How much are court fees for a divorce in New York?

The main filing fees

These figures come from the court's uncontested divorce instructions (revised March 1, 2026), its CourtHelp pages, and the state fee statutes.

• Index number: $210. Paid to the County Clerk when the summons is filed. The index number is the case number. CPLR 8018 sets a $190 base fee plus $20 in added state fees.
• Request for Judicial Intervention (RJI): $95. The RJI asks the court to assign a judge. CPLR 8020 sets this fee.
• Note of Issue: $30. The Note of Issue puts the case on the court calendar. When filed with the RJI, the court lists $125 total for both.
• Settlement agreement: $35. CourtHelp lists this fee to file a settlement agreement.

CourtHelp states that an uncontested divorce costs at least $335 in court filing fees. That total does not include a filed agreement or certified copies.

Smaller county fees

• Certificate of Dissolution. Some counties charge to file it. The amount is set by the County Clerk.
• Certified copy of the judgment. CourtHelp says this usually costs between $4 and $10. The packet says it is charged per page.

Ask your County Clerk which payment methods it accepts. The court instructions say to check fees with your county.

Costs that are not court fees

The court fee figures do not include lawyer fees, copies, notary fees, mailing, travel, or a process server. A process server is a person paid to deliver court papers.

A contested case can cost more in court fees. For example, CPLR 8020 sets a $45 fee for each motion.

Fee waivers (poor person relief)

CPLR 1101 lets a court waive fees for a person with insufficient means to pay them. This is often called poor person relief. The statute sets no fixed income cutoff.

The applicant files a sworn statement of income, assets and property. The uncontested packet includes an affirmation, a proposed order and a proof of service for this request.

If granted, the index number fee and certified copy charges are waived. A waiver does not cover lawyer, notary, copying or process server costs. CPLR 8020 also says there is no fee for the motion asking to proceed as a poor person.

Fees and mediation

Court fees are the same whether a couple uses mediation, lawyers, or the DIY forms. They are paid to the County Clerk, not to a mediator or attorney.

Settling issues in mediation can avoid motion fees that come with a contested case. The judge still has to review and sign the judgment.