Call our Alabama Uncontested Divorce Attorneys today at (205) 201-1789
The Harris Firm LLC files uncontested divorces in all 67 Alabama counties and advances the court’s filing fee in every case, with the client reimbursing before submission. Phone consultations for uncontested divorce are free; in-person consultations are $100.
In short: Beyond the flat attorney fee, an Alabama uncontested divorce pays one mandatory cost, the county filing fee, which runs roughly $200 to $340. Jefferson is about $215, Montgomery about $205, Shelby about $295, and Madison about $340. A minority of cases pay a parenting class fee, a deed recording fee, or a few dollars for extra certified copies.
How the fee is built: Each Circuit Clerk charges the base statutory fee plus county-specific surcharges plus an electronic filing convenience charge of roughly $10 to $15. The surcharges are why Madison County costs more than Montgomery County for the identical case.
The Alabama framework: Filing fees are set by the Alabama Legislature and the Administrative Office of Courts, with local surcharges authorized by county-specific acts. They change when the AOC adjusts them, so every figure on this page is approximate and confirmed for your county at the free consultation.
The biggest mistake: Budgeting the attorney fee and forgetting the clerk. Couples who add $690 or $890 to the filing fee before they call are the ones who are never surprised. Couples who assume “flat fee” means “only fee” are surprised by about $200 to $340.
The Cost Section and Where to Go Next
What the Circuit Clerk Charges to File Your Divorce
The filing fee is a one-time case fee paid to the Circuit Clerk of the county where the divorce is filed. It is the same whether the case has children or not, and the same whether it is filed by a law firm or by the parties themselves. Here are the four counties where we file most often, with links to the detailed pages for each.
| County | Approximate filing fee | Where it is filed | Detail page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | ~$215 | Domestic Relations, Birmingham or Bessemer division by residence | Jefferson County |
| Shelby | ~$295 | Shelby County Courthouse, Columbiana | Shelby County |
| Madison | ~$340 | Madison County Courthouse, Huntsville | Madison County |
| Montgomery | ~$205 | Montgomery County Courthouse | Montgomery County |
| All other counties | ~$200 to ~$340 | The Circuit Court of the county where either spouse lives | 67-county table |
These figures include the electronic filing convenience charge, since virtually every Alabama uncontested divorce is now e-filed. The AOC adjusts fees periodically, so we confirm the current number for your county when you call.
How the Filing Fee Is Handled in Practice
We advance the filing fee to the clerk when the case is filed and the client reimburses us before the case is submitted to the court. You never have to figure out the clerk’s payment system or stand in a line at the courthouse.
Which spouse ultimately bears the cost is between the two of you. Many couples split it, many assign it to the spouse who initiated the divorce, and the Marital Settlement Agreement can say so in a sentence. The court does not care who pays as long as the clerk is paid.
The filing fee is paid once, at filing. Nothing further is owed to the court when the judge signs the decree.
The Lee County Courthouse in Opelika. At about $310, Lee County’s filing fee is among the higher fees in the state, driven by local surcharges rather than anything about the case.
Other Costs the Court or Third Parties May Charge
Most uncontested divorces pay the filing fee and nothing else. The items below apply only when your facts call for them, and none of them is paid to our firm.
Parenting class
Roughly seven to ten Alabama counties require divorcing parents of minor children to complete a parenting class; several more leave it to the judge. Fees vary by provider and are paid directly to the provider. We tell you at the consultation whether your county is on the list.
Extra certified copies
One certified copy of the decree comes with our flat fee. Banks, the Social Security office, the DMV, and plan administrators often want their own certified copy. Expect roughly $5 to $10 each at the clerk’s office.
Deed recording fee
If a quit claim deed transfers the house, the county probate office charges a recording fee, typically under $50. Our $750 deed fee covers drafting and notarization; the recording fee is the county’s.
Notary fees
Both spouses sign before a notary. Many banks notarize for free for customers; shipping stores and mobile notaries charge a small fee per signature.
Process server
Not needed in an uncontested case, because your spouse signs a waiver of service. If the case turns contested and formal service is required, out-of-state service runs about $50 to $150.
