Yukon Divorce Filing Fee and Cost Breakdown

The base court filing fee for a divorce in the Yukon is CA$140, paid to the Territorial Treasurer at the Supreme Court Registry in Whitehorse. But the total out-of-pocket cost depends on whether your case is uncontested or contested, whether you have children, and how you handle service of process.

Here is what every fee actually covers.

Court and Government Fees

For a standard uncontested divorce, the mandatory government fees total CA$165 — the $140 commencement fee, $10 CRDP registration, and $15 for the Certificate of Divorce. If you use the Sheriff's Office for service instead of a private process server, the baseline is CA$215.

Third-Party Costs

Beyond court fees, you will likely encounter costs from service providers who are not part of the court system.

Process servers: Private process servers in the Yukon charge between CA$75 and CA$200 per service attempt, depending on the location and difficulty of finding the respondent. The Sheriff's Office is the most affordable option at $50 but may take longer.

Notary or Commissioner for Oaths: Several documents in a divorce filing require sworn affidavits. Notary fees typically run CA$25 to $75 per document. Some community organizations and the RCMP offer Commissioner for Oaths services at lower rates.

Photocopies: The court registry charges $0.50 per page for copies. Since you need to submit the original plus three copies of every document, the photocopying cost can add up for larger filings.

How Costs Escalate for Contested Cases

If your divorce becomes contested — meaning your spouse files a Statement of Defence and disputes the terms — costs rise quickly. Filing the defence costs $25, but scheduling a trial adds a $140 Notice of Trial fee plus $75 hearing fees per half-day. More significantly, most people who face a contested divorce end up retaining a lawyer.

Uncontested lawyer packages in Whitehorse range from CA$1,300 to CA$2,100 depending on whether children are involved. If the case goes to trial with hourly billing, total legal fees can reach CA$10,000 to CA$50,000.

National document preparation services like Untie the Knot offer packages starting at CA$499 for document preparation alone, or CA$899 for full filing management.

Fee Waiver: Applying for Indigency Status

Unlike some Canadian provinces, the Yukon does not have a simple fee-waiver form you can pick up at the counter. Instead, you must make a formal application for Indigency Status under the Supreme Court Rules of Court.

The application requires three documents:

1. Form 3 — Requisition for Order, citing Appendix C, Schedule 1, Item S1
2. Form 59 — Affidavit with a detailed statement of your assets, liabilities, income, and expenses, plus a copy of the unsigned document you intend to file
3. Form 54 — Order Without Notice, a draft order stating no fees shall be payable

If a judge approves your application, the court waives registry filing fees for your case. However, indigency status only covers court fees — it does not waive third-party costs like process servers, notaries, or property appraisers.

Keeping Costs Down

The most effective way to minimize your divorce costs is to keep the process uncontested. Agree on the key terms — property division, support, and parenting arrangements — before you file. The Yukon Family Mediation Service provides free government-funded mediation to help separating couples reach agreement on parenting and support issues.

The Yukon Divorce Filing Process Guide includes a budget worksheet to track every fee and disbursement from filing through to the Certificate of Divorce.

See more Yukon guides →