How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Maryland in 2026?
How much does a divorce cost in Maryland? If you file it yourself and agree, it costs about $250 to $700. With a lawyer on a simple case, it runs $1,500 to $5,000. A contested divorce costs $12,000 to $35,000 or more. The filing fee is about $165 to $215, depending on your county.
The cost of divorce in Maryland depends on one big thing. That thing is whether you and your spouse agree. The cheap path is mutual consent, which means you both sign one written settlement agreement. With mutual consent, there is no separation period and no waiting period at all.
This guide breaks down the Maryland filing fee and the cost by type. It uses the current law, since Maryland rewrote its divorce rules in late 2023. Many older websites still show the old rules, so be careful. Every number here is a 2026 number.
Quick Answer: Maryland Divorce Costs at a Glance
Here is the average cost of divorce in Maryland in 2026, at a glance. The filing fee is close to the same statewide. The total depends on your path, not just the fee. An agreed divorce stays low, while a court fight climbs fast.
| Cost factor | Maryland (2026) |
|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $165 to $215 by county |
| Uncontested total (DIY) | $250 to $700 |
| Average with a lawyer | $6,000 to $14,000 |
| Contested divorce | $12,000 to $35,000 or more |
| Typical timeline | No waiting period for mutual consent; about 2 to 3 months agreed, 12 to 18 months or more contested |
Filing Fees and Court Costs in Maryland
The Maryland divorce filing fee is $165 statewide. Some counties add small surcharges, so the real total runs about $165 to $215. You pay it when you file a Complaint for Absolute Divorce in Circuit Court. An absolute divorce is the final divorce that ends the marriage for good.
The cost to file divorce in Maryland is not the only court cost. Service by a sheriff or private process server costs about $50 to $100. Or your spouse can accept service to skip that cost. The served spouse then has 30 days to file an Answer, or 60 days if served in another state.
You may be able to skip the fee. Low-income filers can request a waiver of prepaid costs using form CC-DC-088. You file it at the same time as your complaint. You can find the free forms on the official Maryland courts website, and you can also see our guide to divorce filing fees by state.
How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Maryland by Type?
How much a divorce costs in Maryland depends on the type you choose. A simple agreed case costs far less than a court fight. The table below shows the typical total for each path. Your path is set by how much you agree.
| Divorce type | Typical total cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| DIY uncontested (file yourself) | $250 to $700 |
| Uncontested with a lawyer | $1,500 to $5,000 |
| Mediated divorce | $3,000 to $8,000 |
| Contested divorce | $12,000 to $35,000 or more |
The cost of an uncontested divorce in Maryland is the lowest option. If you file by mutual consent, you pay close to the filing fee. The average cost of divorce in Maryland climbs once a lawyer or a court fight is involved. The MD uncontested divorce cost is hard to beat, and you can see our uncontested divorce guide.
What Affects the Cost of Divorce in Maryland
A few things affect the cost of a divorce in Maryland. Conflict is the biggest one by far. The ground you file under matters too. Mutual consent is fastest and cheapest, while the 6-month separation ground adds months before you can even file.
Children raise the cost. Cases with minor children need a parenting plan and a child support worksheet. Many counties also require a parenting seminar when children are involved. A custody fight adds more hearings and more legal time.
Property division adds cost as well. Maryland uses equitable distribution, which means the court splits marital property fairly, not always 50/50. It is not a community property state. Mediation can settle these points, and how much divorce mediation costs in Maryland is about $3,000 to $8,000 total, as our mediation cost guide explains.
Location changes the price too. The Baltimore divorce cost and the Washington suburbs run the highest. Smaller counties cost less. A lawyer’s hourly rate reflects the local market.
How to Keep Divorce Costs Down in Maryland
You can keep the cost of divorce in Maryland low. The biggest saving comes from filing by mutual consent. A few simple moves make a real difference. Here are the best ones.
- File by mutual consent. Sign one full settlement agreement, and you skip the separation wait and the court fight.
- Settle before you file. Agree on property and parenting terms first, so there is nothing to litigate.
- Use mediation. A mediator settles the points you cannot agree on for a few thousand dollars.
- Use a flat-fee or limited-scope lawyer. Pay only for a review of your agreement, not the whole case.
- Ask for a fee waiver. If your income is low, file form CC-DC-088 to waive the prepaid costs.
So how much does a simple divorce cost in Maryland? By mutual consent, it can be close to the filing fee alone. This is the route to a cheap divorce in Maryland. For more ways to save, read our cheap divorce guide. Free help is available at Maryland Legal Aid.
Maryland Divorce Filing Steps (Summary)
Filing for divorce in Maryland follows a clear path. It is simplest when your case is agreed. Here are the main steps in order.
- Meet the residency rule. Live in Maryland when you file. If the grounds happened outside the state, one spouse needs 6 months of Maryland residence first.
- Pick your ground. Choose mutual consent, 6-month separation, or irreconcilable differences. Irreconcilable differences just means the marriage has broken down, with no blame needed.
- Sign a settlement agreement. For mutual consent, both spouses sign a full agreement using form CC-DR-116.
- File and pay the fee. File the Complaint for Absolute Divorce (form CC-DR-020) in Circuit Court and pay the fee. Or file form CC-DC-088 to ask for a waiver.
- Serve your spouse. Serve the papers, and your spouse has 30 days to file an Answer. Or have them accept service.
- Attend the hearing. Both spouses appear at a short hearing in mutual consent cases. Finish any parenting seminar your county requires.
- Finalize the divorce. The judge signs the Judgment of Absolute Divorce, and the divorce is final.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Bottom Line
How much a divorce costs in Maryland ranges from $250 for an agreed DIY case to $35,000 or more for a court fight. The filing fee is just $165 to $215. Filing by mutual consent with a signed agreement is the biggest cost lever you control. Agree with your spouse, and you keep it cheap and fast.
To estimate your own number, try our divorce cost calculator. You can also read our pillar guide on how much a divorce costs.
