Washington • Uncontested • No minor children
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Divorce Cost Estimate
Washington Divorce Cost Calculator
Estimate divorce costs in Washington using state-specific filing fee, attorney rate, mediation, children, property, and case complexity assumptions.
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Filing fee$320
Service of process$75
Attorney range$2,720 - $5,440
Mediation$600
These estimates are for planning only. They use the existing state-specific filing, attorney, and mediation assumptions and are not legal advice.
Washington Divorce Cost Snapshot
Use this 2026 Washington divorce cost guide to compare filing fees, attorney expenses, Washington's 90-day minimum divorce period, community-property rules, and the cost difference between agreed and contested cases.
CategoryTypical range
Divorce filing fee$364 in cited counties
Attorney planning rate$300–$500+/hr
Uncontested planning range$4,000–$10,000
Contested planning range$15,000–$50,000+
Minimum divorce period90 days
Planning timeline3–18+ months
How Much Does Divorce Cost in Washington?
A Washington divorce generally begins with a court filing fee in the mid-$300s. King and Pierce Counties currently list $364 to file a dissolution of marriage.
Attorney time usually becomes the larger expense when spouses disagree about children, the marital home, retirement benefits, community debt, business ownership, spousal maintenance, or whether property is community or separate.
Washington is a community-property state, but the court must make a just and equitable overall distribution rather than automatically divide every asset exactly in half. These figures are planning ranges—not statewide averages, legal advice, or attorney quotes.
Local court charges are only the starting point in Washington; 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.
Washington Divorce Filing Fees by County
Washington divorces are filed in Superior Court. State-authorized charges and surcharges make up much of the total, while local facilitator or other charges can affect what a particular county collects.
CountyCurrent filing feeWhat to know
King County$364Schedule effective June 11, 2026; the same listed total applies to legal separation and invalidity. Court source
Pierce County$364June 2026 total for dissolution, legal separation, or invalidity, including statutory and local surcharges. Court source
- Service, electronic filing, certified copies, motions, facilitator appointments, mediation, appraisals, retirement orders, parenting evaluations, and experts may add costs.
- Washington Courts notes that counties may require additional local forms, and facilitator programs may charge appointment fees or local family-law surcharges.
- An indigent filer may request waiver of qualifying civil filing fees and surcharges using Washington's mandatory GR 34 forms.
Washington Divorce Rules That Can Affect Cost and Timing
90-day statutory minimum
RCW 26.09.030 requires 90 days to elapse after the petition is filed and summons is served—or publication begins—before the court can enter a dissolution decree.
No long pre-filing separation
Washington generally does not require spouses to complete six months or a year of physical separation before beginning an ordinary dissolution case.
No-fault dissolution
The petition alleges the marriage is irretrievably broken. A spouse generally does not have to prove adultery, abandonment, or other marital misconduct to obtain the divorce.
Agreement does not remove 90 days
Joinder, accepted service, or a complete settlement can simplify an agreed case, but none eliminates the statutory minimum.
Is Washington a 50/50 Divorce State?
Washington is a community-property state, but automatic 50/50 language is incomplete. RCW 26.09.080 directs courts to distribute property and liabilities—community or separate—as appears just and equitable after considering all relevant factors.
The court considers both community and separate property. Real estate, retirement benefits, businesses, mixed inheritances, and premarital assets supported with community funds can require tracing and valuation.
- The nature and extent of community property
- The nature and extent of separate property
- The length of the marriage
- Each spouse's economic circumstances when division takes effect
- Whether the family home should go to the spouse with whom children primarily reside
Parenting Plans and Child Support in Washington
A Washington divorce involving children generally requires a formal Parenting Plan and additional support and financial documents. The statewide forms include a Child Support Order, Washington State Child Support Schedule and worksheets, financial declarations, and residential-time reporting.
A complete agreed parenting plan can simplify the case. Disagreement may add mediation, temporary orders, evaluations, discovery, motions, guardians ad litem, and trial preparation.
- Residential schedules and decision-making authority
- Holidays, vacations, transportation, and dispute resolution
- Child support, health insurance, child care, and other expenses
- Financial declarations, worksheets, and supporting records
Costs While a Washington Divorce Is Pending
The 90-day minimum does not prevent the court from entering temporary family-law orders while the case is pending. Washington Courts publishes specific forms for requesting temporary relief.
Temporary-order disputes can add early attorney and court costs because parties may need financial declarations, supporting evidence, proposed parenting plans, written arguments, and a hearing before the final issues are resolved.
- Use of property and responsibility for debts
- Temporary spousal maintenance
- Temporary parenting arrangements
- Child support and restraining provisions
Uncontested vs. Contested Divorce Costs in Washington
Agreed or uncontested Washington divorce
- The spouses have resolved property, debt, the home, retirement, maintenance, parenting, and support.
