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Divorce Waiting Period in Washington

In Washington, a court cannot act on a dissolution petition until 90 days have passed since both filing and service, and the only ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Washington at a glance

Waiting period
90 days after filing and service
Both 90 days from filing and from service (or first publication) must have passed.
Separation required
No
The court decides whether the marriage is irretrievably broken.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Washington

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

Waiting period in Washington: 90 days after filing and service. Both 90 days from filing and from service (or first publication) must have passed.

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

Separation required in Washington: No. The court decides whether the marriage is irretrievably broken.

Where do the Washington divorce waiting periods come from?

The rules above come from Rev. Code Wash. 26.09.030. 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.