Form D11: how to make an application inside a divorce or financial case
Once a divorce or financial case is under way, things come up between hearings: money runs short, a date clashes, a direction cannot be met. Form D11 is how you put that in front of a judge. This guide explains what it can be used for, how the form is laid out, and the time limits.
What form D11 is for
Gov.uk describes D11 as the form to make a general application, called an application notice, as part of divorce, dissolution or separation proceedings, including the financial side. It is the matrimonial and financial counterpart of the general application forms used in other family cases. Typical uses include:
- Interim maintenance, known as maintenance pending suit or maintenance pending the outcome of proceedings, while a financial case is running.
- Adjourning a hearing, for example because of a clash with a fixed commitment or because a valuation is not ready.
- Changing or adding directions, such as more time to answer a questionnaire, or permission to rely on a document.
- Divorce procedure steps, which the form's own notes mention, such as deemed service or permission to issue without a marriage certificate.
Part 18 of the Family Procedure Rules sets the procedure. Several financial remedy rules in Part 9 say applications must use the Part 18 procedure, including interim orders (rule 9.7) and orders to stop a disposal of assets (rule 9.6).
When you need it, and when you need a different form
| You want to | Form |
|---|---|
| Start a financial case, or apply for a consent order | Form A (with D81 and a draft order if agreed) |
| Apply for periodical payments only | Form A1 |
| Ask for something within an existing divorce or financial case | D11 |
| Ask for something within a children case | C2 (see our C2 guide) |
Maintenance pending suit is one of the orders listed on Form A itself, so it can be asked for when the financial case starts. If the case has already started, an interim order application uses the Part 18 procedure under rule 9.7. If you are not sure which applies, the court office can explain the procedure, though it cannot give legal advice.
The fee and Help with Fees
The EX50 fees list (updated 13 July 2026) does not set a specific fee for D11 applications or for maintenance pending suit. The general fees for applications within proceedings are:
| Application within proceedings | Fee | EX50 ref |
|---|---|---|
| On notice, where no other fee is specified | £195 | 5.3 |
| By consent or without notice, where no other fee is specified | £62 | 5.1 |
The D11 itself points you to EX50 for the current fee, so check with the court if you are unsure which line applies to your application. Help with Fees can reduce or remove the fee; the D11 has a section for your reference number or to say you have attached form EX160. Our family court fees guide explains the main fees.
Before you start
- The current version. The gov.uk page was updated on 22 September 2026 to say where to send the form, and the current English form is marked 06.26. A large print version is also published.
- Your case number and the court dealing with the case.
- A draft order. Rule 18.7 requires the notice to state the order sought and briefly why, and to attach a draft of the order. The form's notes say that if you ask for costs, the draft should state the amount and a brief calculation.
- Your evidence. Rule 18.8 says written evidence you rely on must be filed with the application notice. For short points the box on the form may be enough; for anything more, a short witness statement. Our witness statement guide covers the format.
- For interim maintenance, up-to-date figures. If you apply before you have filed your financial statement, rule 9.7 says your evidence must explain why the order is necessary and give up-to-date information about your finances.
Form D11, question by question
- Your name, or your firm's name if you are a solicitor.
- Your role in the main proceedings: applicant, second applicant, respondent, or other.
- What order you are asking for and why. The core of the form. State the order plainly, then the reasons in a few short sentences, and attach the draft order.
- Whether it can be dealt with on paper. The form explains that a judge may decide the application on what you have written, without a hearing. The notes say this happens where everyone agrees the terms, everyone agrees there is no need for a hearing, or the court does not think one is appropriate.
- Telephone hearing. The notes say telephone hearings are only available where at least one party has a legal representative.
- How long a hearing would take. If you do not know, the notes say leave it blank rather than guess.
- Whether the time estimate is agreed.
- Any fixed hearing date or trial window already set.
- Whether a particular judge or level of judge needs to hear it.
- Who should be served, with addresses. Leave confidential details blank and use form C8.
