Every week we get phone calls from people asking for the 12-week divorce service. They are often surprised when we explain that no such service exists.
Under the old law, consenting couples could finalise a divorce in as little as three to four months. However, that changed with the introduction of the no-fault divorce law on 6 April 2022, which removed the possibility of such a quick turnaround.
So, how long does a divorce in the UK take now? And what can you do to speed the process up? Read on to find out.
How Long Does a Divorce Take?
I’ve got good news and bad news. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first.
If you are wondering how long it takes to get a divorce in the UK, I’ve got good news and bad news. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first.
According to the latest 2025 Ministry of Justice data, the average time from filing a divorce application to receiving the final order (previously known as the decree absolute) is a lengthy 74 weeks, that’s over 17 months.
However, there is good news. As an online divorce professional, I’ve never seen a divorce take 74 weeks. A divorce where both parties agree typically takes seven to eight months when using an online service under the new divorce law. It is high street solicitors and paper filings that take the longest.
Every divorce is different, as every couple has unique circumstances. For an accurate time estimate, you can email us, call us on 0204 530 8101 or book a free consultation here.
The rest of this article will explain what you can do to divorce in the quickest possible time.
How to Deal With the Legal Process to Divorce Quickly
When thinking about speeding up the divorce process, it helps to think of divorce in two ways: the emotional and physical separation of two people and the administrative, legal process.
Most of the legal process is handled by court staff. While you can’t control when they process your case, you can help avoid delays by doing the following:
- Speak to your ex and tell them that you are applying for a divorce
- Make sure that you have the correct, up-to-date address for your ex-husband or wife
- Find your marriage certificate and make sure the dates and names on your divorce petition match
- Have a copy of your deed poll if you or your ex are using a different name than the one on your marriage certificate
- Ensure all other details on the divorce petition are correct and free from typos
- Pay the court fees at the same time as you file your divorce
- Respond promptly to all court correspondence
As a multi-stage process, divorce requires you to respond to and complete various forms throughout. If you are thinking of doing your divorce yourself, read our step-by-step walkthrough here to help you manage your time and pre-empt what you need to do.
How to Deal With Your Ex-husband or Wife to Divorce Quickly
Divorcing quickly can become increasingly challenging when a spouse disagrees with the divorce or is late in responding to the divorce application. To ensure clarity, tell your partner that you want a divorce and that you will be applying for one.
Although it is no longer possible for your spouse to defend against the divorce (except based on not having the jurisdiction to deal with the proceedings, which is very rare), your ex can still delay your divorce significantly.
The court must be sure that everybody facing divorce is aware of it. Except in very rare cases, you cannot divorce someone without their involvement. The way that the court makes sure that someone is aware of the divorce is by a process known as the acknowledgment of service.
Through an Acknowledgement of Service, your spouse receives a letter from the court informing them that you are seeking a divorce and asking them to respond to confirm they have received the divorce papers. You can find more details on how to complete an acknowledgement of service form here.
What to Do if Your Husband or Wife Doesn’t Respond
Your husband or wife has 14 days to respond, and if they fail to do so, your first step would be to speak to them to find out why.
If it was an oversight, they can still acknowledge the service, and your divorce can progress to the next stage, applying for the conditional order (known as the decree nisi under the old law).
If your ex-wife or husband is hostile and refuses to respond, then ask the court’s permission to have a bailiff serve the divorce papers. Once served, you can continue the divorce without your spouse’s involvement, as the court has proof that they are aware of the proceedings.
While this sounds like a dream solution for a difficult ex, it should be your last resort if you want a quick divorce because it will add at least four months to your divorce process. Full details of how the bailiff service works can be found here.
How to Choose the Right Divorce Service to Divorce Quickly
The final important factor for a quick divorce is choosing the right service to manage your divorce. The fastest and easiest way to get a divorce is to use an online company.
Online Divorce Providers v Traditional Solicitors
Online divorce companies typically get better results than solicitors because their business focuses on processing divorces as quickly as possible. This means encouraging divorcing couples to seek agreement and have an amicable divorce.
Online divorce providers typically facilitate divorce proceedings rather than ‘represent’ one party (it isn’t possible to represent both parties; this would be a conflict of interest because the purpose of representing a client is to get the best deal for them). This means that an online provider can work with both parties should they wish, which aligns with the new law’s ability to divorce jointly, designed to reduce conflict and costs.
A solicitor, on the other hand, typically charges by the hour and gets paid for every email, phone call and meeting. There are no incentives for them to achieve rapid resolutions so you can divorce quickly. They make more money when arguments drag out the divorce process. This is backed by the latest findings from the Ministry of Justice, which found that cases where both parties or the respondent had legal representation took longer than those cases where only the applicant was represented or where both parties were without legal representation.
I see it in my own experience too. Whenever a respondent hires a traditional solicitor, they immediately try to delay proceedings and create unnecessary problems.
When should I use a traditional solicitor for my divorce?
You might think there is no place for a traditional solicitor in divorce anymore, but traditional solicitors do have their place. If your spouse is hiding/disposing of assets or if you are being forcefully removed from your former marital home, for example, then you should take specialist legal advice.
