Divorce Resources for District of Columbia

At least one spouse must have lived in District of Columbia for 6 months before filing for divorce. This requirement is set by state law and applies throughout the state, including District of Columbia.

District of Columbia does not impose a mandatory waiting period before a divorce can be finalized. Actual timelines in District of Columbia still depend on the court's caseload and how the case proceeds.

The court filing fee for a divorce in District of Columbia is $80–$120. Fee waivers may be available for filers who cannot afford the fee — ask the court clerk about the waiver process. Beyond the filing fee, the median total cost of an uncontested divorce in District of Columbia is about $3,000 (2022 data).

Yes. District of Columbia is a pure no-fault jurisdiction — neither spouse needs to prove wrongdoing to obtain a divorce.

District of Columbia uses equitable distribution: marital property is divided based on what the court finds fair in the circumstances of each case, which is not always an equal split.