D8 form: apply for a divorce or to end a civil partnership on paper
Form D8 is the paper application for a divorce or a dissolution (ending a civil partnership) in England and Wales. Most people apply online through GOV.UK instead; the form itself says so on its first page.
How Wren helps with the D8
Official forms are written for lawyers. With Wren you do not have to decode this one on your own, and you still follow the court’s procedure.
- Plain questions, one at a timeEach part of the D8 becomes short questions in everyday words. Answer at your own pace and come back to it.
- Help beside each questionWhat the question is asking and what the official guidance says about it, in plain English.
- The official form, filled inYour answers go into the official D8. You check it, sign it and send it yourself. Nothing goes to the court for you.
- What comes next, kept with your caseWhat usually happens after you send it, with the dates worked out from the published rules.
Time and money
- On your own
- A day or more
- With Wren
- About an hour for most forms
- Solicitor for this form
- £740 to £1,2403 to 5 hours
A solicitor’s time for the D8 can run to £1,240. With Wren it is part of £19.99 a month, and it takes about an hour for most forms rather than a day or more.
Times and hours are Wren’s estimates for a typical case, not quotes. Solicitor costs are those hours at £247 an hour, the courts’ guideline rate for a solicitor with over four years’ experience, outside London (GOV.UK, Solicitors' guideline hourly rates (in effect from 1 January 2026)). The guideline runs from £200 to £295 an hour outside London depending on experience, firms set their own rates, and VAT is added on top.
Key facts
- Official title
- Apply for a divorce or to dissolve a civil partnership: Form D8
- Online first
- You can apply online for a divorce or to end a civil partnership. Most people do.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Edition
- 01.25 (20 pages).Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- One year
- The form says you can only apply if you have been married or in a civil partnership for at least one year.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Certificate
- Send your marriage or civil partnership certificate or a certified copy (not a photocopy), with a certified translation if it is not in English.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
Who uses the D8
A person applying on their own (a sole application) or a couple applying together (a joint application) who cannot or would rather not apply online. A legal representative must apply through the MyHMCTS portal, not on this form.
When it is used
When you have been married or in a civil partnership for at least one year and want to end it. The application states that the marriage or civil partnership has broken down irretrievably; no other reason or blame is needed.
Before you start
- Check whether you can apply online instead; most people do.
- Your marriage or civil partnership certificate, or a certified copy, and a certified translation if needed.
- Your spouse or civil partner's full name and address, and their email address if you have it.
- Details of any other court cases about the marriage or civil partnership.
- A Help with Fees reference, if you have applied for help with the fee.
How to fill in the D8
Open each part for what it asks and how to answer it. In Wren, each part is a few plain questions, and your answers fill in the form.
Sections 1 to 3: the application and the people
You say whether it is a divorce or a dissolution and whether you are applying alone or jointly, then give your details and your spouse or civil partner's. In a joint application, applicant 2 completes section 3 themselves.
Sections 4 and 5: the marriage and jurisdiction
You copy the details from your certificate and tick the reasons why the courts of England and Wales can deal with the case, usually where you live.
Sections 6 to 9: the statement and what you ask for
You confirm the marriage or civil partnership has broken down irretrievably, list any other court cases, say whether you want to apply for a financial order (a separate application is still needed) and confirm what you are asking the court for.
Section 10 and the fee
Each applicant signs a statement of truth, and the last pages say how the fee is paid or why it is not included.
Prepare your D8 with Wren Family
Wren Family turns official forms into short, plain-English questions you can answer at your own pace. You check everything before you send it: nothing goes to the court for you.
Get startedFree for 14 days, no card. Then £19.99 a month, with your money back within 14 days if it’s not right.
What happens after you send it
The court issues the application and, in a sole application, sends it to your spouse or civil partner, who is asked to respond. After 20 weeks from issue you can apply for a conditional order, and later for a final order, which ends the marriage or civil partnership.
Common mistakes
- Using the paper form when the online service would be simpler and faster.
- Sending a photocopy of the certificate instead of the original or a certified copy.
- Thinking that saying yes to a financial order on the D8 starts financial proceedings; a separate application is needed.
- Forgetting to sign and date the statement of truth.
Common questions
Do I have to use the paper form?
No. Most people apply and respond through the online divorce service on GOV.UK, which guides you through each step. The paper form is for people who cannot or would rather not use it, or for steps GOV.UK says are done on paper.
Do I have to give a reason?
No. Since April 2022 the application only states that the marriage or civil partnership has broken down irretrievably.
What is the fee?
This page does not state a fee because fees change. The current fee is in leaflet EX50, and you may be able to get help with fees if you have a low income or receive certain benefits.
Where these facts come from
These are the official rules and pages this page is based on. They are listed so you can check a detail for yourself; you do not need them to use Wren. They are outside Wren and open in a new tab.
- GOV.UK: Apply for a divorce online (external source, opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Get a divorce (external source, opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: End a civil partnership (external source, opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Form D8 publication page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Civil and family court fees (EX50) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Pinned template D8 (01.25) (external source, opens in a new tab)