Skip to content
Oakclause

Divorce Waiting Period in Colorado

In Colorado, a divorce decree can be entered only after 91 days have passed since the court acquired jurisdiction over the respondent, and no separation period is required.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Colorado at a glance

Waiting period
91 days after service or appearance
The court gets jurisdiction over the respondent by service of process, by joining as copetitioner, or by appearing in the case.
Separation required
No
The court must find that the marriage is irretrievably broken.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Colorado

How long is the waiting period before a divorce can be finalized in Colorado?

Waiting period in Colorado: 91 days after service or appearance. The court gets jurisdiction over the respondent by service of process, by joining as copetitioner, or by appearing in the case.

Do spouses have to live apart before a no-fault divorce in Colorado?

Separation required in Colorado: No. The court must find that the marriage is irretrievably broken.

Where do the Colorado divorce waiting periods come from?

The rules above come from Colo. Rev. Stat. 14-10-106. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

A waiting period is a minimum, not an estimate. Contested issues such as property division, support or custody, court schedules and missing paperwork can make a divorce take much longer than the statutory minimum.

Separation rules can depend on how the state defines living apart. Some states count time spent separated under the same roof, while others require separate homes. Keeping a record of the date the separation began, such as a written separation agreement or a lease, can help show when the period started.

Spouses can often use the waiting period to negotiate a written settlement covering property, debts, support and parenting time. A settlement agreement that is ready when the waiting period ends can help the court finalize the divorce sooner, and a local attorney can confirm the filing requirements.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.