Court fees in family cases — the fee schedule and how to check what you pay

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-09-01

Where the official fee list lives

All court fees for family proceedings in England and Wales are set out in the Civil, Criminal and Family Courts Fees schedule (the "EX50"), published on gov.uk and updated by fee order amendments. Fee amounts change — always check the current EX50 rather than trusting a guide (including this one) for the exact figure.

The master list: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/court-fees-guidance

Fees you are likely to meet

Typical family fee points (amounts in the current schedule):

Divorce / dissolution application — one application fee.
Financial remedy — a fee on issuing the application and another before Final Dispute Resolution.
Children applications (C100 / C1) — a fee per application, with some exceptions: applications in public law (care/supervision) and certain protection applications (non-molestation, occupation orders) are free.
Enforcement — fees for certain enforcement applications; some routes carry none.
Consent orders and financial remedy by consent — separate fee entries.
Hearing fees — some older fee entries for contested hearings were abolished or changed; the current schedule governs.

Applications for non-molestation and occupation orders remain free — this matters for domestic abuse safety: cost is not a barrier to civil protection.

Help with fees

If you are on a low income or certain benefits, the Help with Fees (EX160) scheme can waive or reduce fees — see our dedicated EX160 guides on this site. Apply before or with your application; a fee remission reference speeds up issuing.

Practical issuing tips

Pay online where the service allows (divorce, some C100 applications) — online issue is usually faster.
Cheques/drafts to "HM Courts & Tribunals Service" where paying at a counter.
Keep the receipt: fee details appear on the issued application, and refunds are possible in some circumstances (for example, if the case settles very early — check the current remission/refund rules).

Official links

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/court-fees-guidance (EX50 schedule)
https://www.gov.uk/get-help-with-court-fees
https://www.gov.uk/money-and-property-when-relationship-ends

This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.