Hearing appearance
A few judges, most often in Madison County, set brief hearings in cases with minor children. If your judge does, an attorney appearance fee applies. We tell you the likelihood up front.
Adding It All Up
For the typical couple, the arithmetic is two numbers: the flat attorney fee and the county filing fee. A Jefferson County couple without children pays $690 plus about $215, or roughly $905 total. A Madison County couple with children pays $890 plus about $340, or roughly $1,230. Those are complete figures, not starting points.
Add a quit claim deed and the total rises by $750 plus a small recording fee. Add a QDRO and it rises by the quoted amount for that plan. Add a required parenting class and it rises by whatever the provider charges. That is the entire universe of costs in an Alabama uncontested divorce, and the cost and flat fees hub shows the totals side by side.
When Each Cost Comes Due
The court and third-party costs, placed on the timeline of a standard case.
At Retention: Nothing to the Court
The flat attorney fee is paid to us. No court cost is due yet, and no court cost is due at the consultation.
At Signing: Notary Fees, if Any
Each spouse signs before a notary. A bank customer usually pays nothing; a shipping store or mobile notary charges a few dollars.
At Filing: The Filing Fee
We advance the county filing fee to the Circuit Clerk. You reimburse it before the case is submitted. This is the one mandatory court cost.
During the Waiting Period: Parenting Class, if Required
In counties that require it, parents complete the class before the decree can be entered and file the certificate. Fee paid to the provider.
At the Decree: Extra Copies, if Wanted
Your first certified copy is in the flat fee. Additional copies are a few dollars each from the clerk.
After the Decree: Recording, if a Deed
If real estate changes hands by quit claim deed, the county probate office charges a recording fee, typically under $50, when the deed is recorded.
Court Costs FAQs
1.How much is the filing fee for an uncontested divorce in Alabama?
It depends on the county, because each Circuit Clerk adds local surcharges to the base statutory fee. Fees run roughly $200 to $340. Jefferson County is about $215, Montgomery about $205, Shelby about $295, and Madison about $340, all including the electronic filing charge.
2.Is the filing fee different if we have children?
No. The county filing fee is a single case fee and is the same with or without minor children. Only our attorney fee changes between tiers, from $690 to $890, to cover the parenting plan and child support forms.
3.Do I pay the filing fee to you or to the court?
The fee belongs to the Circuit Clerk. We advance it when we file your case so you never have to deal with the clerk’s payment process, and you reimburse us before the case is submitted to the court.
4.Why is Madison County’s filing fee so much higher than Montgomery’s?
Every Circuit Clerk charges the same base statutory fee, but each county adds its own local surcharges authorized by county-specific legislation. Madison County’s surcharges are among the highest in Alabama, which puts its fee near $340, while Montgomery County’s lighter surcharges keep it near $205. The case itself is identical.
5.Are there any court costs after the decree is signed?
No court cost is due when the judge signs. The only later charges are optional: extra certified copies of the decree at a few dollars each, and a county recording fee, typically under $50, if a quit claim deed transfers real estate.
6.Does my county require a parenting class, and what does it cost?
Roughly seven to ten Alabama counties require a parenting class for divorcing parents of minor children, and several more leave it to the judge. The fee is set by the class provider and paid directly to them. We tell you at the free consultation whether your county requires one.
Four Offices, Every Alabama County
Get the Exact Court Costs for Your County
One free phone call and we confirm your county’s current filing fee, whether a parenting class applies, and your complete total. Nothing on this page is a surprise after that call.
The Flat Fee Covers
✓ Free consultation that confirms your county’s current filing fee
✓ All drafting and both spouses’ signing coordination
✓ Advancing the filing fee and handling the clerk
✓ Certified copy of the Final Decree
$690 plus filing fee without minor children · $890 plus filing fee with minor children
Call the Office Nearest You
Birmingham: (205) 201-1789
Chelsea: (205) 677-5490
Huntsville: (256) 665-9473
Montgomery: (334) 782-9938
For what our own fee includes, see what the flat fee covers.
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