Do you have to get divorced in the state where you got married?

On Behalf of | Apr 18, 2022 | Divorce |

You originally got married in a different state, where you and your spouse met. Perhaps it’s where you grew up. Maybe you just went there for school and then got married after college. No matter how it happened, you are no longer living in the state where you tied the knot.

But now you would like to undo that knot, and you’re considering seeking a divorce. Are you able to do that where you live now, or do you have to go back to the state where you got married to officially seek the divorce in the same system?

You can get married wherever you live

Generally speaking, you’re allowed to get divorced wherever you’re living now. The only thing that you have to check on is that you meet the residency qualifications. If you just moved a few days ago, for instance, you’re not going to meet those qualifications yet. This is to keep people from simply moving and then getting a divorce using the laws from a different state. But, if you do live there and you meet those qualifications, then you don’t have to go back to your home state to get divorced.

States do set their own residency requirements, so it’s important to know that you need to live in Colorado for 90 days prior to starting a divorce. The vast majority of people who file for divorce have already met these qualifications, even if they didn’t know that they existed. But it’s important to make sure that you do if there’s any question.

Moving forward with the divorce

If you do satisfy these requirements and you still want to move forward with your divorce, you just need to look into the proper legal steps to take.