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How much does it cost to file for divorce in Oregon?

Filing a dissolution of marriage in Oregon costs $301 for the petitioner's first appearance and $301 for the respondent's first appearance — the same figure in every circuit court in the state, because Oregon sets domestic-relations fees in one statewide schedule under ORS 21.155. Unlike Tennessee or Florida, there is no county stack to decode: Portland, Bend and Pendleton all charge the number on the Oregon Judicial Department's Circuit Court Fee Schedule.

Oregon divorce fees at a glance

Because the fee is statutory and uniform, the Oregon page of the national divorce filing costs comparison is one of the simplest in the country — and the wider state picture is on the Oregon court costs guide. The $301 is a first appearance fee: it is charged once per party when that party first files, whether the first filing is the petition itself or, for a respondent who was served and answers, the response. Spouses who file a co-petition still each owe a first-appearance fee under the schedule's structure.

The motion fees that surprise people later

Most agreed Oregon dissolutions never pay another clerk fee after filing. Contested and post-judgment cases are different. ORS 21.205 sets a $167 fee on a motion that seeks entry of a supplemental judgment — the vehicle for most post-decree modifications — charged to both the movant and a responding party. A narrower $56 fee applies to motions under ORS 107.434, the expedited enforcement procedure for parenting-time disputes. Neither fee applies to motions under ORCP 68, 69 or 71. Budgeting only for the $301 opening fee therefore understates a contested case: each supplemental-judgment round adds $167 per side before any attorney time is counted.

Grounds, residency and how the case runs

Oregon is a pure no-fault state: ORS 107.025 makes irreconcilable differences that have caused the irremediable breakdown of the marriage the sole ground for dissolution, so the petition does not plead fault and the fee does not vary by ground. You file in the circuit court of a county where either spouse lives. Cases with children require a parenting plan and child support calculated under the statewide guidelines, and Oregon courts can order mediation of custody and parenting-time disputes. An uncontested case can often be decided on affidavits without a hearing; a contested case proceeds through case management, possible mediation, and trial.

1. Complete the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and summons from the Oregon Judicial Department forms library; add a parenting plan and support worksheet if you have minor children
2. File with the circuit court clerk in your county and pay the first-appearance fee $301
3. Serve your spouse under ORCP 7 — sheriff or private process server fees are market-set and are not on the state schedule, so this page does not price them
4. Your spouse's response carries its own first-appearance fee $301
5. Resolve by stipulated judgment, mediation or trial, and order exemplified or certified copies for records changes

What divorce really costs beyond the clerk

The predictable clerk-side extras are small: exemplification at $10 plus $0.25 per page is the schedule's figure for a certified-style copy used out of state, and ordinary copy and certification lines sit on the same statewide schedule. The unpredictable costs are the market-priced ones — process service, mediation beyond any court programme, custody evaluation where ordered, and attorney fees, which dominate every contested Oregon divorce. Compare the structure with neighbouring Washington divorce costs and California divorce costs, where the first-paper fee is $435.

Can't afford the fee?

ORS 21.682 authorises the court to waive or defer fees and court costs for a party who shows an inability to pay, on the application described in ORS 21.685. A deferral is not a forgiveness: deferred amounts can be entered as a judgment under ORS 21.692 if they remain unpaid, and interest can apply under ORS 21.700, although the court may later waive deferred fees outright. Ask the clerk for the waiver/deferral packet when you file — the application itself carries no fee. The general mechanics are explained in the fee waiver guide.

Sources: Oregon Judicial Department — Circuit Court Fee Schedule (dissolution first appearance $301, ORS 21.155(1); custody/support/parenting-time first appearance $301, ORS 21.155(3); domestic-partnership dissolution $281, ORS 21.135; exemplification $10 plus $0.25/page, ORS 21.258) · ORS 21.205 (supplemental-judgment motion $167; ORS 107.434 motion $56) · ORS 107.025 (no-fault ground) · ORS 21.682, 21.685, 21.692 (waiver and deferral of fees). Last verified: October 2026 — confirm current figures with your circuit court clerk.