How to file a matrimonial application for divorce (normal track)

Note

Before you file

Before you file your matrimonial application for divorce, make sure you understand:

If you are filing the matrimonial application for divorce, you are the applicant or plaintiff.

Your spouse is the respondent or defendant.

Note

Key facts

Refer to the following on how you can file and serve your divorce papers.

Eligibility to file	Depending on the facts you are relying on to show your marriage has irretrievably broken down.
When to serve	As soon as possible after the court has accepted your filing.
How to file	Through eLitigation.

How to file and serve

Refer to the following for the steps to file and serve your divorce papers.

Step	Result
1. File your matrimonial application for divorce	The court will accept or reject your filing.
2. Collect the approved documents	You will receive a copy of the sealed documents via eLitigation.
3. Serve matrimonial application for divorce on the respondent/defendant	The respondent/defendant is notified that you have started divorce proceedings.

You may choose to file the matrimonial application for divorce personally or through a lawyer. If you have a lawyer, the matrimonial application for divorce will be filed by your lawyer.

If you are representing yourself, you must file the matrimonial application for divorce through eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau. You must follow Part 2 of the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024 and the Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 to prepare your divorce papers.

If you have filed your application before 15 October 2024, you must follow Part 5 of Division 2 of the Family Justice Rules 2014 and the Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 to prepare your divorce papers.

Your matrimonial application for divorce will then be submitted to the Family Courts for review.

The LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau will notify you via email or SMS of the outcome of your filing. If the court accepts the filing of your matrimonial application for divorce, they will contain the respective court's seal and registrar's signature.

A divorce case number will also be assigned to your application.

You will have to collect the successfully filed matrimonial application for divorce for service on the respondent from the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.

You must serve the sealed matrimonial application for divorce on the respondent as soon as possible after the court accepts the filing of your matrimonial application.

This is to alert the respondent/defendant that you have started the divorce proceedings in court.

How you can serve

You can serve your matrimonial application for divorce on the respondent/defendant through one of the following ways:

Service method	What it is
Personal service	Hard copies of the matrimonial application for divorce will be handed directly to the respondent by someone authorised to do so such as: A lawyer or a lawyer’s clerk whose name and particulars have been notified to the court to serve the matrimonial application for divorce. (If you are self-represented) You. (If you have special reasons) A court process server. The documents are served in any manner agreed between the parties.
Consider personally served	Personal service is assumed to have taken place in any of these scenarios: if the respondent’s lawyer accepts service on behalf of the respondent if the respondent files a court document in response to the matrimonial application for divorce, e.g. notice to contest, reply or a reply affidavit, acknowledgment of service if the applicant files an affidavit of service exhibiting any document purporting to indicate that the respondent has received the matrimonial application for divorce despite not being personally served; and the court is satisfied that the document exhibited in the affidavit of service indicates that the respondent has received the matrimonial application for divorce.
Registered post (Only applicable to filings commenced before 15 October 2024)	Sending hard copies of the documents in an envelope to either of the following: The defendant's last known residential address. (If a lawyer represents the defendant) The lawyer's registered address. The court accepts this form of service only if the defendant or their lawyer signs and returns the Acknowledgment of Service Form to you.

Service method

What it is

Personal service

Hard copies of the matrimonial application for divorce will be handed directly to the respondent by someone authorised to do so such as:
- A lawyer or a lawyer’s clerk whose name and particulars have been notified to the court to serve the matrimonial application for divorce.
- (If you are self-represented) You.
- (If you have special reasons) A court process server.
The documents are served in any manner agreed between the parties.

Consider personally served

Personal service is assumed to have taken place in any of these scenarios:

if the respondent’s lawyer accepts service on behalf of the respondent
if the respondent files a court document in response to the matrimonial application for divorce, e.g. notice to contest, reply or a reply affidavit, acknowledgment of service
if the applicant files an affidavit of service exhibiting any document purporting to indicate that the respondent has received the matrimonial application for divorce despite not being personally served; and the court is satisfied that the document exhibited in the affidavit of service indicates that the respondent has received the matrimonial application for divorce.

Registered post

(Only applicable to filings commenced before 15 October 2024)

Sending hard copies of the documents in an envelope to either of the following:

The defendant's last known residential address.
(If a lawyer represents the defendant) The lawyer's registered address.

The court accepts this form of service only if the defendant or their lawyer signs and returns the Acknowledgment of Service Form to you.

If you are unable to find the respondent or if it is impractical to serve the matrimonial application for divorce personally, you will have to file a summons supported by an affidavit (Form 79, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 (DOCX, 98 KB)) to ask for permission from the court to serve the copies by other modes or to dispense (forgo) with the service.

If you have filed your application before 15 October 2024, you must use Form 171, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015.

If the respondent is located outside of Singapore (out of jurisdiction), refer to How to serve court documents to find out the process of serving documents out of jurisdiction.

After you file

The respondent/defendant may file the following documents after you have served the matrimonial application for divorce on them.

