How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Ohio? County Filing Deposits, Service Fees and Fee Waivers
Ohio family law · Last reviewed October 22, 2026
Ohio has no single statewide divorce filing fee. Each county's court of common pleas sets a deposit for court costs, usually higher when there are children, and the final bill is worked out at the end of the case. As Clermont County's court puts it: "This is a deposit only. Court costs will be calculated at the end of the proceeding."
Filing deposits by county
From each clerk's or court's own published schedule, as of October 22, 2026. Check your county's current schedule before filing; several of these are undated or old.
| County | Divorce, no children | Divorce, with children | Dissolution, no children | Dissolution, with children | Counterclaim | Schedule date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin (Columbus) | $275 | $275 | $225 | $225 | $43 | Loc.R. 2, amended Oct. 27, 2025 |
| Cuyahoga (Cleveland) | $200 | $300 | $150 | $200 | $200 / $250 | not dated |
| Hamilton (Cincinnati) | $325 | $375 | $325 | $375 | not listed | Jan. 1, 2016 |
| Summit (Akron) | $370 | $420 | $370 | $400 | $50 | not dated |
| Montgomery (Dayton) | $375 | $475 | $300 | $400 | no deposit | not dated |
| Lucas (Toledo) | $300 | $350 | $300 | $325 | $150 | local rules eff. Jan. 1, 2026 |
| Butler | $350 | $350 | $300 | $300 | $350 | Aug. 17, 2026 |
| Stark (Canton) | $291 | $291 | $271 | $271 | $151 | not dated |
| Lorain | $280 | $380 | $280 | $380 | $100 | Nov. 1, 2025 |
| Warren | $300 | $400 | $300 | $400 | not listed | not dated |
| Lake | $306 | $326 | $306 | $326 | $200 | not dated |
| Delaware | $385 | $485 | $355 | $455 | $150 | Jan. 2, 2026 |
| Clermont | $325 | $400 | $300 | $350 | $50 | not dated |
| Mahoning (Youngstown) | $250 | $250 | $250 | $250 | $150 | May 22, 2015 |
A dissolution is one filing for both spouses, so there's one deposit. In a divorce, the deposit is paid by the spouse who files; an answer alone usually carries no fee, but a counterclaim often does, and Montgomery County states that "No deposit will be required when filing an Answer, an Answer and Cross Complaint, or an Answer and Counter Claim."
What the deposit does and doesn't cover
- Service is often extra. Franklin County's schedule is headed "Basic Filings (service process cost not included)" and lists certified mail at $10, ordinary mail at $5, the sheriff at $30, an out-of-county sheriff at $75, and a $475 deposit for service by publication.
- Publication is the costliest service: deposits run from about $91 (Butler) to $550 (Clermont). If you're proceeding with a poverty affidavit, service is made by posting and mail instead.
- Statewide surcharges are part of the costs: the court must collect $32 "as additional filing fees in each new action or proceeding for annulment, divorce, or dissolution of marriage" to fund domestic violence shelters (R.C. 2303.201(D)), $26 on each new civil action for legal aid (R.C. 2303.201(C)), and $5.50 when the decree is filed (R.C. 3705.242(A)(2)). Whether your county's deposit already includes them varies; Franklin's local rule lists the legal aid fee and a parenting seminar fee among the items its deposit covers. Since March 30, 2026, counties whose clerk posts civil dockets online may charge higher computerization and clerk technology fees (up to $6 and $20, from $3 and $10), so deposits may rise.
- The balance is billed at the end. Cuyahoga's clerk: "Note that costs will accrue and be billed at the conclusion of the case."
- Converting a divorce into a dissolution, or a dissolution into a divorce, carries no new court fees by statute (R.C. 3105.08, 3105.65(C)); see dissolution.
Fee waiver: the affidavit of indigency
If you can't afford the deposit, file the Supreme Court's Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit and Order (an affidavit of indigency) with your papers. Under R.C. 2323.311:
- "the clerk of the court shall accept the action or proceeding for filing" while a judge or magistrate reviews it;
- the court must approve it if your gross income is no more than 187.5 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and your monthly expenses equal or exceed your liquid assets;
- the court may approve it for others; and
- approval excuses you from prepaying later fees and costs in the case, unless the court orders otherwise.
A waiver of the deposit isn't always a waiver of every cost. The court can still assess costs in the final decree, and the $32 shelter fee is waived only if all the other advance fees are.
Costs beyond the court
Court costs are the smallest part of most divorces. Others to plan for, depending on your case:
- a parenting class, if your court requires one;
- mediation, a guardian ad litem, or a custody evaluation in disputed custody cases;
- appraisals of a house or business, and preparing retirement-division orders;
- a certified copy of the decree, about $1 per page at most clerks;
- attorney's fees. The court may order one spouse to pay the other's reasonable attorney's fees and litigation expenses if that's equitable, considering their income and assets, any temporary support, and their conduct (R.C. 3105.73).
This page doesn't publish an average cost of divorce: the only figures available come from law-firm marketing and surveys, not official sources.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Ohio?
The filing deposit runs from about $250 to $485 depending on the county and whether you have children: for example $275 in Franklin County, $200 or $300 in Cuyahoga, and $325 or $375 in Hamilton. Service charges are often extra.
Is a dissolution cheaper than a divorce in Ohio?
Often. In most counties the dissolution deposit is the same or lower, there's only one filing for both spouses, and no service charges, because both spouses waive service in the petition.
Can I file for divorce in Ohio for free?
You can file without paying upfront by submitting an affidavit of indigency. The clerk must accept the filing, and the court must approve the waiver if your income is at or below 187.5 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and your expenses equal or exceed your liquid assets.
Does the person who answers a divorce complaint have to pay a fee?
An answer alone usually doesn't. A counterclaim usually requires its own deposit, from nothing in Montgomery County to $350 in Butler County.
Who pays the court costs in an Ohio divorce?
The filer pays the deposit. The decree assigns the final costs, which may be split or charged to one spouse.