- Fewer disputes generally mean fewer attorney hours, discovery requests, temporary motions, and hearings.
- A basic self-represented case may cost less; King County's qualifying Simple Divorce Program currently charges no additional program fee.
Contested Washington divorce
- One or more significant parenting, support, property, or financial issues remain unresolved.
- Discovery, temporary orders, tracing, appraisals, mediation, experts, depositions, and trial preparation add cost.
- High assets, a closely held business, prolonged parenting litigation, or trial can exceed the range.
Attorney time often becomes the largest variable when a Washington case remains disputed. Our divorce lawyer cost guide explains retainers, hourly billing, and why total legal fees vary.
What Can Make a Washington Divorce More Expensive?
The county filing fee is usually a small part of the final expense. Unresolved parenting and financial issues more often determine the total.
- Community and separate-property tracing
- Seattle-area real estate, refinancing, buyouts, or disputed equity
- Retirement accounts and plan-specific transfer orders
- Business ownership, disputed compensation, or valuation
- Spousal maintenance or parenting-plan disputes
- Temporary orders, discovery, appraisals, experts, or trial
How Long Does Divorce Take in Washington?
Minimum statutory period
At least 90 daysThe petition must be filed and the service or publication condition satisfied before the full statutory period can elapse.
Straightforward agreed divorce
Often 3–5 monthsA complete agreed case may finish relatively soon after the statutory minimum and court processing.
Agreed case with children or substantial property
Often 4–8 monthsParenting plans, support calculations, real estate, retirement benefits, and detailed drafting can add time.
Moderately contested divorce
Often 6–12 monthsDiscovery, temporary orders, mediation, property negotiation, and parenting disputes can extend the case.
Complex contested divorce
Often 12–24+ monthsBusiness valuation, substantial discovery, parenting evaluations, experts, or trial can add considerable time.
Example Washington Divorce Scenarios
These examples illustrate how different facts can change a planning range. They are not predictions or legal quotes.
Agreed King County divorce
- No minor children
- No real estate
- Limited community property
- Complete agreement
Uses King County's $364 filing fee plus approximately $4,000–$7,000 in professional help; service, electronic filing, and copies may be additional.
King County divorce with children and a home
- Two minor children
- Parenting plan needed
- Child-support calculation
- Seattle-area home
- Settlement expected
The parenting plan, home equity, community property, support, and settlement drafting matter much more than the filing fee.
Contested Washington divorce with significant assets
- High-value home
- Retirement accounts
- Business ownership
- Spousal maintenance disputed
- Parenting plan unresolved
Discovery, business valuation, tracing, appraisal, retirement analysis, parenting professionals, mediation, depositions, and trial preparation may be required.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does divorce cost in Washington?
King and Pierce Counties currently list a $364 dissolution filing fee. A professionally assisted agreed case may cost roughly $4,000–$10,000, while a contested case may cost $15,000–$50,000 or more.
How long does divorce take in Washington?
At least 90 days must pass after the statutory filing and service requirements are satisfied. Agreed cases may finish soon afterward; contested cases can take a year or longer.
Must spouses separate before filing?
Washington generally does not impose a lengthy physical-separation period before filing an ordinary dissolution case.
Is Washington a 50/50 divorce state?
Not automatically. Washington uses community-property principles, but the court distributes community and separate property and liabilities in a just and equitable manner based on statutory factors.
Does cheating affect property division?
RCW 26.09.080 directs courts to make the property and debt distribution without regard to misconduct.
Does Washington require a parenting plan?
When parenting arrangements must be established, Washington's family-law process uses a formal Parenting Plan along with applicable child-support and financial forms.
Can an agreed divorce finish before 90 days?
No. Agreement and joinder can simplify the process, but they do not eliminate Washington's statutory minimum.
What happens if a spouse does not respond?
The petitioner may seek default after satisfying the applicable procedural requirements, but a default divorce still cannot be finalized before the 90-day period expires.
Can Washington filing fees be waived?
An eligible indigent person may request waiver of qualifying civil fees and surcharges using Washington's mandatory GR 34 forms.
Can I file without a lawyer?
Yes. Washington Courts publishes statewide dissolution forms, although counties may require additional local documents or procedures.
Washington Sources and Further Reading
- King County: Superior Court fee schedule effective June 11, 2026
- Pierce County: Clerk fee schedule effective June 11, 2026
- Washington Legislature: RCW 26.09.030, dissolution and 90-day period
- Washington Legislature: RCW 26.09.080, property and liabilities
- Washington Courts: Statewide court forms
- Washington Courts: Temporary Family Law Order forms
- Washington Courts: GR 34 civil fee-waiver forms
- King County: Simple Divorce Program