If the respondent wishes to remain married to the applicant, they will defend the divorce by filing:

The Notice to Contest (Form 4, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 (DOCX, 55KB)) within 14 days.
- The respondent’s notice to contest will indicate:
  - any objection to the facts or grounds of the application
  - any objection to the claims for ancillary relief
  - any claim(s) for ancillary relief
  - any cross-application
  - any challenge to the jurisdiction of the court

A reply (Form 5, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 (DOCX, 117 KB)) and/or (or a cross-application) (Form 2A, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 (DOCX, 134 KB)) within 28 days after being served with the matrimonial application for divorce.
- If the respondent intends to file a cross-application, they will have to attend the Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme (CPP) at the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) if there are any children under 21 years of age.
  - Refer to infographic (PDF, 28 KB) for more information on the requirements of the CPP.

The court will give further directions on the divorce proceedings after the parties have filed their further documents, e.g. reply or reply to cross-application, as the case may be.

If the respondent agrees only to the divorce but not the ancillary matters, parties may proceed on the uncontested track.

Find out what you (the applicant) must prepare for a divorce on an uncontested basis here.

For applications filed before 15 October 2024

If the defendant does not agree to the divorce and the ancillary matters, they will file the following:

The Memorandum of Appearance (MOA) (Defendant) Form (Form 18, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 20 KB)) within 8 days (if the defendant is located in Singapore) or within 21 days (if the defendant is located outside of Singapore).
A defence (or a defence and counterclaim) within 14 days of filing the MOA.
- If the defendant intends to file a counterclaim, they will have to attend the Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme (CPP) at the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) if there are any children under 21 years of age.
- You have 14 days to file your reply (or reply and defence to counterclaim) if you wish to do so.
- If you file a reply and defence to counterclaim, the defendant has 14 days to file a reply.
The Defendant's Proposed Parenting Plan Form (Form 24, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 41 KB)) within 14 days of filing the MOA.
- If the defendant agrees with your proposed parenting plan, you will receive the Defendant's Agreement (Parenting Plan) Form (Form 23, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 38 KB)) instead.
(If you own a Housing & Development Board (HDB) flat with the defendant) The Defendant's Proposed (Matrimonial Property Plan) Form (Form 26, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 39 KB)) and the Particulars of Housing Arrangement Form (Form 13, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 75KB)) within 14 days of filing the MOA.
- If the defendant agrees with your proposed matrimonial property plan, you will receive the Defendant's Agreement (Matrimonial Property Plan) Form (Form 25, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 38KB)) and theParticulars of Housing Arrangement Form (Form 13, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 75KB)) instead.

You will then have to inform the court that you are ready for your divorce case to be heard (setting down).

If the defendant agrees to the divorce but not the ancillary matters, they will file the following:

The Memorandum of Appearance (MOA) (Defendant) Form (Form 18, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 20 KB)) within 8 days (if the defendant is located in Singapore) or within 21 days (if the defendant is located outside of Singapore).
- Their MOA will indicate an agreement to the divorce and for the court to decide on the ancillary matters.
The Defendant's Proposed Parenting Plan Form (Form 24, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 41 KB)) within 14 days of filing the MOA.
- If the defendant agrees with your proposed parenting plan, you will receive the Defendant's Agreement (Parenting Plan) Form (Form 23, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 38 KB)) instead.
(If you own a Housing & Development Board (HDB) flat with the defendant) The Defendant's Proposed (Matrimonial Property Plan) Form (Form 26, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 39 KB)) and the Particulars of Housing Arrangement Form (Form 13, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 75KB)) within 14 days of filing the MOA.
- If the defendant agrees with your proposed matrimonial property plan, you will receive the Defendant's Agreement (Matrimonial Property Plan) Form (Form 25, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 38KB)) and the Particulars of Housing Arrangement Form (Form 13, Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 (DOCX, 75KB)) instead.

You will then have to inform the court that you are ready for your divorce case to be heard by filing a request for a hearing. This is known as setting down.

Need help?

The information here is for general guidance as the courts do not provide legal advice. If you need further help, you may want to get independent legal advice.

Find out more

Resources

For filings commenced on or after 15 October 2024, refer to:

Divorce in Singapore: the essentials (PDF, 519 KB).
Divorce in Singapore: processes in a glance (PDF, 442 KB).
Specimen Government Medical Certificate (DOCX, 18 KB) for absence from court attendance.

Legislation associated with this topic includes:

Part 10 of the Women's Charter.
Family Justice Act.
For filings commenced on or after 15 October 2024: Part 2 of the Family Justice (General) Rules 2024.
For filings commenced before 15 October 2014: Part 5 of Division 2 of the Family Justice Rules 2014.

For filings commenced on or after 15 October 2024, refer to:
- Part 2 of the Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 for proceedings for the dissolution of marriage under Part 10 of the Women's Charter.
For filings commenced before 15 October 2024, refer to:
- Paragraph 16 of the Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2015 for Agreed Matrimonial Property Plan and Proposed Matrimonial Property Plan.

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