Reviewed August 2026
Cost and Filing Fees in Vermont
Filing for divorce, annulment, or dissolution of a civil union in Vermont's family division costs $295.00 if you file without a stipulation. That's the rate set by the Vermont Judiciary's official fee schedule under 32 V.S.A. § 1431(b)(2). If both spouses have already signed a written agreement, called a stipulation, that the court finds acceptable, the fee drops to $90.00 when at least one spouse lives in Vermont, or $180.00 if neither party does. Vermont builds this discount into the fee schedule on purpose, to reward settled cases. If a stipulated case later turns contested, the filer must pay the court the difference between the full $295.00 fee and the reduced fee before a final order can issue. Filers who cannot afford even the reduced fee can apply to waive filing fees and service costs. Beyond the filing fee, the total cost of a Vermont divorce case depends on serving the other spouse and how contested the case becomes.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how cost and filing fees works under Vermont law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Vermont paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
Get notified when Virdix reaches Vermont
We'll send one email, nothing else, the day Vermont launches.
Filing fee: full rate versus stipulated rate
Vermont's court fee schedule, set under 32 V.S.A. § 1431(b)(2), lists three different amounts for filing a divorce, annulment, or dissolution of civil union or legal separation case. Filing without a stipulation costs $295.00. That applies when the spouses have not yet reached a full written agreement the court finds acceptable. Filing with a stipulation costs $90.00 if one or both spouses live in Vermont, or $180.00 if neither party does. The fee schedule also states that if a stipulated case later becomes contested, the filer must pay the court the difference between the full fee and the reduced fee before the court issues a final order. So the discount does not hold if the agreement falls apart.
Fee waiver for filing and service costs
A filer who cannot afford the filing fee, whichever rate applies, can apply to waive both filing fees and service costs. Vermont's Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs covers this, and it's described on the Vermont Judiciary's self-help pages. Find the application and forms through the court's self-help resources. Filers with questions can also contact the Judiciary's Access and Resource Center at 802-879-1185 or by email at selfhelp@vtcourts.gov.
Serving the other spouse
After filing, Vermont requires the divorce complaint to be served on the other spouse. The fee schedule lists a separate charge for mail service of pleadings by certified restricted delivery: $18.50. A sheriff or process server fee applies instead if you use that method. If the other spouse voluntarily accepts service, or if the case is filed jointly with a stipulation, the parties can often avoid a separate service fee. The Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs can cover this expense too, along with the filing fee itself, for filers who qualify.
Related family division filings
Vermont's fee schedule applies the same stipulation-based discount structure to related family matters. A parentage, desertion, and support filing costs $120.00 without a stipulation, or $35.00 with one. A postjudgment motion to modify a final order costs a separate $45.00 under 32 V.S.A. § 1431(g). These smaller fees can add to the total cost of a Vermont family case beyond the initial divorce filing, especially if the case needs modification after the decree, or a magistrate appeal, which carries its own $120.00 fee.
What makes a Vermont divorce cost more
Reaching a stipulation before filing is the single biggest cost lever built into Vermont's own fee schedule. It cuts the filing fee from $295.00 to $90.00 or $180.00. Beyond the filing fee itself, a contested case costs more because it can require additional motions, discovery such as requests for financial records or depositions, mediation, appraisals of real property or a business, and multiple hearings before a family division judge or magistrate. Disputes over property division, spousal maintenance, or parental rights and responsibilities are the most common reasons a Vermont divorce case ends up costing more than the base filing and service fees.
Sources: Vermont Judiciary: Court Fees schedule, Vermont Judiciary: Divorce & Parentage
Not independently confirmed
- Sheriff/process server fee amount if certified mail service is not used
- Exact URL/form name for the Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs page
- Any parenting or Cooperative Parenting class fee for cases with minor children
Cost and Filing Fees in Vermont: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Vermont?+
Vermont's family division fee schedule sets the filing fee at $295.00 for a case filed without a stipulation, under 32 V.S.A. § 1431(b)(2). If both spouses have already reached a written agreement the court finds acceptable, the fee drops to $90.00 when at least one spouse lives in Vermont, or $180.00 if neither party does.
Why is the Vermont filing fee lower with a stipulation?+
Vermont's fee schedule builds in a lower rate for cases where the spouses have already reached a written settlement agreement, called a stipulation, that the court finds acceptable. But if a stipulated case later becomes contested, the filer must pay the court the difference between the full $295.00 fee and the reduced fee before the court issues a final order.
What if I can't afford the Vermont filing fee?+
You can apply to waive both the filing fee and service costs through Vermont's Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs, available on the Vermont Judiciary's self-help pages. For help with the application, contact the Judiciary's Access and Resource Center at 802-879-1185 or selfhelp@vtcourts.gov.
Does Vermont charge extra to serve my spouse with divorce papers?+
Yes. The court fee schedule lists a separate $18.50 charge for mail service of pleadings by certified restricted delivery, and additional costs apply if you use a sheriff or process server instead. If you and your spouse file jointly with a stipulation, you can often avoid a separate service fee. The fee waiver application can also cover service costs for those who qualify.
Does Vermont charge extra for modifying a divorce decree later?+
Yes. A postjudgment motion to modify a final order carries its own $45.00 fee under 32 V.S.A. § 1431(g), separate from the original divorce filing fee. A related magistrate appeal carries a $120.00 fee. Both are additional costs beyond the initial case if you need to change the order later.
What makes a Vermont divorce cost more than the filing fee?+
Not reaching a stipulation before filing is the biggest built-in cost difference: it means paying $295.00 instead of $90.00 or $180.00. Beyond that, a contested case can require additional motions, discovery, mediation, appraisals of property or business interests, and multiple hearings. All of that adds cost beyond the base filing and service fees.
This page is general information about cost and filing fees in Vermont, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with Vermont's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in Vermont. Virdix does not prepare or file Vermont divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Vermont.
More Vermont 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 Vermont, the resources above are the right place to start, and the form above will tell you the moment Virdix reaches your state.
If the court clerk rejects a document we prepared, we fix it for free until it's accepted. See how the guarantee works