D8S form: apply for a legal (judicial) separation
Form D8S applies for a (judicial) separation. It lets a couple live apart with a court order without ending the marriage or civil partnership. GOV.UK says you apply by filling in this form and sending it to the court.
Fill in the D8S form with Wren
How Wren helps with the D8S
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 D8S 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 D8S. 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 D8S 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 judicial separation: Form D8S
- Paper application
- GOV.UK says that to get a legal separation you fill in a separation application and send it to the court.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Edition
- 03.24 (18 pages).Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Joint applications
- GOV.UK says a joint application is for when you both agree and you are not at risk of domestic abuse.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
Who uses the D8S
People who want to separate formally but not divorce, for example for religious reasons, because they have been married for less than a year, or because they want time to decide. You can apply alone or jointly.
When it is used
At any time after the marriage or civil partnership; there is no one-year wait. Most people who want to end a marriage or civil partnership apply for a divorce or dissolution online instead.
Before you start
- Decide whether a separation or a divorce is what you want; GOV.UK explains both.
- Your marriage or civil partnership certificate, or a certified copy.
- Your spouse or civil partner's full name and address.
- Form C8, if you want to keep your contact details from your spouse or civil partner.
How to fill in the D8S
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 you apply alone or jointly and give each person's details.
Sections 4 and 5: the marriage and jurisdiction
You copy the certificate details and tick why the courts of England and Wales can deal with it.
Sections 6 to 9
Each applicant confirms they seek to be separated, you list other court cases, say whether you want a financial order (a separate application is still needed) and confirm what you ask for.
Section 10 and the fee
Each applicant signs a statement of truth, and the last pages say how the fee is paid.
Prepare your D8S 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. Later you apply for the separation order on form D84. A separation order does not end the marriage or civil partnership.
Common mistakes
- Applying for a separation when a divorce or dissolution is what is wanted.
- Giving contact details on the form after asking for them to be kept confidential; form C8 is used instead.
- Forgetting to sign and date the statement of truth.
Common questions
Does a separation end the marriage?
No. A judicial separation lets you live apart with a court order, but you stay married or in the civil partnership.
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.