New online service will accompany changes to divorce law

A new online service for applying for a divorce will be available from 6 April 2022. Couples must apply under the current law by 31st March 2022 or wait for the changes to come into force.

Changes to divorce law

The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 reforms the legal requirements and process for divorce. The Act aims to reduce the potential for conflict amongst divorcing couples by:

• removing the ability to make allegations about the conduct of a spouse
• allowing couples to end their marriage jointly

The act also introduces a minimum period of 20 weeks between the start of proceedings and application for conditional order. This provides couples with a meaningful period of reflection and the chance to reconsider. Where divorce is inevitable, it enables couples to cooperate and plan for the future.

It will no longer be possible to contest a divorce, except on limited grounds including jurisdiction.

If you are getting divorced and have started your application

If you have an application saved on the current digital service and still want proceed, you will need to access your account and submit your application by 4pm on 31st March 2022.

Alternatively, you can wait until the new digital service is launched. If you still want to apply for a divorce, you can start your application again from 6th April 2022.

If you have started filling out a paper application form, you will need to make sure it is received by the court by 4pm 31st March 2022. If you are sending it in the post, you will need to make sure it reaches the court by that date.

If you haven’t started your application

It can take time to get the right documents together for your application. So, if you have not started an application yet, you may want to wait until the new services are available from 6th April 2022.

Important dates

• from 31st March 2022 you can no longer apply on the current paper or digital systems or access a saved digital application which is yet to be issued by the court
• from 31st March to 5th April 2022 the digital service will not accept new applications
• from 6th April 2022 the new paper and digital services will be available

Urgent applications that need to be considered after the deadlines set out above and before the 6th April will continue to be accepted, and issued where possible, if received by post or email, before 4pm on the 5th April.

If you are submitting your urgent application by email, use this address: onlineDFRjurisdiction@justice.gov.uk (please note this inbox will not be monitored after 4pm on 5 April 2022).

Additional information

Decree Nisi and Decree Absolute applications that have been issued will be saved and remain available on the service.