Divorce State-by-State Guidelines

What is a no-fault divorce?

Does it mean they can cheat and lie and steal? Cheating always seems to be a big concern that people getting a divorce feel like cheating should matter. A No-Fault Divorce is a law in which the parties do not need to prove someone is cheating or doing bad things to get a divorce. Years ago in order to get a divorce, you would have to prove they were cheating just to be granted a divorce. No-fault divorce laws were put in place so basically no reason is necessary to be granted a divorce, and you do not have to prove any fault on the part of the other spouse, often called irreconcilable differences or incompatibility. There are some states that do not have a no-fault law. Check our list below to see the status of our state.

The next question everyone asks is do the things my spouse is doing matter? The things that matter in divorce will be addressed by your lawyer, if they are stealing money you will need to prove money is missing. Divorce is part of family court and it is not a criminal court so the way we think things should matter doesn’t often apply. The discovery of money being stolen in this example would benefit you to prove to get more money onto your side of the division table.

How long does it take to get a divorce?

We have also gathered The time requirements and waiting periods for each state.

AlabamaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
Period: 30 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
AlaskaResidency requirement: N/A
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
Waiting Period: 30 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
ArizonaResidency requirement: 3 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60-80 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
ArkansasResidency requirement: 2 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 18 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
CaliforniaResidency requirement: N/A
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 180 Days
Waiting Period: 6 months after the spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: No
ColoradoResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 90-120 Days
Waiting Period: 90 days after filing or spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: No
ConnecticutResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 18 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-90 Days
Waiting Period: 30 days after spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
DelawareResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 6 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
District of ColumbiaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 6 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 45-90 Days
Waiting Period: 30 days after filing. (Can be waived)
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
FloridaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
Waiting Period: 20 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
GeorgiaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
HawaiiResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 24 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-90 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
IdahoResidency requirement: 1 Month
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
Waiting Period: 20 days after spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: No
IllinoisResidency requirement: 3 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 24 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
IndianaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60-90 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce:No
IowaResidency requirement: N/A
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 90-120 Days
Waiting Period: 90 days after spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: No
KansasPrior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60-90 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
KentuckyPrior Separation Requirement: 60 Days
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60-90 Days
Waiting Period: 30 days after filing if no children. 60 days if you have children.
At-Fault Divorce: No
LouisianaResidency requirement: N/A
Prior Separation Requirement: 6 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 180-390 Days
Waiting Period: 180 days after filing if no children. 365 days if you have children. 20-45 days if spouse is at fault.
At-Fault Divorce: No
MaineResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
Waiting Period: 30 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
MarylandResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 12 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
MassachusettsResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 180 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
MichiganResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60-180 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after filing if no children. 180 days if you have children.
At-Fault Divorce: No
MinnesotaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-45 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
MississippiResidency requirement: 3 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60-90 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
MissouriResidency requirement: 3 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-45 Days
Waiting Period: 30 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
MontanaResidency requirement: 3 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 6 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 20-30 Days
Waiting Period: 20 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
NebraskaResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 90 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after the spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: No
NevadaResidency requirement: 1 Month
Prior Separation Requirement: 12 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 14-28 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
New HampshireResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 24 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
New JerseyResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 18 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60 Days
Waiting Period: 180 days of irreconcilable differences.
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
New MexicoResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
New YorkResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 12 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-45 Days
Waiting Period: 180 days of irreconcilable differences.
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
North CarolinaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 12 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-60 Days
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
North DakotaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-90 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
OhioResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 12 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-90 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
OklahomaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 14-90 Days
Waiting Period: 90 days if you have children.
At-Fault Divorce: No
OregonResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 45-60 Days
At-Fault Divorce: No
PennsylvaniaResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 3 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 90-120 Days
Waiting Period: 90 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
Rhode IslandResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 36 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 150 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
South CarolinaResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 12 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30-120 Days
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
South DakotaResidency requirement: N/A
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60-90 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after the spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: No
TennesseeResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 24 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60-90 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after filing if no children. 90 days if you have children.
At-Fault Divorce: No
TexasResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 36 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 60-90 Days
Waiting Period: 60 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
UtahResidency requirement: 3 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 36 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 30 Days
Waiting Period: 30 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
VermontResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 6 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 90 Days
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
VirginiaResidency requirement:v 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 12 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 15-45 Days
At-Fault Divorce: Yes
WashingtonResidency requirement: N/A
Prior Separation Requirement: vN/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 90 Days
Waiting Period: 90 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
West VirginiaResidency requirement: 12 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 12 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 20-30 Days
Waiting Period: 20 days after filing.
At-Fault Divorce: No
WisconsinResidency requirement: 6 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: 12 Months
Time to Finalize Divorce: 120 Days
Waiting Period: 120 days after spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: No
WyomingResidency requirement: 2 Months
Prior Separation Requirement: N/A
Time to Finalize Divorce: 20-30 Days
Waiting Period: 20 days after the spouse is served.
At-Fault Divorce: No
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