Paper Filing v Electronic Filings
When speaking with online divorce providers, it’s easy to gauge how long your divorce might take based on how they file your application. If they use paper filing by post, this is a clear indication that your divorce will take longer than necessary. The courts do not have the resources to deal with paper applications, which means that paper-based divorce will take over a year to complete.
Only companies approved to use HM Court and Tribunals computer systems can file divorces electronically and directly into the Justice Departments’ systems to achieve the fastest divorce time of seven to eight months.
Fully Managed Divorce Vs Managing the Courts Yourself
If you’re sticking to a budget and want to save as much money as possible on your divorce, then a DIY divorce may be the best option for you. However, managing your own divorce will delay the process because you will have to learn something new. Doing a DIY divorce will likely take 12-15 months, depending on your filing choice.If you are wondering how fast you can get a divorce, then going through an online company is the best method.
Another critical question to ask when you are doing your research is whether the online divorce provider deals with the courts on your behalf. Some companies advertise ‘Quickie Divorce for Just £199 – No Courts & No Solicitor Fees’, but they will only prepare your divorce papers and expect you to post the documents to the court or pay for a higher-priced service to do it for you.
The Problem With Posting Your Divorce Documents
Posting the documents to the court might not sound like a big deal, but it means that all court correspondence will come to your house, and then you will need to contact your divorce provider to ask them to prepare the paperwork for the next stage adding additional steps that take more time.
Choosing an online provider that files your divorce electronically (rather than by post) and manages the entire process, so all court communication goes through them, can help you complete your divorce in seven to eight months, the quickest possible time.
Side note: Just be aware of adverts that say ‘No Court Fees’. All divorces attract a court fee of £612 unless you are on a low income or receive certain benefits. Always do your homework and ask if there are any other costs.
Do They Understand You?
Finally, before you choose a company, you might find it helpful to call them up and have a chat about your situation. Get a feel for the people who will work on your case. Do they understand you? Do they genuinely want to help? Have they had the experience and life skills to help you navigate your divorce? This will give you a sense of whether they have your best interests at heart.
How Easy Online Divorce Can Help You
If you want to get a quick and affordable divorce, we are here to help. Not only is our team highly trained and knowledgeable, but they also have life experiences, have been through divorce, and know how you feel.
Unlike high-street solicitors, we use the latest technology to provide the most convenient, fast and cost-effective divorce in the UK. When you use our service, you don’t need to:
- Waste time visiting offices to provide paperwork
- Get frustrated from being passed around by secretaries and receptionists
- Spend over £180 per hour on legal fees with no control over costs
- Wait over a year to finalise your divorce
All our services include dealing with the courts for you – we don’t charge extra for this.
Easy Online Divorce is the perfect solution if you are looking to save time, stress and money when seeking a divorce. We can handle everything for you so that you can carry on with your life without the stress, worry or excessive legal fees.
How Much Does an Easy Online Divorce Cost?
A fully managed no-fault divorce costs £299, and we have an amicable couple’s service where we work with both of you for £599. Both are backed by a success guarantee. We have made our divorce process so simple that you can begin your divorce proceedings in less than 5 minutes from home or work without needing to take any time off work or learn any complicated legal jargon.
We’ll keep you updated throughout the process, but if you need us, we are available to help you as quickly as possible. We are the most accessible divorce company in the UK, meaning you can contact us when YOU need us via email, WhatsApp or telephone.
To start your divorce today, order here. If you have any questions, call us on 0204 530 8101, send us an email or book a free consultation with us here.
Key Takeaways
For the quickest possible divorce, talk with your ex and tell them that you are applying for a divorce. Make sure that you have their correct address and your marriage certificate and deed poll to hand if you changed your name.
Select an online divorce provider to manage your divorce for you. Choose one that will file your divorce petition electronically rather than by post. Also, make sure that the divorce provider will receive and deal with all correspondence from the court on your behalf rather than it going to you first.
If you follow this advice your divorce will take seven to eight months and it will cost you around £299 + the £593 court fee. This is a significant time saving on the UK average of 15 months and will save you around £1500 in legal costs compared to a high street solicitor.
FAQS About How Long Does It Take to Get a Divorce in the UK?
Will my divorce be quicker if my ex-partner and I agree?
Agreeing with your spouse is the best way to make your divorce process quicker and simpler. Without disputes over child custody or financial assets, there is no need for court hearings or long negotiations, significantly reducing delays. However, it is important to note that the legal process of completing a divorce can not be done in less than 26 weeks due to the mandatory 20-week reflection period and 6-week waiting period between the conditional and final orders.
What is the fastest way to get a divorce?
If you and your ex-partner have agreed on assets and custodial arrangements, an online divorce service can be the fastest and most cost-effective option. It’s often quicker and cheaper than using a traditional solicitor.
How long does an Easy Online Divorce take?
The length of the divorce process will depend on the type of divorce. In cases where a couple agrees, such as an amicable divorce, or in a No-Fault divorce, the process can take just over 7 months.
Is it possible to divorce someone without their involvement?
If it is not possible to serve the petition on the respondent because you have not been able to locate them, you can apply to the court to dispense with service. However, this application is very arduous. You have to demonstrate to the court that you have tried all reasonable efforts to locate your spouse through social media, old family and friends, places of work and so on. The court will only dispense with service if it is satisfied that you have made complete enquiries to locate your spouse. Find out more about what to do if your spouse won’t respond to your divorce.
