If you and your spouse wish to separate or divorce, you must fill in and send an application form to the Agency of Family Law (Familieretshuset).
You must apply online for separation or divorce. If you are unable to do this online yourself, you can get help from your municipality’s Citizen Service (remember to book an appointment in advance) or the Agency of Family Law.
You can choose to attend a meeting at the Agency of Family Law to negotiate the terms of the separation or divorce, where a case officer will explain to you what it means to become separated or divorced.
If you agree that one of you should pay spousal maintenance (spousal support) to the other and – if you live in rented accommodation – which one of you should continue to live in the property, you can become divorced or separated by attending the meeting to negotiate the terms. If you are unable to reach agreement, the Agency of Family Law will reach a decision concerning the issues which you disagree on.
This will require more case administration and it will therefore take longer for you to divorce or separate.
If you are able to reach agreement concerning this yourselves, you will not need to attend the negotiation of terms.
You can divorce without being separated first if you both agree to divorce. If you do not agree, you will normally have to be separated for 6 months before you can divorce. It costs DKK 825 (2024) to have an application for separation or divorce processed. If you decide to have a meeting to negotiate the terms for the separation or divorce, an additional fee of DKK 2,150 will be payable (2024).
The same rules apply to separation and divorce in a registered partnership as for marriages.