Where you live dictates whether you can file for a no fault divorce or a fault divorce.
In an effort to save you a bit of time and money, I wanted to share this chart which shows the specifics as far as different state’s requirements for fault and no fault divorces and the grounds that pertain to them.
If you are the one who will be filing, be sure to think about what type of divorce will benefit you the most, assuming you are residing a state where you can choose.
Knowing these facts will help you when you begin to interview attorneys because you won’t be as likely to get caught up in unnecessary and irrelevant expenditures.
| State | Fault grounds | No-fault grounds | Separation | Length of separation |
| Alabama | • | • | • | 2 years |
| Alaska | • | • | ||
| Arizona | • | |||
| Arkansas | • | • | 18 months | |
| California | • | |||
| Colorado | • | |||
| Connecticut | • | • | •1 | 18 months |
| Delaware | • | • | ||
| District of Columbia | • | 6 months | ||
| Florida | • | |||
| Georgia | • | • | ||
| Hawaii | • | • | 2 years | |
| Idaho | • | • | • | 5 years |
| Illinois | • | •2 | •2 | 2 years |
| Indiana | • | |||
| Iowa | • | |||
| Kansas | • | |||
| Kentucky | • | |||
| Louisiana | • | • | 180 days | |
| Maine | • | • | ||
| Maryland | • | • | 1 year | |
| Massachusetts | • | • | ||
| Michigan | • | |||
| Minnesota | • | • | 180 days | |
| Mississippi | • | • | ||
| Missouri | • | |||
| Montana | • | |||
| Nebraska | • | |||
| Nevada | • | • | 1 year | |
| New Hampshire | • | • | ||
| New Jersey | • | • | 18 months | |
| New Mexico | • | • | ||
| New York | • | • | 1 year | |
| North Carolina | • | • | 1 year | |
| North Dakota | • | • | ||
| Ohio | • | •3 | • | 1 year |
| Oklahoma | • | • | ||
| Oregon | • | |||
| Pennsylvania | • | • | • | 2 years |
| Rhode Island | • | • | • | 3 years |
| South Carolina | • | • | 1 year | |
| South Dakota | • | • | ||
| Tennessee | • | • | •4 | 2 years |
| Texas | • | • | • | 3 years |
| Utah | • | • | • | 3 years |
| Vermont | • | • | 6 months | |
| Virginia | • | •5 | 1 year | |
| Washington | • | |||
| West Virginia | • | • | • | 1 year |
| Wisconsin | • | |||
| Wyoming | • |
1Separation-based divorce must also allege incompatibility.
2Must allege irretrievable breakdown and separation for no-fault; if both parties consent, two years may be reduced to six months.
3Divorce will be denied if one party contests ground of incompatibility.
4Separation-based divorce allowed only if there are no children.
5May be reduced to six months if there are no children.