- What information you rely on: an attached statement, the divorce application or statement in support, or evidence written in the box.
Then come the statement of truth, an optional section to change your address for service, and the fee section. For a deemed service application in a divorce, the form says questions 5 to 9 are not needed.
Service and time limits
| Step | Timing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Serve the application notice and evidence | As soon as practicable after filing, and at least 7 days before the court deals with it | 18.8 |
| Interim order under rule 9.7 (for example maintenance pending suit) | At least 14 days before the court deals with it | 18.8 |
| Respondent's statement of means for an interim order, if no financial statement filed yet | At least 7 days before the court deals with it | 9.7(4) |
| Ask to set aside or vary an order made without notice to you | Within 7 days of being served with it | 18.11 |
The court can deal with an application without a hearing if the parties agree the order, or agree it can be decided without a hearing and the court agrees, or if it does not consider a hearing appropriate (rule 18.9). If a party fails to attend a hearing, the court may go ahead without them (rule 18.12). If an application is dismissed as totally without merit, the order must say so, and the court must consider whether to make a civil restraint order (rule 18.13).
Interim maintenance in more detail
Under section 22 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 the court can order maintenance pending suit at a level it thinks reasonable. Payments can start no earlier than the date of the application and last until the case is decided. Section 22 does not cover legal costs. The Act leaves the amount to what the court thinks reasonable, so a short, accurate budget with evidence of income and outgoings is usually easier for a judge to work with than a long narrative. Our financial remedy timeline shows where an interim application fits in the wider case.
Common mistakes
- Not attaching a draft order. Rule 18.7 requires one.
- Serving too late, especially for interim maintenance, where the period is 14 days, not 7.
- Putting the whole history of the marriage in question 3 instead of the order and the reasons for it.
- Using D11 to start a financial case. That needs Form A and the fee for it.
- Paying the wrong fee. If the other side agrees in writing, the by-consent fee may apply.
- Missing the 7-day window to object to an order made on paper.
What happens next
Send the D11, the draft order, any statement, copies and the fee to the court that is managing your case. Gov.uk's update of 22 September 2026 says financial matters go to the local financial remedy court. The court will either decide on paper or list a hearing and tell you the date. Keep a copy of everything and a note of when and how you served it. If you are the other party and receive a D11, you can tell the court whether you agree, and if not, why, by the date the court sets.
Download the official form
Download form D11 from gov.uk.
Where EvidenceCanvas fits, and where it does not. EvidenceCanvas does not fill in form D11, draft the order you are asking for, work out maintenance, or send anything to the court or the other side. It can help you gather your own documents into a dated chronology, or draft a short witness statement from them for you to check and sign, if your application needs written evidence.
Questions people ask
- How much does a D11 application cost?
- EX50 does not list a specific D11 fee. The general fees for applications within proceedings are £195 on notice and £62 by consent or without notice. Help with Fees may reduce or remove the fee.
- Can I apply for maintenance pending suit on a D11?
- Maintenance pending suit can be ticked on Form A when a financial case starts. Once the case is running, interim orders use the Part 18 procedure under FPR rule 9.7, and the application must be served at least 14 days before the court deals with it.
- How long before the hearing must I serve a D11?
- At least 7 days before the court deals with it, or at least 14 days for an interim order under rule 9.7 (FPR rule 18.8).
- Will there be a hearing?
- Not always. A judge may decide on paper if the parties agree or a hearing is not appropriate. Anyone who objects to an order made that way can ask for a hearing within 7 days, as the form explains.
- Can I use D11 in a children case?
- No. Applications within Children Act proceedings use form C2.
Checked on 23 October 2026: gov.uk form D11 page (updated 22 September 2026) and form version 06.26; FPR Part 18; FPR Part 9 (rules 9.6 and 9.7); EX50 family court fees (updated 13 July 2026); Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 section 22. General information for England and Wales, not legal advice. Your court's directions take priority over this guide.