Connecticut · Divorce laws · Updated Oct 2026
Connecticut divorce laws
Who can file for divorce in Connecticut, how long it takes, the official forms and fees, property, support and children, in plain English from official sources, with a free timeline estimator and checklist.
Where and how to file in Connecticut
- Who can file (residency)
- You can file as soon as either spouse lives in Connecticut. But the divorce can be granted only if (1) one of you has lived in Connecticut for 12 months before filing or before the decree, or (2) one of you lived in Connecticut when you married and moved back intending to stay, or (3) the marriage broke down after one of you moved to Connecticut.
- Waiting period
- If you reach a full agreement, the court can enter judgment soon after the return date (the date set when you file). Otherwise: a default judgment (spouse served at home or in hand and doesn't appear) can't be entered until at least 30 days after the return date; a contested trial can't start until at least 90 days after it. A nonadversarial (joint) divorce gets a decision date at least 30 days after filing.
- Court
- Superior Court (family division) in the judicial district where you or your spouse live
- Official forms
- Divorce forms (Connecticut courts)
- Court self-help
- Divorce self-help (Connecticut courts)
- Filing fee
- $360 entry fee for a divorce complaint (civil cause, Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-259; Judicial Branch fee schedule effective Sept. 21, 2023)
- If you can't afford the fee
- Ask the court to waive fees with the Application for Waiver of Fees/Payment of Costs - Family (form JD-FM-75): https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/forms/fm075.pdf
- Simpler process for agreed cases
- Nonadversarial dissolution (joint petition): available if you've been married 9 years or less, have no children together and neither is pregnant, own no real estate, have combined property worth under $80,000, no defined-benefit pension, no bankruptcy, no restraining or protective order between you, and meet residency. You both must give up any right to alimony and to a trial or appeal. The court can grant it without a hearing 30+ days after filing.
- E-filing
- Yes. Self-represented parties can enroll in Judicial Branch E-Services to file family cases online (see the E-Filing Manual for self-represented parties).
- Law
- Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-44 · Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-67, 46b-44c
Divorce in Connecticut, step by step
Check that you can file in Connecticut
You can file as soon as either spouse lives in Connecticut.
Get the official forms
Use the court's official divorce forms: Divorce forms (Connecticut courts) Nonadversarial dissolution (joint petition): available if you've been married 9 years or less, have no children together and neither is pregnant, own no real estate, have combined property worth under $80,000, no defined-benefit pension, no bankruptcy, no restraining or protective order between you, and meet residency.
File the papers and pay the fee, or ask for a waiver
File with the Superior Court (family division) in the judicial district where you or your spouse live. Filing fee: $360 entry fee for a divorce complaint (civil cause, Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-259; Judicial Branch fee schedule effective Sept. 21, 2023) Can't afford it? Ask the court to waive fees with the Application for Waiver of Fees/Payment of Costs - Family (form JD-FM-75): https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/forms/fm075.pdf.
Serve your spouse
A state marshal must serve your spouse with the summons and complaint, in hand or at their home (abode service), before the return date.
Your spouse responds
Your spouse should file an Appearance by the return date on the summons. The summons states the deadline. If your spouse doesn't respond in time, you can usually ask for a default judgment.
Wait out the waiting period
If you reach a full agreement, the court can enter judgment soon after the return date (the date set when you file).
Agree, or go to mediation or a hearing
Common but not required. If you agree on everything, you can usually submit a signed agreement. If not, the judge decides the issues you can't settle.
Get the final decree
The judge signs the final decree (judgment), which ends the marriage. Get a certified copy and keep it. Name change: Yes. When the decree is entered, the court must restore your birth name or former name if you ask.
Free tools for Connecticut
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Divorce timeline estimator for Connecticut
See the earliest date the law lets a judge sign your final divorce decree, from your filing date. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Grounds for divorce in Connecticut
- No-fault ground
- the marriage has broken down irretrievably (or 18 months living apart due to incompatibility)
- Fault grounds
- Also allowed
- Law
- Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-40(c)
Property and debts in Connecticut
- System
- Equitable distribution
- The rule
- The judge can assign all or part of either spouse's property to the other, dividing it fairly after looking at factors like length of marriage, why it ended, age, health, income, earning capacity and each spouse's contributions. Property owned before marriage can be divided too.
- Law
- Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-81
Alimony (spousal support) in Connecticut
Either spouse may be ordered to pay alimony. There is no formula: the judge looks at the length of the marriage, the causes of the breakdown, age, health, income, earning capacity, skills, the property division and, for a parent with custody, whether working is practical. Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-82.
