Reviewed August 2026
Cost and Filing Fees in Illinois
You file a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage in the circuit court of the county where you or your spouse lives. Each county's circuit clerk sets its own filing fee schedule, so the amount in Cook County differs from the amount in a smaller downstate county. Illinois Courts publishes approved statewide forms for dissolution, child support, and maintenance cases, but the dollar fee is set locally. Confirm the current amount with the circuit clerk in the county where you will file. If you cannot afford the fee, Illinois offers one statewide Application for Waiver of Court Fees. The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice approved this form, and every Illinois court must accept it. This page covers what Illinois Courts publishes directly and flags what varies by county.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how cost and filing fees works under Illinois law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Illinois paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
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Filing fee: set by each county's circuit clerk
Illinois divorce cases are filed as a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage in circuit court. The circuit clerk in each of Illinois's 102 counties sets its own filing fee schedule. Illinois Courts' statewide website publishes the approved forms used for dissolution, child support, and maintenance cases, but it does not publish one consolidated dollar figure for the filing fee, since the amount is set locally. Confirm the current fee with the circuit clerk in the county where you plan to file.
Fee waiver: Application For Waiver of Court Fees
If you cannot afford court costs, Illinois offers one standardized statewide form: the Application For Waiver of Court Fees. The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice approved this form in August 2025. Every Illinois court must accept it, along with its companion Order on Application for Waiver of Court Fees and a separate How to Request a Fee Waiver instruction sheet. The form is also available in Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Russian, and Korean.
Service of process costs
After filing, your spouse must be formally served with the petition for dissolution. Illinois allows service by the county sheriff or a licensed private process server. Costs are set at the county level rather than published as one statewide amount by Illinois Courts. Confirm the current cost with the sheriff's office or process server in the county where your spouse will be served.
Parenting classes
Many Illinois circuit courts require parents in a dissolution case involving minor children to complete a parenting education class. Local circuit court rule sets the requirement and its cost, rather than one statewide figure published by Illinois Courts. Check with the circuit clerk or family division in the county where your case is filed to find out if a class applies to you and what it costs.
What drives the total cost up
An uncontested dissolution, where both spouses agree on property division, custody (allocation of parental responsibilities), and support, keeps costs closer to the filing fee, service cost, and any required parenting class. Costs rise when the case is contested. Additional motions, discovery of financial and other records, contested hearings, and expert witnesses such as appraisers or custody evaluators all add expense beyond the base filing and service fees. Illinois's courts do not publish average attorney fee figures, so this page does not estimate a total cost, since the number depends on how contested the case becomes.
Sources: Illinois Courts: Fee Waiver for Civil Cases (Application For Waiver of Court Fees, approved 08/2025), Illinois Courts: Approved Statewide Forms - Divorce, Child Support, Maintenance (Circuit Court), Illinois Courts: Documents and Forms
Not independently confirmed
- Exact dollar filing fee for a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage by county circuit clerk
- Statewide sheriff or process server service fee
- Whether/where a parenting class is mandatory and its cost
- Any e-filing convenience fee for divorce case documents
Cost and Filing Fees in Illinois: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Illinois?+
Each Illinois county's circuit clerk sets its own filing fee for a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. Illinois Courts does not publish one consolidated statewide dollar figure. Contact the circuit clerk's office in the county where you plan to file to confirm the current fee.
Can I get my Illinois divorce filing fee waived?+
Yes. Illinois has one standardized statewide Application For Waiver of Court Fees. The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice approved it, and every Illinois court must accept it. It is also available in Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Korean.
How much does it cost to serve divorce papers in Illinois?+
The county sheriff or a licensed private process server typically handles service. Illinois Courts does not publish one statewide fee for this, since costs are set at the county level. Confirm the current cost with the sheriff's office or process server in your county.
Do I have to take a parenting class if I have kids in an Illinois divorce?+
Many Illinois circuit courts require a parenting education class in cases involving minor children. This depends on local circuit court rules rather than one statewide requirement. Check with the circuit clerk or family division handling your case.
What makes an Illinois divorce cost more than the filing fee?+
Contested issues raise the cost. Additional motions, discovery, contested hearings, and expert witnesses such as appraisers or custody evaluators all add expense beyond the base filing and service fees. An uncontested case, where both spouses agree, keeps costs lower.
Does Illinois publish average attorney fees for divorce?+
No. Illinois's court system does not publish average or typical attorney fee figures for dissolution cases. Attorney fees vary by firm, by county, and by how contested the case becomes. Courts do not track or report this figure publicly.
This page is general information about cost and filing fees in Illinois, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with Illinois's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in Illinois. Virdix does not prepare or file Illinois divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Illinois.
More Illinois divorce guides
Virdix currently serves California and Florida
In the states Virdix serves, it guides you through that state's own court forms so your paperwork is complete and consistent before you file. If you're filing in Illinois, the resources above are the right place to start, and the form above will tell you the moment Virdix reaches your state.
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