support, local financial statements, real estate, or retirement issues can add time.
Moderately contested divorce
Often 6–12 monthsDiscovery, temporary orders, mediation, financial disagreements, and parenting disputes can extend the case.
Complex contested divorce
Often 12–24+ monthsBusiness valuation, substantial discovery, custody litigation, experts, or trial can keep the case open longer.
Example Missouri Divorce Scenarios
These examples illustrate how different facts can change a planning range. They are not predictions or legal quotes.
Agreed Greene County divorce
- No minor children
- No real estate
- Limited marital property
- Complete agreement
Uses Greene County's $132.50 filing fee plus approximately $3,000–$6,000 in professional help. Local sheriff service currently adds $55 when required.
Jackson County divorce with children
- Two minor children
- Parenting plan needed
- Child-support calculation
- Jointly owned home
- Settlement expected
Parenting, support, the home, and property division matter more than the opening court cost. Jackson County currently charges $47 per parent plus service charges for its required FOCIS program.
Contested Missouri divorce with significant assets
- Marital home
- Retirement accounts
- Business ownership
- Maintenance disputed
- Parenting plan unresolved
Valuation, financial discovery, appraisal, retirement analysis, custody proceedings, mediation, depositions, and trial preparation may be required.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does divorce cost in Missouri?
The filing cost depends on the circuit. Greene County currently lists $132.50 plus $55 for local sheriff service when required; attorney and expert costs can make the total much higher.
How long must you live in Missouri before filing?
At least one spouse generally must have lived in Missouri, or been stationed there as an armed-forces member, for the preceding 90 days.
Is there a waiting period for divorce in Missouri?
Yes. At least 30 days generally must pass after filing before the court enters the dissolution judgment.
Must spouses separate before filing?
Missouri does not generally require a lengthy period of physical separation before an ordinary dissolution filing.
Is Missouri a 50/50 divorce state?
No. The court divides marital property and debts in proportions it considers just under statutory factors.
Is Missouri a community-property state?
No. Missouri distinguishes marital from nonmarital property and applies equitable principles to the marital estate.
Does Missouri require a parenting plan?
Yes. A judgment establishing custody must include a specific written parenting plan.
Does Missouri require parenting classes?
Requirements vary by circuit. Jackson County, for example, requires its FOCIS program in dissolution cases involving parents and currently charges $47 per parent plus service charges.
Can marital conduct affect property division?
Potentially. Conduct during the marriage is one factor listed in Missouri's property-division statute.
Can I file without a lawyer?
Yes. Missouri Courts provides approved self-representation forms, although local circuit rules may impose additional requirements.
Missouri Sources and Further Reading
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 452.305: Residency and dissolution findings
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 452.310: Petitions and parenting plans
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 452.330: Property and debt division
- Missouri Revised Statutes § 452.375: Custody judgments
- Missouri Courts: Dissolution forms
- Greene County Circuit Clerk: Fees
- Greene County Circuit Clerk: Domestic cases
- Jackson County Family Court: FOCIS
- St. Louis County: Family Court forms
- St. Louis County: 21st Judicial Circuit rules