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Maine court costs guide
Filing for divorce in Maine costs $120 in court filing fees. This guide covers the verified filing fees for divorce, name change, general civil cases, and probate in Maine — every figure from the official schedule or statute named at the foot of the page.
| Maine at a glance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Court | District Court · Probate Court (name change) |
| Divorce filing fee | $120 — entry of a Family Matter action including a Complaint for Divorce (Administrative Order JB-05-26, effective March 9, 2026). Add $5 for a Family Matter summons. |
| Name change filing fee | $75 under 18-C M.R.S. §1-701(4), filed in the county Probate Court (or District Court in specified circumstances). |
| Name-change publication | Not required — Not required — §1-701(2) says expressly: 'The court may not require public notice before approving the name change.' For minors, notice to parents/guardians applies under §1-701(2-A). |
| General civil filing fee | $175 for a general civil / real estate action in Superior or District Court (including the $25 CMS amount). Small claims are $70 and forcible entry and detainer (eviction) $100 on the same order. |
Divorce filing fees
$120 — entry of a Family Matter action including a Complaint for Divorce (Administrative Order JB-05-26, effective March 9, 2026). Add $5 for a Family Matter summons.
See the national picture — including the states where the fee is set county by county — in our divorce filing cost guide.
Name change: fee and publication
$75 under 18-C M.R.S. §1-701(4), filed in the county Probate Court (or District Court in specified circumstances).
Publication: Not required — §1-701(2) says expressly: 'The court may not require public notice before approving the name change.' For minors, notice to parents/guardians applies under §1-701(2-A).
Publication is the step readers most often get wrong, because the rule changed recently in several states. The full state-by-state picture is in our name change cost guide.
General civil filing fees
$175 for a general civil / real estate action in Superior or District Court (including the $25 CMS amount). Small claims are $70 and forcible entry and detainer (eviction) $100 on the same order.
Probate court costs
No probate filing figure for Maine appears on the official schedules we read — in many states probate fees are set at county level (a register of wills or probate court fee schedule) rather than statewide. Confirm the current fee with the probate court where the estate will be filed. Our probate cost guide explains the cost layers every estate pays.
How filing works in Maine
- Prepare the petition or complaint for the District Court — most Maine courts publish the forms on their self-help pages.
- File with the clerk and pay the filing fee above. Keep the stamped copy; it is your proof of filing.
- Arrange service of process on the other party where the case requires it (divorce and general civil cases do; a name change usually does not).
- Complete any publication the rules require — for a Maine name change: not required.
- Attend the hearing or, in uncontested matters, submit the proposed decree for the judge's signature.
Worked total: what a divorce filing costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | $120 |
| Service of process (typical private process server) | $50–$100 |
| Estimated total to file | $170–$220 |
Filing fee plus service for one respondent, before any mediation, parenting-class, or copy charges described in the guides. Run your own combination in the cost calculator.
Sources: Maine Judicial Branch — Fee Schedule, Admin. Order JB-05-26 · 18-C M.R.S. §1-701 — Maine Legislature. Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court clerk.
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