An application for divorce can be submitted in the e-Population Register if:

• the data of the marriage to be dissolved is in the population register;
• both spouses live in Estonia according to the population register;
• both spouses have an active legal capacity.

The spouse, who is the first to fill out the application for divorce in the e-population register, indicates the desired time of divorce agreed in advance with the other spouse and the local government of the county center and chooses their own post-divorce surname if they have the right to restore their former name with the divorce.

After the application is approved, it will be forwarded to the other spouse for consent. They can choose their own post-divorce surname in case they have the right to restore their former name after divorce. The consent giver pays the state fee.

The spouses' joint application for divorce is then forwarded to the local government of the county center. After the vital statistics officer has reviewed the application, confirmation is sent to the spouses about the suitability of the time of divorce specified in the application, or the officer contacts the spouses to agree on the necessary changes.

A valid identity document must be presented both when submitting a divorce application on the spot at the authority, and when the divorce is taking place.

If the marriage to be dissolved, which was concluded in a foreign country, has not yet been entered in the population register, a document certifying the marriage must first be submitted for divorce. The data of all marriages concluded in Estonia are available in the population register.

When submitting a divorce application, you can also apply for identity documents with a new surname in the pre-application environment.

If the application for new identity documents is submitted when the divorce application is filed, please note that the application will be processed only after the surname has been changed. Until then, the application remains pending.

If you do not submit an application for new identity documents when filing the divorce application, you can submit it within 30 days after the divorce is registered through the self-service portal of the police and border guard board or on the spot.

In the local government of the county center and at the notary, a marriage can be divorced if at least one month, but no more than three months, has passed since the day of submitting the application. Spouses choose jointly the exact time and coordinate with the vital statistics officer or notary.

If an application for divorce is submitted in the e-population register, time starts to run from the moment when both spouses have confirmed the application and the state fee has been paid.

Divorce proceedings takes longer in court, also depending on the circumstances of the particular divorce.

After 1-3 months from the filing of the application for divorce, the spouses must go together at the agreed time to the vital statistics officer of the local government of the county center or to the notary in order to dissolve the marriage.

If the time agreed upon when submitting the application is no longer suitable for the spouses, the request for change must be notified by e-mail to the institution where the application for divorce was submitted, and a new time must be agreed upon. When choosing a new time for divorce, it should be kept in mind that no more than three months have passed since the filing of the divorce application.

If the application for divorce is submitted to the local government of the county center, a state fee of 90 euros must be paid.
If the application is submitted locally at the authority, the state fee must be paid before the application is submitted.
When making a payment, the reference number of the relevant authority must be indicated as the reference number, which can be found on the authority's website.
A state fee is paid when filing a divorce application in the e-population register.

If the marriage is dissolved by a notary, a notary's fee of 64 euros is to be paid. If joint property is also divided and/or agreements concerning joint children are formalized at the notary, a separate fee applies to these actions.

When going to court state fee 100 euros is to be paid. When divorcing in court, possible additional legal aid costs must also be taken into account.

If the application for divorce has been submitted in the e-population register, but the other spouse has not yet given their consent, the applicant can cancel the application in the e-population register

If the other spouse has already confirmed the application submitted in the e-population register or if the application has been submitted locally at the authority, a notice must be sent to the authority by e-mail for withdrawal.

Upon withdrawal of the application, a partial refund of the paid state fee may be requested. You should ask for more detailed information from the authority where the application for divorce was submitted.