New Hampshire DIY Divorce: Forms & Mediation

New Hampshire lets any spouse represent themselves in a divorce, and the Circuit Court — Family Division publishes every form you need free of charge. There is no statewide online guided-interview tool for self-represented filers and most divorce paperwork is still filed on paper—but the fastest, cheapest DIY route is the Joint Petition for Divorce, which lets both spouses file together, skip formal service, and often avoid a live hearing entirely. For a complete overview of New Hampshire's requirements, see our New Hampshire divorce filing checklist. Here is what you need to handle your New Hampshire DIY divorce on your own.

Where to Get Free Self-Help Forms

Every form you need lives on the Judicial Branch's Divorce/Parenting self-help page, which links directly to the fillable PDFs and explains what each one is for. Core forms most DIY filers need include:

• Joint Petition for Divorce (NHJB-2058-F) if you and your spouse agree to file together
• Petition for Divorce (NHJB-2057-F) if you are filing alone and your spouse will be served
• Financial Affidavit (NHJB-2065-F), filed by each party and updated as required
• Parenting Plan (NHJB-2064-F), required whenever there are minor children
• Final Decree on Divorce or Legal Separation (NHJB-2071-F), the document the judge signs to end your marriage

Your divorce cannot be finalized without also filing the Vital Statistics form (VS-14A), so keep it with your closing packet from the start.

Filing Fees and How to File

New Hampshire's Family Division entry fee is built from a base fee plus small add-ons, set by Family Division Rule 1.3:

• $225 base entry fee for marital matters and parenting petitions
• $2 additional fee when parental rights and responsibilities are at issue
• $10 for the Vital Statistics divorce certificate (VSR)

That totals $235 without minor children and $237 with them. Most New Hampshire divorce filings are still submitted on paper at the Family Division location serving your town, though some non-contested events may be conducted remotely at a judge's discretion. Filing fees and any electronic-filing options are updated periodically, so confirm the current total at the Family Division's page or your local clerk's office before you file. If you cannot afford the fee, you can ask the court to waive it for good cause.

Mediation and the Child Impact Program

If you have minor children, New Hampshire ordinarily orders mediation unless a safety exception applies, and both parents must complete the four-hour Child Impact Program within 45 days of service, at a cost of $85 per parent (waiver or reduction may be available). Court-connected mediation itself runs $450 per case for up to four hours plus one administrative hour, typically split $225 per party, with additional hours billed on a sliding income scale. Where there is a domestic-violence protective order, mediation is restricted or excused entirely, and any sessions that do proceed happen at the courthouse.

The Joint Petition: New Hampshire's Fastest DIY Path

When both spouses already agree on how to split property and handle the children, the Joint Petition is the quickest, lowest-friction route through New Hampshire's Family Division:

1. File the Joint Petition for Divorce (NHJB-2058-F) together with a Personal Data Sheet and each spouse's Financial Affidavit, and pay the entry fee.
2. Skip formal service entirely, since a joint filing means there is no respondent to serve.
3. Attend the First Appearance, required within 30 days of filing if you have minor children, and complete the Child Impact Program and any ordered mediation.
4. Submit your signed Final Decree, Parenting Plan (if applicable), and VS-14A once everything is agreed and complete.
5. The judge reviews and approves the decree, often without a live hearing when the paperwork is complete and both parties agree. Many uncontested filings finalize in roughly 8–12 weeks.

For a closer look at how a contested case differs from an agreed-upon one, see our New Hampshire uncontested vs. contested divorce guide, and for a stage-by-stage breakdown of timing, see our New Hampshire divorce timeline guide.

When to Consider Hiring an Attorney

DIY divorce works best in New Hampshire when both spouses cooperate, property is straightforward, and parenting time is not contested. Consider hiring a family law attorney if your case involves:

• A business interest, real estate, or retirement accounts needing a qualified domestic relations order
• Contested custody or parenting-time disputes
• Domestic violence or safety concerns
• Concealed assets or disputes over separate property

Many New Hampshire attorneys offer limited-scope help— reviewing your Joint Petition packet or coaching you before filing—for a flat fee, which costs far less than full representation while still catching costly mistakes.