Divorce · Courts

Find the right court for your divorce

Type your town or suburb and we'll show you exactly which courts can grant your divorce: the High Court seat and the cheaper Regional Court option, with the correct court heading and address.

The lie of the land

South Africa's divorce jurisdictions at a glance

Nine High Court divisions (15 working seats) and nine Regional Divisions share divorce jurisdiction. Click a province, or search above, to see the correct forum.

Eastern CapeLimpopoKwaZulu-NatalWestern CapeNorthern CapeNorth WestFree StateGautengMpumalangaPretoriaPretoriaPretoriaJohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburgBloemfonteinBloemfonteinBloemfonteinKimberleyKimberleyKimberleyMahikengMahikengMahikengPolokwanePolokwanePolokwaneThohoyandouThohoyandouThohoyandouMbombelaMbombelaMbombelaMiddelburgMiddelburgMiddelburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgDurbanDurbanDurbanMakhandaMakhandaMakhandaGqeberhaGqeberhaGqeberhaMthathaMthathaMthathaBhishoBhishoBhishoEast LondonEast LondonEast LondonCape TownCape TownCape Town
Main seat of High Court divisionLocal seat

The legal test

Where divorce jurisdiction vests

Under s 2(1) of the Divorce Act 70 of 1979, a court can grant your divorce if either spouse is domiciled in its area on the day the case starts, or is ordinarily resident there on that day and has lived in South Africa for at least the past year. The High Court and the Regional Court for the same area have concurrent jurisdiction: you choose the forum. For an unopposed divorce, the Regional Court is usually the more affordable route.

Good to know

Local seats matter

Where a province has local High Court seats (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga), the summons must be issued at the seat whose gazetted districts cover your home: the main seat can't simply be used instead. District Magistrates' Courts and Small Claims Courts cannot grant divorces at all.

This finder is general information, not legal advice. Court addresses and district boundaries are set by ministerial determination and can change: the lawvero team verifies the correct forum on every instruction. Compiled from the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development, Office of the Chief Justice and Chief Master's directives, August 2026.