How a joint application works
- 1
One of you starts.
Check eligibility, see the price, create an account and answer the questions (about 15 minutes). Pay the fixed fee and court fee — held in trust until they're due.
- 2
We invite your ex.
They get their own secure login by email/SMS, verify their identity, review the shared details, add their own, and sign. Nobody sees the other person's login. We remind them on days 2, 5 and 9 if they haven't finished.
- 3
A family lawyer checks and drafts.
Eligibility, dates, jurisdiction, and — if you have children under 18 — that the arrangements are described the way the Court needs.
- 4
You each meet the lawyer on a short video call.
Five to ten minutes, booked from your dashboard, separately. You show your ID, confirm the details, and sign electronically on the call. It's how we make sure no one can lodge a divorce in someone else's name — and it's your chance to ask anything.
- 5
We file.
Electronically, with the court fee paid. You both get the hearing date and a dashboard that shows every step.
- 6
The hearing happens without you.
Joint applicants don't attend. The order takes effect one month and one day later, and we send it to both of you.
What's included
- Eligibility check and itemised quote
- Guided online questions for both applicants, with save-and-resume
- Separate secure logins and identity verification for each of you
- Lawyer review, drafting and approval of the Application for Divorce
- A short video call with your lawyer to verify identity, confirm details and sign electronically
- Filing with the Court and payment of the court fee
- The hearing (no attendance required)
- Your divorce order, delivered to both of you, plus a post-divorce checklist and the 12-month property time-limit reminder
Possible extras
Extras - fixed fees, only if your situation needs them
Each of these is a fixed fee including GST, charged only if it applies to you, and only after we have told you in writing which one applies. Anything paid to a third party (registry fee, translator, overseas process server or postage) is charged at cost on top and we tell you the amount first.
| Circumstance | Fixed fee |
|---|---|
| Separated under the same roof for any part of the 12 months | $350 |
| No marriage certificateaffidavit; replacement certificate is a disbursement at cost | $250 |
| Marriage certificate not in Englishtranslator's fee at cost | $150 |
| Further evidence about arrangements for children under 18 | $250 |
| Former spouse outside Australiaoverseas server or postage at cost | $250 |
| Former spouse cannot be foundsubstituted or dispensed service application | $900 |
| Names or details differ between your documents | $250 |
| Further evidence of jurisdiction | $250 |
| Changes after preparationswitching sole/joint, or correcting incomplete or incorrect information | $250 |
| Further round of up to three service attempts | $260 |
| Optional priority draftingdraft within two business days of complete documents, ahead of our standard queue; does not change the filing date or the Court's timetable | $300 |
Any hearing after the first hearing, a contested divorce, or an application to shorten the one month and one day period is quoted in writing and agreed before we start.
A file-storage fee of $150 per year applies only if you ask us to keep your file beyond seven years, agreed in writing first.
A note on who we act for
When two people apply together, we act for both of you on one limited task: preparing and filing the divorce application. We can do that because a joint divorce isn't a dispute — you both want the same outcome. Before you sign, we ask each of you to confirm you understand this, and that if a disagreement arises (for example about dates or children's arrangements) we'll stop acting for one of you and explain your options.
We don't advise either of you about property, money or parenting as part of this service — if you want that, Freemont can help separately, and each of you would need independent advice.
What if my ex is slow — or changes their mind?
It happens. We remind them, and you can see on your dashboard whether they've finished. If they haven't completed their part within 14 days, you can switch to a sole application. The difference in professional fee is $300. Service of the documents on your ex is included in the sole fee — a process server up to three attempts, with a further round of $260 (incl. GST) only if needed and only with your agreement. Nothing you've entered is lost.
Start your joint application
Two minutes to check eligibility, fifteen to answer the questions, and we take it from there.
Questions? 1800 976 214