Washington

Divorce Law Guide

The facts about divorce in Washington

Divorce, or dissolution of marriage, is the legal process of severing a marriage contract, which is overseen by a court of law in the state in which one or both of the divorcing spouses live. The process for getting a divorce and acceptible grounds for divorce vary from state to state.

In Washington, a divorce can be completed on average in a minimum of 90 days, with court fees of $280.00. Unlike many states, Washington does not have any divorce residency requirements determining how long the appellant must have lived in Washington prior to filing for divorce.

On this page, you can learn about Washington's grounds for divorce, how the divorce process works, and about other parts of the divorce process, such as Washington alimony calculation, the property division process and more.

What are the Conditions for Divorce?

In state of Washington a number of factors are taken into account when ending a marriage.

1. Washington Grounds for Divorce FAQ

Is Washington a no-fault divorce state?

Washington allows no-fault divorces, which means that a divorce is granted without establishing the fault of either spouse for causing the divorce. Grounds for a no-fault divorce in Washington may be "irreconcilable differences", or similar grounds.

The state of Washington is exclusively a no-fault divorce state, which means that the only grounds for divorce offered on divorce applications are considered no-fault.

Does Washington allow at-fault divorces?

Washington does not support traditional at-fault grounds for divorce, instead offering blanket divorce grounds that do not require either spouse to be proved to be at-fault when filing for divorce.

Does the state of Washington allow incompatibility as grounds for divorce?

Yes, Washington does allow incompatibility to be used as grounds for having a divorce.

Can you get a divorce in Washington for living separate and apart?

In divorce law, "living seperate and apart" refers to married spouses who are living separate from each other, not engaging in a traditional marital relationship, and do not intend to repair the marriage.

Washington does not allow a divorce to be granted solely on the grounds of living seperate and apart from your spouse. You must instead file for divorce under one of Washington's accepted grounds for divorce.

2. Washington Divorce Process FAQ

Does state of Washington allow legal separation?

Legal separation (otherwise known as "judicial separation") is a legal process that enables spouses to be de facto separated while remaining legally married.

In some cases, Washington will grant a judicial separation court order to a married couple who wishes to live separately. This order may settle issues generally handled in a divorce such as property division and alimony. A legal separation may be followed up by a full divorce, or the spouses may later reconcile and end the separation while remaining legally married.

What's the difference between a divorce and an annulment in Washington?

While a divorce is the process of exiting a legally valid marriage, an annulment is the process of rendering a marriage null and void. An annulment makes it legally as if a marriage never took place to begin with.

Generally, annulment is used to conclude a marriage that should not have been legally recognized in the first place, such as a marriage where one of the spouses was unable to consent (by virtue of being underage, due to mental incapacity, or even intoxication), a marriage that was entered into under duress or via fraudulent means, or when one of the spouses was already legally married.

How long do I have to live in in the state of Washington to get a divorce?

There are no residency duration requirements in order to sue for a divorce in Washington. Any married couple in the state can file for divorce in Washington court.

What is the filing fee for a divorce in Washington?

The court fees for filing the paperwork for a basic divorce in a Washington court is $280.00. However, the total costs for a divorce can be much higher - especially in the case of a contested divorce, where attorney fees and mediation costs average from $15,000 to $20,000 or more.

How long does it take to get a divorce in Washington?

If the process moves along without holdups, the paperwork for a divorce in Washington can be processed in a minimum of 90 days. However, if the spouses are not in agreement about the divorce process, a contested divorce can take significantly longer.

3. Washington General Divorce FAQ

Can my spouse stop me from getting a divorce?

Even if one spouse is opposed to getting a divorce, they cannot stop their partner from filing for and receiving a divorce in Washington. While filing a non-contested joint petition for divorce speeds up the process, either spouse can file for divorce individually at any time.