How Much Does an Annulment Cost?
By The Annulment Lawyers Editorial Team · 2026-07-13
If you are thinking about ending a marriage through annulment rather than divorce, cost is usually one of the first questions. The honest answer is that annulment costs vary widely - from a few hundred dollars for a simple, uncontested case you handle yourself, to several thousand dollars or more when lawyers and disputes are involved. Here is how the numbers typically break down.
Court Filing Fees
Every annulment starts with a petition filed at your local court, and every court charges a filing fee. In many states, the fee for an annulment is the same as the fee for a divorce, since both are handled by the family court. Filing fees commonly fall somewhere in the range of a few hundred dollars, though the exact amount depends on your state and sometimes your county.
If you cannot afford the fee, most courts allow you to apply for a fee waiver. You will typically fill out a financial declaration showing your income and expenses, and a judge or clerk decides whether to reduce or eliminate the fee.
Beyond the initial filing, there may be smaller costs along the way: fees for serving papers on your spouse, copying and certification fees, and in some cases a fee for a final hearing or judgment.
Attorney Fees - The Biggest Variable
Attorney fees are where annulment costs really diverge. There are generally three paths:
- Doing it yourself. If your case is simple and uncontested, you may only pay the filing fee and service costs. Many courts provide standard forms, and self-help centers in some areas offer free guidance.
- Limited or flat-fee help. Some attorneys offer flat-fee packages for uncontested annulments, often covering document preparation and filing. These packages frequently run from several hundred to a few thousand dollars.
- Full representation. If your spouse contests the annulment, or if there are disputes about property, support, or children, attorneys typically bill hourly. Hourly rates for family law attorneys vary by region but commonly range from moderate to several hundred dollars per hour, and a contested case can require many hours of work.
Because an annulment asks the court to declare the marriage invalid, you must prove specific legal grounds - such as fraud, bigamy, or lack of capacity. Gathering that proof can take real attorney time, which is one reason contested annulments sometimes cost more than a straightforward divorce.
Uncontested vs. Contested: A Rough Comparison
An uncontested annulment, where both spouses agree on the facts and neither disputes the grounds, is usually the least expensive route. Total costs often stay in the hundreds to low thousands of dollars, especially with a short marriage and no shared property.
A contested annulment is a different story. If your spouse denies the grounds - for example, disputing that fraud occurred - the case can involve discovery, witness testimony, and a trial. Costs in contested cases commonly reach several thousand dollars and can climb higher in complex situations.
Other factors that push costs up include:
- Difficulty locating or serving your spouse
- Disagreements over property acquired during the marriage
- Questions about children born during the marriage, since courts still address custody and support
- The need for expert testimony, such as medical evidence in cases involving mental capacity
Ways to Keep Costs Down
There are practical steps that often reduce the total price:
- Talk to your spouse first. If both of you agree the marriage should be annulled and on the basic facts, the case becomes far simpler.
- Use court self-help resources. Many family courts publish annulment forms and instructions, and some offer free clinics.
- Ask about flat fees. For simple cases, a flat-fee arrangement gives you cost certainty.
- Apply for a fee waiver if your income qualifies.
- Stay organized. Providing your attorney with documents up front - the marriage certificate, relevant records, and a clear timeline - reduces billable time.
Civil Annulment vs. Religious Annulment Costs
It is worth remembering that a civil annulment and a religious annulment are entirely separate. The costs described here apply to the court process that legally ends the marriage. A religious annulment, such as a declaration of nullity through a Catholic tribunal, has its own procedures and its own fees, and one does not substitute for the other. If you need both, budget for them separately.
The Bottom Line
For a simple, agreed-upon annulment of a short marriage, expect costs roughly comparable to a simple divorce - mainly the filing fee, plus modest attorney fees if you want help. For a contested annulment, plan for significantly more, since proving legal grounds against an unwilling spouse takes time and evidence. Before committing, many people find it useful to get a consultation, often low-cost or free, to learn whether they even qualify for an annulment in their state - because if the grounds are weak, a divorce may end up being both the cheaper and the more reliable option.