Divorce is not just an emotional issue. These are also expenses that, unfortunately, cannot be avoided. In 2026, as in previous years, the total costs depend on many factors, including: depending on whether the divorce decision is joint, whether the parties have children or common property, and whether they use legal services. We checked what expenses should be taken into account and how to optimize them when planning to end a marriage.
The end of a marriage is the moment when personal life and finances begin to intertwine in new, often complicated ways. Division of property, credit obligations, alimony or joint investments may significantly affect the financial stability of both parties. Therefore, it is worth knowing what expenses you need to prepare for and what financial aspects require special attention so that they do not come as a surprise after the end of the relationship.
Costs start from PLN 600
In 2026, divorce costs in Poland start from PLN 600. This is a mandatory court fee that must be paid when filing a lawsuit. However, according to attorney Karolina Pilawska from the Pilawska Zorski Adwokaci law firm, in practice it is rarely limited to this court fee alone.
– Real expenses depend primarily on whether the parties are able to agree on how to dissolve the marriage and issues related to children. – says Karolina Pilawska to Bankier.pl. – In amicable cases in which they do not demand a finding of guilt and present a consistent position on parental authority, contact and alimony, the total cost of the divorce, including the attorney's fee, may amount to several thousand zlotys, and the proceedings often end in one hearing.
It's worth getting along
According to the expert Disputes generate significantly higher costsin which there is a conflict between the spouses as to who is responsible for the breakdown of the marriage or how to exercise parental authority.
– In such proceedings, the court must conduct extensive evidentiary proceedings, which means the need to interview witnesses, parties and appoint experts, in particular specialists from opinion-giving court teams. The attorney's fee in such cases may amount to several, and in practice even several dozen thousand zlotys – says Karolina Pilawska. – Avoiding high expenses is possible primarily in situations where the divorce is uncontested and is not accompanied by escalation of the conflict. The cheapest is a no-fault divorce when both parties agree on the dissolution of the marriage and present a consistent position on matters relating to children.in particular in the field of parental authority, contact and alimony.
Expert opinions and long trials cost the most
According to the lawyer, the moment when the spouses start talking to each other about the terms of separation is also important.
– If an agreement is reached before filing a lawsuit or at an early stage of the proceedings, it is possible to reduce the number of requests for evidence, witnesses and the need to appoint experts, especially opinion-giving teams – says Karolina Pilawska. – That's it expert opinions and conducting the case over many months or many years generate the greatest costs.
In practice, high expenses can also be avoided when the parties give up the dispute over who is responsible for the breakdown of the marriage.
– Adjudicating guilt almost always means the need to provide detailed evidence from the testimonies of the parties and witnesses, which lengthens the proceedings and increases the costs of legal services.. The situation is similar in cases where the parties are able to independently agree on basic issues regarding children, without the need to involve experts or probation officers, explains the expert.
Separate divorce, separate division of property
It turns out that, contrary to popular belief, in Poland joint property is only exceptionally divided during a divorce case.
– The rule is that property issues are resolved in separate proceedings because their examination in a divorce case cannot cause excessive delay. This means that the costs related to the division of property are generally not included in the costs of the divorce itself, but appear only in a separate case.
Property can also be divided at a notary. The costs here depend mainly on the value of the property being divided and whether there is agreement between the parties regarding the division. The key cost is the so-called notarial fee, the amount of which depends on the value of the property and may range from several hundred to several thousand zlotys. To this should be added 23%. VAT and possible fees for copies of notarial deeds and entries in land and mortgage registers. In practice, with assets worth approximately PLN 500,000 PLN, the cost of a notarial deed is approximately PLN 3.4 thousand. PLN gross. Although the amount is not small, amicable division of property allows you to avoid many months of disputes in court and unforeseen legal costs.
Mediation can pay off
Mediation can also significantly reduce the costs of divorce. This allows you to sort out controversial issues outside the courtroom and often leads to a settlement that can be approved by the court. Thanks to this, the entire procedure takes less time and costs less.
– During mediation, the parties often divide joint property, establish an educational plan for minor children, the amount of alimony, and even refrain from adjudicating guilt – says Elżbieta Damm, president of the “Polish Mediators” Association, to Bankier.pl. – It also happens that mediation leads to the repair of relationships, the transformation of marital relationships into parental ones, and even the abandonment of divorce.
According to Elżbieta Damm, mediation also allows for significant savings during the ongoing process.
– You have to pay a minimum of PLN 2,000 for writing a lawsuit by an attorney and representing it in court. PLN, and a meeting with a mediator and drawing up an agreement costs PLN 450. Sometimes there are additional costs, but they are not too high. Much also depends on the number of meetings. However, the difference is usually large here, says the mediator. – People who want to use mediation and their case is already pending in court can ask the court to appoint a mediator who has experience in family matters. Associations such as ours also maintain lists of mediators along with a description of the types of mediation they specialize in.
What costs must be incurred during a divorce?
The court costs related to divorce that may be necessary include:
- court fee for filing a divorce petition – PLN 600 – however, if both parties agree on a no-fault divorce, the court after issuing the judgment returns half of the fee, i.e. PLN 300,
- fee for division of joint property – from PLN 300 to PLN 1,000 zloty depending on whether the parties agree on the division or whether it is a matter of conflict
- application for eviction of spouse – PLN 200,
- stamp duty for power of attorney – PLN 17.
Legal assistance is not a cheap service
However, the largest costs in most divorces are not court fees, but the lawyer's or legal advisor's fee. There is no one fixed rate here, because lawyers price their services individually. The most common amounts are:
- legal advice – from PLN 200 to PLN 500/h,
- preparation of a lawsuit – from 500 to 1 thousand zloty,
- representation in court (without dispute) – from 3 thousand up to 6 thousand zloty.
- representation in court in a dispute involving a finding of guilt – from 6 thousand up to 15 thousand zloty.
In large cities such as Warsaw, Kraków or Wrocław, salaries may be even higher, especially in complicated cases, alimony negotiations or division of property.
It also happens that opinions of a probation officer or experts, e.g. psychologists or appraisers, are needed. Depending on the type of opinion, they cost from several hundred to several thousand. zloty.
Divorce costs can be reduced
While divorce is never a pleasant experience, you can at least limit its financial costs. This is facilitated by:
- agreement of the parties (no-fault divorce) – the cheapest and fastest solution,
- a carefully prepared lawsuit – proper documentation reduces the risk of formal deficiencies and delays,
- consultations instead of full legal services – if the case is simple, you can limit the lawyer's work time to the most important stages,
- exemption from court costs – possible in case of difficult financial situation after submitting an appropriate application.
Therefore, when planning a divorce, it is worth taking into account not emotional issues, but also financial ones, and at an early stage of the process consider which elements are crucial and which can be resolved amicably to reduce expenses.
