Uncontested / joint
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3–8 months after filing
Best fit when every issue is settled and the court mainly reviews documents.
Your estimate
Tell us what the process may involve
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$
Use a quote if you have one. Many uncontested matters are offered at a flat fee.
Estimated total for one party
Mediated settlement
$7,300–$16,100
CAD. The model applies 13% HST to professional fees and adds applicant-side Ontario divorce filing fees.
Planning timeline4–12 months
Modelled lawyer time12–31 hours
Ontario court fees$669
- Includes a planning allowance for mediation and independent legal advice.
- Ontario divorce fees are modelled as $224 at filing ($214 provincial application fee plus the $10 federal divorce-registration fee) and $445 to place the application for hearing—$669 total. A $25 divorce certificate is optional and not included. A fee waiver or an agreement to share fees can change your out-of-pocket amount.
- Excludes experts, appraisals, process servers, travel, transcripts, appeals and any support or equalization payment.
Important: A case that changes path can cost more. If mediation or collaboration does not settle every issue and new litigation counsel is required, earlier fees may not reduce later court costs.
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Model last reviewed October 2026. Cost ranges are budgeting estimates, not quotes or legal advice.
How the paths compare
These ranges use the same answers and hourly rate from your estimate. The highlighted card is your selected path.
Mediated
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4–12 months
A neutral mediator helps with agreement; each person should obtain independent legal advice.
Collaborative
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6–18 months
Each spouse has a collaborative lawyer and agrees to resolve matters outside court.
Contested / litigated
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12–36+ months
Conferences, motions, examinations and trial preparation can make cost and timing highly variable.
Choosing a process
Divorce paths in Ontario, explained
A divorce legally ends a marriage. Parenting, support and property issues may be resolved in a separation agreement before the divorce is filed, or dealt with in the court case. The most appropriate process depends on safety, financial disclosure, complexity and whether both people can negotiate fairly.
Uncontested or joint
Both spouses agree on the divorce and have no unresolved claims requiring a judge’s decision. A “desk divorce” is generally reviewed on written materials without a trial.
Mediation
A neutral mediator helps the spouses negotiate. The mediator does not represent either person or give legal advice, so separate legal advice matters before signing.
Collaborative law
Each spouse retains a collaborative lawyer. Everyone commits to negotiate outside court; if the process ends, the collaborative lawyers do not continue as litigation counsel.
Litigation
A judge can make binding decisions when agreement is not possible. Costs can rise through disclosure disputes, motions, conferences, expert evidence and trial.
Timing rule
The one-year separation requirement
Canada’s Divorce Act treats marriage breakdown as the ground for divorce. The most common way to establish it is living separate and apart for at least one year. You can start an application before the year is complete, but the divorce cannot be granted on this ground until the full period has passed.
Separation does not always require two homes.
Spouses can sometimes be separated while living at the same address. The legal test is fact-specific, so obtain advice if this applies to you.
A reconciliation attempt totalling up to 90 days does not necessarily restart the separation period. Other grounds—adultery or physical or mental cruelty—exist, but proving them may add evidence, cost and stress and does not usually determine property or support outcomes.
Cost control
Mediation versus litigation costs
Mediation can be faster, less expensive and more private than court when both people can participate safely and provide complete financial information. Ontario offers free on-site mediation on a scheduled court day and off-site mediation on a sliding fee scale. Private mediators set their own rates.
Litigation is sometimes necessary—especially where there are urgent safety concerns, hidden assets, serious power imbalance or a need for enforceable interim orders. It is not a failure to use court when the case requires judicial protection or decision-making.
Why the estimate can move
Fees typically depend on lawyer time, the volume of documents, expert evidence, court appearances and how many issues remain disputed. Ask for a written retainer, billing frequency, disbursement policy and a cost update at each major stage. For routine work, some lawyers use a flat fee; the Canadian Bar Association describes flat fees as an amount set in the engagement letter before the work begins.
Lower-cost help
Legal Aid Ontario may be available
Legal Aid Ontario says it may pay for a lawyer when a person financially qualifies and the legal issue is covered. Family-law help can include separation, parenting, support and domestic-abuse matters, but eligibility and scope depend on the case.
Other options can include duty counsel, courthouse Family Law Information Centres, limited-scope (“unbundled”) legal services and Ontario’s subsidized mediation program. Check eligibility directly rather than assuming help is unavailable.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an uncontested divorce cost in Ontario?
This calculator models an uncontested or joint matter using 3–7 hours of lawyer time, adjusted for unresolved parenting, support and property work, plus HST and $669 in modelled filing and federal registration fees. A flat-fee quote may be lower or higher.
Are Ontario court fees included?
Yes. The estimate includes $224 due at filing ($214 provincial application fee plus the $10 federal divorce-registration fee) and $445 to place the application on the list for hearing, for a total of $669. An optional $25 divorce certificate and other possible filing or service costs are not included. Confirm fees before filing because regulations change.
Does the estimate include both spouses’ legal bills?
No. It is a budgeting range for one party. Each spouse generally receives independent legal advice. Mediation allowances are treated as that person’s planning share, but the actual split depends on the mediator agreement.
Can I get divorced before one year of separation?
A divorce based on separation generally cannot be granted until spouses have lived separate and apart for at least one year, though an application can be started earlier. Adultery and cruelty are other grounds under the Divorce Act; speak with a lawyer before choosing a ground.
Is mediation appropriate in every case?
No. Mediation requires safe, informed and voluntary participation. Safety concerns, coercive control, hidden finances or a serious power imbalance may make another process more appropriate. Accredited mediators screen for suitability.
What is not included in the calculator?
The model excludes support payments, property or pension transfers, real-estate transactions, experts, business valuations, appraisals, process serving, transcripts, travel, enforcement, appeals and counselling. It is not a legal fee quote.
Sources and methodology
Official rules and programs are linked directly. The calculator applies your hourly rate to planning-hour bands for each path, then adds modelled process allowances, HST and base applicant filing fees. Those hours and timelines are budgeting assumptions—not published official averages or a claim that every case costs the same. No current Canadian Bar Association divorce-cost range table was found: the archived CBA source below explains flat-fee billing, while current cost context comes from Lexpert and the older Canadian Lawyer survey is clearly marked historical.
- Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General — Family court fees ($224 due at filing: $214 provincial application fee plus the federal $10 divorce fee; then $445 to place the case on the hearing list; updated April 9, 2026).
- Department of Justice Canada — How to apply for a divorce (grounds, residency and one-year separation).
- Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General — Family mediation (process, screening and court-connected services).
- Legal Aid Ontario — Separation (separation agreements, independent legal advice and unbundled-service information).
- Canadian Bar Association — Flat-fee billing (archived) (how a fee can be set in an engagement letter before routine work begins; not a current divorce-price table).
- Lexpert — Family-law cost benchmarks in Canada (published national averages and Ontario hourly context; actual fees vary).
- Canadian Lawyer 2015 Legal Fees Survey (historical range check only; not treated as current pricing).