Washington Divorce Filing Fee Increasing July 28, 2025

Beginning July 28, 2025, the filing fee for divorce in Washington state will increase by $50, bringing the total cost to $364. This fee is paid directly to the Clerk of the Superior Court when you file your divorce paperwork. If you are considering filing for divorce, you may want to do so before the fee increase takes effect to avoid paying the higher amount.

For those facing financial hardship, Washington courts provide a way to request a waiver of the filing fee. To do so, you must complete and submit a form titled Motion and Declaration for Waiver of Civil Filing Fees and Surcharges. This form allows you to ask the court to waive the filing fee based on your income and financial circumstances. It includes a two-page Financial Statement to support the Motion. The court will review your request and determine whether to approve the waiver. If granted, you won’t have to pay the filing fee to start your divorce case. If it is denied, you must pay the filing fee before the case can proceed.

The filing fee increase does not affect the ex parte fee charged in Washington divorces cases will remain at $30.00. If you have questions about how to file for divorce or where to find the necessary forms, DivorceWriter is here to help. Our step-by-step online process is designed to make filing for divorce as simple and affordable as possible.