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How much does a divorce cost in Georgia?
Summary
Court costs are usually a few hundred dollars. Filing for divorce in the metro Atlanta counties we've checked costs $213 to $220, plus about $50 if the sheriff delivers the papers. Parenting seminars and court-program mediation, where required, usually add tens to a few hundred dollars per spouse; longer mediation or a private mediator costs more.
The larger and more variable part is professional help, such as lawyers, mediators, appraisers or other experts. How much is needed depends mainly on how many issues the spouses disagree about, whether children are involved, and how complex the finances are.
If you can't afford the court fees, you can ask the court to let you file without paying them.
Filing fees by county
Checked against each court's website on November 11, 2026.
Fees are for filing a divorce at the Superior Court clerk. If the other spouse signs an acknowledgment of service, there's no sheriff's fee. Fees not posted online will be added once confirmed with each clerk.
Court costs
- Filing fee: $213 to $220 in the metro Atlanta counties we've checked, paid to the Superior Court clerk when you file.
- Service: if the sheriff delivers the papers, usually about $50 per person served by that county's sheriff. If your spouse lives in another county, you pay that county's sheriff. In an uncontested case, the other spouse often signs an acknowledgment of service instead, which costs only a notary's fee of a few dollars at most. If your spouse can't be found, the court may allow notice by newspaper publication, which has its own cost.
- Copies: certified copies of the final decree, which you may need to update records, cost a small per-page fee. For example, Clayton and Fulton charge $2.50 for the first page and 50 cents for each additional page.
- Cobb County also requires people handling their divorce without a lawyer to attend its Family Law Workshop, which is free.
Parenting seminars, if you have children
Many Georgia courts require divorcing parents to take a seminar of up to four hours about how divorce affects children.[1] Each parent usually pays their own fee. For example, Cobb's seminar costs $50 per person and Gwinnett's costs $40 per person, with fee waivers for people who qualify. Ask your court which providers it accepts.
Mediation
Many courts send contested cases to mediation, and some charge a set fee through the court's own program. Examples from metro Atlanta courts:
- Fulton: each spouse pays $115 to the court's ADR office. People without a lawyer may be able to get it waived based on need.
- Clayton: a mediator assigned by the court costs at least $240 for the first two hours, split between the spouses, with a fee waiver application for those who can't afford it.
- DeKalb: the first hour at the county courts' Dispute Resolution Center is free.
- Private mediators set their own rates; Gwinnett's courts say they generally charge $100 to $300 an hour, split between the spouses.
Lawyers' fees
Many Georgia family lawyers bill by the hour against an upfront deposit called a retainer. Some charge a flat fee for defined work, such as an uncontested divorce or reviewing a settlement agreement. Rates vary by lawyer, experience and area, so the most reliable figures come from asking firms directly.
A lawyer should explain the fee terms at the start, preferably in writing. Georgia's rules for lawyers don't allow a divorce fee that depends on getting the divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or a property settlement.
Other professionals, in some cases
- A guardian ad litem for the children, if the judge appoints one. The court sets the fee and decides how the parents share it.[2]
- A custody evaluation by a mental health professional, if the court orders one.
- An appraiser for a house, business or other property, or an actuary to value a pension.
- A specialist to prepare the court order that divides a 401(k) or pension (a QDRO).
- A tax professional or financial advisor for questions about taxes, retirement accounts or the house.
What affects the total
- Whether the spouses agree on everything, or on some issues but not others
- Whether there are children, and whether custody is disputed
- Property that takes work to value or divide, such as a business, real estate or retirement accounts
- How much information has to be exchanged, and how quickly each side responds
- Whether the case settles at mediation or goes to a hearing or trial
- The county and the court's calendar
Who pays
Each spouse usually pays their own lawyer, and the spouses often split shared costs such as mediation. A Georgia judge can order one spouse to pay some or all of the other spouse's lawyer's fees after looking at both spouses' finances.[3] A settlement agreement can also say who pays which costs.
If you can't afford the costs
- Court fees: you can ask to file without paying by signing a sworn statement that you can't afford them, often called a pauper's affidavit. The court can review it if it's questioned.[4]
- Parenting seminars: every court-ordered seminar must have a fee waiver process for people who can't afford it.[1]
- Court mediation: several programs, including Fulton and Clayton, offer fee waivers. Ask the court's program office.
- Free legal help: if your income is low, you may qualify for legal aid. Atlanta Legal Aid Society serves Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett and Clayton counties and handles some divorce and custody cases. The Georgia Legal Services Program serves the rest of the state but generally takes divorce cases only for survivors of family violence. Legal aid can't take every case, so apply early.
- Lawyer's fees: if your spouse has substantially more income or assets than you, ask a lawyer whether a fee order might apply.[3]
Questions you might ask a lawyer
- How do you charge for a case like mine: hourly, a retainer, or a flat fee?
- What's included in the fee, and what costs are separate?
- What would make my case cost more or less than usual?
- Could a fee order apply in my case?
- How will I be billed, and how often?
Common questions
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Georgia?
In the metro Atlanta counties we've checked, the filing fee is $213 to $220, plus about $50 if the sheriff delivers the papers. If you can't afford the fees, you can ask to file without paying them.[4]
What's the average cost of a divorce in Georgia?
There's no official figure, and published averages vary widely. Court costs are usually a few hundred dollars. The total depends mostly on whether the spouses agree and how much professional help they use, so asking a few lawyers about their fees for your situation gives the most useful answer.
Who pays for the divorce in Georgia?
Each spouse usually pays their own lawyer and shares joint costs such as mediation. A judge can order one spouse to pay some or all of the other's lawyer's fees after looking at both spouses' finances.[3]
Can I get a divorce in Georgia for free?
The court fees can be waived if you can't afford them,[4] and free legal help may be available if your income is low. Court-ordered parenting seminars must offer fee waivers, and several court mediation programs do too.
Sources
- ^ Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8, parenting seminars
- ^ Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.9, guardians ad litem
- ^ O.C.G.A. § 19-6-2, attorney's fees in divorce (Justia)
- ^ O.C.G.A. § 9-15-2, filing without paying fees (FindLaw)
- Georgia Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5, fees
- Cobb County Superior Court programs (co-parenting seminar)
- Gwinnett County courts, parenting seminar
- Gwinnett County courts, ADR processes
- Fulton County Superior Court, mediation fact sheet (PDF)
- Clayton County courts, alternative dispute resolution
- DeKalb County standing order for domestic cases (PDF)
- Atlanta Legal Aid Society, issues we address (PDF)
- Georgia Legal Services Program, counties served
- Georgia Legal Services Program, family law
- Fulton County Clerk of Superior Court fee schedule
- Clayton County court records fee schedule (PDF)
- Cobb Superior Court Clerk, fees
Laws and court rules change. If something here looks out of date, email help@divorce.city.