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How much does it cost to file for divorce in New York?
New York does not charge a single "divorce filing fee." You buy the case in pieces: a $210 index number to open it, a $95 Request for Judicial Intervention to get a judge assigned, and a $30 Note of Issue to put it in line for signature — a $335 minimum in court fees for an uncontested divorce, before service of process.
New York divorce fees at a glance
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Index number (opens the case) | $210 |
| Request for Judicial Intervention (RJI) | $95 |
| Note of Issue (non-jury) | $30 |
| Motion or cross-motion | $45 |
| Stipulation of settlement filing | $35 |
| Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage | $5 |
| Minimum court-fee total, uncontested | $335 |
These figures come from published county clerk fee schedules — the table above follows the Ontario County Clerk's civil fee structure, and the same statewide amounts apply in every county because the fees are set by the CPLR, not by the county. That makes New York one of the simpler states on this site: unlike the thirteen county-set states in the national divorce guide, the number does not change between Albany and Brooklyn.
How the $335 builds, step by step
- Buy an index number from the county clerk and file the summons with notice or summons and complaint $210
- Serve your spouse — by a process server, the sheriff, or an adult who is not a party. Sheriff service is usually the cheapest route; a private process server typically charges $50–$100.
- File the Request for Judicial Intervention so a judge is assigned to the case $95
- When the case is ready — by agreement, default, or after trial — file the Note of Issue $30
- File the Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage with the judgment paperwork $5, and order certified copies of the signed judgment afterwards — see copy and certification fees.
Filing fee + service + publication + certified copies is the real number. Stack all four for your state and procedure in the calculator.
Open the cost calculatorWhat a contested case adds
Every motion or cross-motion costs $45 to file, and contested divorces can generate several — motions for temporary support, custody, or exclusive occupancy of the home are common early in a case. Filing a signed stipulation of settlement costs $35. None of this changes the three core fees: the court's price of opening and deciding the case is the same whether you settle in a month or litigate for a year. What litigation actually multiplies is attorney time, which is outside this site's scope, plus repeat motion fees. Note also that custody and support for children under 21 can be handled in Family Court, where there are no filing fees at all — see the child custody filing cost guide.
Can't afford the fees?
New York filers who cannot pay can apply for poor person relief under CPLR 1101, which waives the court fees for a filer the court finds eligible. The fee waiver guide explains how waiver standards work generally. A waiver covers court fees; it does not pay a private process server, which is one reason sheriff service matters for filers on a budget.
The national picture
At $335 in minimum court fees, New York sits near the top of the state range ($97–$435) — but it is a genuine all-in court figure, not a teaser rate. Compare the other two deep-dives in this series, California ($435) and Texas ($350), or see every state's figure in the divorce filing cost guide and the New York court costs guide.
Sources: Ontario County Clerk — Civil Action fee structure (Index Number $210; RJI $95; Note of Issue $30 non-jury; motion $45; stipulation of settlement $35; dissolution of marriage $5), published by Ontario County, NY · CPLR fee provisions. Last verified: October 2026 — confirm current figures with the county clerk.