If you live in London and are ending your marriage, you file at the Family Court Branch of the Superior Court of Justice at 80 Dundas Street, the courthouse serving all of Middlesex County. London is one of Ontario's 17 Unified Family Court sites, meaning a single court handles divorce, equalization of net family property, support, and parenting arrangements. Provincial court fees total $669, payable in two installments, plus a $10 federal fee. You must have lived in Ontario for at least one year before filing, and you must be separated for one year before a judge grants the divorce.
London Divorce Key Facts (2026)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Filing court | Superior Court of Justice, Family Court Branch (Unified Family Court) |
| Court address | 80 Dundas St., London, ON N6A 6A3 (public entrance on Queens Avenue) |
| Court fee | $669 provincial ($224 + $445) + $10 federal = $679 minimum |
| Residency requirement | One spouse ordinarily resident in Ontario 12 months before filing (Divorce Act s. 3(1)) |
| Waiting period | One year separation before a divorce order is granted (Divorce Act s. 8) |
| Property model | Equalization of net family property (not community property) |
How do I file for divorce in London, Ontario?
To file for divorce in London, you submit Form 8A: Application (Divorce) to the Family Court Branch at 80 Dundas Street, then pay the first $224 court fee. Most London filings now go through the Ministry of the Attorney General's online portal rather than the counter. After one year of separation, you file the Affidavit for Divorce and pay the second $445 installment.
London residents have two filing paths. Self-represented people are encouraged to use the Justice Services Online portal (the portal for matters outside Toronto since October 14, 2025), though you may still file by email or at the second-floor counter. A simple, uncontested divorce uses Form 8A. A divorce combined with claims for support, property, or parenting arrangements uses Form 8: Application (General). Ontario's sole ground for divorce is breakdown of the marriage, proven by one year of separation under Divorce Act § 8. You can begin the separation clock while still living under the same roof at your London home if you stop functioning as a couple, sleep in separate rooms, and separate your finances.
Where do I file for divorce in London? (which courthouse)
You file at the Superior Court of Justice, Family Court Branch, located at 80 Dundas Street, London, ON N6A 6A3. The street address is on Dundas, but the only public entrance is on Queens Avenue on the north side of the building. Family courtrooms and duty counsel services sit on the second floor.
The 80 Dundas courthouse is the single Middlesex County location handling family law, civil, and criminal matters. As a Unified Family Court, it hears every part of your divorce in one place: the divorce itself, equalization, spousal and child support, and parenting orders. Counter hours run 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The courthouse main phone is 519-660-3000. Parking is available off Queens Avenue between Talbot and Ridout, with metered street parking limited to two hours, so the lot behind the courthouse suits longer appearances. Note that the separate Provincial Offences Court at 824 Dundas Street does not handle divorce; do not file family documents there.
How much does a divorce lawyer cost in London?
A London divorce lawyer typically charges $300 to $550 per hour, with uncontested divorces often handled for a flat fee of roughly $1,500 to $3,500 plus the $679 in court fees. Contested matters involving disputed equalization or parenting arrangements commonly run $7,500 to $25,000 or more, depending on how many issues reach a motion or trial.
Cost in London tracks complexity, not the courthouse. An uncontested divorce where both spouses agree on everything is the cheapest path, and many London firms offer a fixed fee for the paperwork alone. The variables that drive cost up are contested equalization of net family property, support disputes, and parenting arrangements that require negotiation, mediation, or a court motion. You can estimate your own range before any consultation using our divorce cost estimator and alimony estimator. If money is tight, the Middlesex Law Association and Legal Aid Ontario provide referral and duty counsel support, and a fee waiver covers the $669 provincial filing fee for people receiving Ontario Works or ODSP, though the $10 federal Central Registry fee can never be waived.
How long does a divorce take in London?
An uncontested London divorce typically takes four to six months to finalize after you file, because Ontario requires one full year of separation before a judge signs the divorce order. The one-year separation clock can run before you file, so couples already separated a year often complete the process in a few months once paperwork is submitted to the 80 Dundas courthouse.
Timing depends on the separation date and whether the divorce is contested. Under Divorce Act § 8, the judge will not grant the order until you have been separated for 12 months, but you may file the application at any point during that year. Adultery or cruelty grounds under the same section skip the separation wait but are far less common and harder to prove. Contested cases involving disputed property or parenting arrangements can take one to three years if they proceed through case conferences, motions, and trial. Our divorce timeline guide walks through each stage.
What are the residency requirements to file in Middlesex County?
To file in London, at least one spouse must have ordinarily resided in Ontario for the 12 consecutive months immediately before the application is filed, under Divorce Act § 3(1). Only one spouse needs to meet this rule, and temporary absences for vacation or work do not break the residency count if you intend to return.
"Ordinarily resident" means regular, habitual living in Ontario, not a temporary stay. You do not need to wait a year after moving to London to file, but the qualifying spouse must already have completed 12 months of Ontario residence before the application date. This is a separate requirement from the one-year separation needed before a divorce is granted. Property division for London couples follows Ontario's equalization regime under the Family Law Act § 5: each spouse calculates net family property at the marriage date and the valuation date (usually separation), and the spouse with the larger increase pays half the difference to the other. The matrimonial home gets special treatment, since its full value is shared even if one spouse owned it before marriage. Common-law partners are excluded from equalization regardless of relationship length.
A note from a verified attorney
I am Antonio G. Jimenez, a licensed Florida attorney (Florida Bar No. 21022). Divorce.law provides legal information and connects you with verified Ontario family lawyers; we are not your law firm and this overview is not legal advice. Ontario divorce involves federal law (the Divorce Act) and provincial law (the Family Law Act), and details like valuation dates and the treatment of the matrimonial home turn on your specific facts. Speak with a licensed London divorce lawyer before filing.