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Divorce Waiting Period in Vermont

In Vermont, the no-fault ground requires living apart for 6 consecutive months, and a divorce decree becomes absolute 90 days after entry unless the court sets an earlier date.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Vermont at a glance

Waiting period
90 days after decree
The decree nisi becomes absolute 90 days after entry; the court can set an earlier date.
Separation required
Yes, 6 months
Living apart for 6 consecutive months is the no-fault ground, with a finding that resuming the marriage is not reasonably probable.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Vermont

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

Waiting period in Vermont: 90 days after decree. The decree nisi becomes absolute 90 days after entry; the court can set an earlier date.

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

Separation required in Vermont: Yes, 6 months. Living apart for 6 consecutive months is the no-fault ground, with a finding that resuming the marriage is not reasonably probable.

Where do the Vermont divorce waiting periods come from?

The rules above come from 15 V.S.A. 554 and 15 V.S.A. 551. 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.