Online Divorce NZ: How to File Your Dissolution Digitally

You Cannot Get a Fully Automated Divorce in New Zealand

No website or app can file a dissolution of marriage on your behalf in New Zealand. Every application must go directly through the Family Court — in person, by post, or electronically via the Ministry of Justice's File and Pay portal. Third-party "online divorce" services that exist in the UK or Australia have no equivalent here.

What you can do online is pay the NZ$247 filing fee and upload your completed application documents. That is the full extent of digital filing, and it works well if you know the steps.

How File and Pay Works

The Ministry of Justice runs an online portal where you pay the court filing fee by credit or debit card. After paying, you receive a receipt with a unique reference number. You then have two options for submitting your actual paperwork:

• Upload digitally through the portal alongside your payment
• Print and deliver the documents to your nearest Family Court registry, with the printed File and Pay receipt stapled to the front page as proof of payment

Either way, the court needs your completed application pack and an original or certified copy of your marriage certificate from Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you are not appearing in court, it also needs your sworn affidavit. The decorative certificate signed on your wedding day is not accepted.

Which Application Pack to Download

Before paying anything, download and print the correct pack from the Ministry of Justice website. All packs must be printed single-sided — double-sided documents are rejected by the court's scanning system.

• Pack 1 — sole application (you file alone, your spouse is served later)
• Pack 2 — joint application (both of you agree and sign together)
• Pack 3 — sole application under Ashley's Law (you hold a final protection order)
• Pack 4 — joint application under Ashley's Law (mutual final protection orders)

Most amicable separations use Pack 2. If your spouse will not cooperate, Pack 1 is the path forward.

Documents You Need Before Going Online

Gather these before starting the File and Pay process:

1. Your completed application pack, with the affidavit section completed only if you are not appearing in court
2. An original or certified marriage certificate from the Department of Internal Affairs (not the ceremony keepsake)
3. A certified translation if your certificate is not in English
4. The G7 Information Sheet detailing arrangements for any children under 16

If you are not appearing in court, take the unsigned affidavit and marriage certificate to a Justice of the Peace, court registrar, or solicitor. They witness your signature and certify the certificate copy as "Exhibit A." If you are appearing in court, provide the certificate with the application instead. JPs are free — check current clinic locations and times before attending.

Once the documents required for your chosen option are prepared and any required affidavit is sworn, you are ready to pay and file.

Common Digital Filing Mistakes

The court registry rejects applications for avoidable reasons. The most common with online filing:

• Paying online but forgetting to attach the receipt when delivering physical documents — the registry treats this as unpaid
• Uploading the wrong marriage certificate — the yellow "Copy of Particulars" from your wedding day is not the legal document
• Double-sided printing — even if you scan and upload, the court may ask you to resubmit single-sided originals
• Mismatched dates between your application form and affidavit when an affidavit is required — the signing date and the sworn date must be the same day

What Happens After You File Online

Once the court receives your payment and documents, the process depends on whether you filed jointly or alone.

For a joint application without a court appearance, the registrar reviews your paperwork. If everything is compliant, the dissolution order is made and becomes final one month later. For a sole application, the court issues stamped documents bearing a unique file number. You must then arrange for someone else — a process server or any person over 18 who is not you — to hand-deliver those documents to your spouse.

The digital filing saves you a trip to the courthouse, but the legal requirements are identical to filing in person. There are no shortcuts or expedited processing for online submissions.

When to Consider Getting Help

Self-filed dissolution works well for straightforward separations where the two-year period has passed and both sides have resolved property and children's arrangements. If you have unresolved relationship property, a custody dispute, or your spouse is actively evading service, the filing process itself may be simple but the surrounding legal issues are not.

Our New Zealand Divorce Filing Process Guide walks through every step of the application, from choosing the right pack to filing proof of service, with worksheets that keep your documents consistent and your timeline on track.

See more New Zealand guides →