D8B form: dispute a divorce, dissolution or separation application
Form D8B is the answer: the document a respondent files to dispute a divorce, dissolution or (judicial) separation application. Most respondents reply online and agree; GOV.UK says a respondent who disagrees then files an answer.
Fill in the D8B form with Wren
How Wren helps with the D8B
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 D8B 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 D8B. 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 D8B 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
- Answer an application for a divorce, dissolution of a civil partnership or judicial separation: Form D8B
- Limited grounds
- The form's notes give jurisdiction, validity and the marriage having already ended as the grounds to dispute.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Edition
- 03.24 (9 pages).Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Reply first
- GOV.UK says you reply to the application first, online or on paper, and say whether you intend to dispute it.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
Who uses the D8B
A respondent who has said they intend to dispute the application, on the grounds the form allows: that the courts do not have jurisdiction, that the marriage was never valid, or that it has already legally ended.
When it is used
After replying to the application to say you intend to dispute it. GOV.UK says you cannot dispute it because you do not want a divorce, and that you may have to go to court.
Before you start
- The application you were sent and the case number.
- The reasons you rely on, and any evidence about jurisdiction or validity.
- The fee, or a Help with Fees reference.
How to fill in the D8B
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.
Your details and the grounds
You give the case number and names, and tick the grounds on which you dispute the application.
Your reasons and the orders you ask for
You explain your reasons and say what you ask the court to do, usually to dismiss the application.
Statement of truth and fee
You sign a statement of truth on paper and say how the fee is paid.
Prepare your D8B 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 considers the answer and gives directions; GOV.UK says you may have to go to a hearing.
Common mistakes
- Filing an answer simply because you do not want a divorce, which is not a ground.
- Missing the time limit to file the answer after replying.
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.
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.