Children: custody and support in Connecticut
- What Connecticut calls custody
- custody and visitation (parenting plan)
- Parenting class
- Yes. Parents of minor children are ordered to complete the Judicial Branch's Parenting Education Program unless the court excuses it (Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-69b). Brochure: https://www.jud.ct.gov/HomePDFs/parentingprogram.pdf
- Child support calculator
- Official child support calculator or guidelines
- Child support agency
- Connecticut Department of Social Services, Office of Child Support Services
Serving your spouse in Connecticut
- How your spouse gets the papers
- A state marshal must serve your spouse with the summons and complaint, in hand or at their home (abode service), before the return date. If you file a joint nonadversarial petition, no service is needed.
- Time to respond
- Your spouse should file an Appearance by the return date on the summons. If they don't appear after in-hand or abode service, a default judgment can be entered no sooner than 30 days after the return date (60 days, after a hearing, for other kinds of service).
- Law
- Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-45, 46b-67
Going back to a former name in Connecticut
Yes. When the decree is entered, the court must restore your birth name or former name if you ask. You can also ask any time later by motion, without a hearing.
Mediation in Connecticut
Common but not required. The Judicial Branch's Family Services offers free help, and the court uses a 'Pathways' process to sort cases toward agreement: https://jud.ct.gov/family/pathwaysprocess.htm
If you are in danger
If you are in danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is free, confidential and open 24/7, in English and Spanish: call 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or chat at thehotline.org.
Protective orders in Connecticut: If you are in danger, call 911. Restraining orders (Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-15) are filed at the Superior Court; see https://www.jud.ct.gov/faq/family.htm and the Judicial Branch's restraining order information.
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Free help in Connecticut
Good to know in Connecticut
- Connecticut's nonadversarial divorce lets couples married 9 years or less with no children and under $80,000 in property divorce by joint petition with no hearing (Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-44a, 46b-44c).
- You can ask to restore your birth name even years after the divorce, by motion and without a hearing (Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-63(b)).
Divorce checklist for Connecticut
Answer a few questions to get a checklist for your state: documents to gather, the official forms, the fee or fee waiver, serving your spouse, children and the final steps. Print it or download it. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Questions about divorce in Connecticut
How long do you have to live in Connecticut to file for divorce?
You can file as soon as either spouse lives in Connecticut. But the divorce can be granted only if (1) one of you has lived in Connecticut for 12 months before filing or before the decree, or (2) one of you lived in Connecticut when you married and moved back intending to stay, or (3) the marriage broke down after one of you moved to Connecticut.
How long does a divorce take in Connecticut?
If you reach a full agreement, the court can enter judgment soon after the return date (the date set when you file). Otherwise: a default judgment (spouse served at home or in hand and doesn't appear) can't be entered until at least 30 days after the return date; a contested trial can't start until at least 90 days after it. A nonadversarial (joint) divorce gets a decision date at least 30 days after filing.
What are the grounds for divorce in Connecticut?
Connecticut's no-fault ground is the marriage has broken down irretrievably (or 18 months living apart due to incompatibility). Fault grounds are also allowed.
Is Connecticut a community property state?
No. Connecticut uses equitable distribution. The judge can assign all or part of either spouse's property to the other, dividing it fairly after looking at factors like length of marriage, why it ended, age, health, income, earning capacity and each spouse's contributions. Property owned before marriage can be divided too.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Connecticut?
$360 entry fee for a divorce complaint (civil cause, Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-259; Judicial Branch fee schedule effective Sept. 21, 2023)
Can I get the divorce filing fee waived in Connecticut?
Ask the court to waive fees with the Application for Waiver of Fees/Payment of Costs - Family (form JD-FM-75): https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/forms/fm075.pdf
Is there a simpler divorce process in Connecticut?
Nonadversarial dissolution (joint petition): available if you've been married 9 years or less, have no children together and neither is pregnant, own no real estate, have combined property worth under $80,000, no defined-benefit pension, no bankruptcy, no restraining or protective order between you, and meet residency. You both must give up any right to alimony and to a trial or appeal. The court can grant it without a hearing 30+ days after filing.
How long does my spouse have to respond in Connecticut?
Your spouse should file an Appearance by the return date on the summons. If they don't appear after in-hand or abode service, a default judgment can be entered no sooner than 30 days after the return date (60 days, after a hearing, for other kinds of service).
Can I change my name back in a divorce in Connecticut?
Yes. When the decree is entered, the court must restore your birth name or former name if you ask. You can also ask any time later by motion, without a hearing.
Is mediation required in a divorce in Connecticut?
Common but not required. The Judicial Branch's Family Services offers free help, and the court uses a 'Pathways' process to sort cases toward agreement: https://jud.ct.gov/family/pathwaysprocess.htm
Do divorcing parents have to take a class in Connecticut?
Yes. Parents of minor children are ordered to complete the Judicial Branch's Parenting Education Program unless the court excuses it (Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-69b). Brochure: https://www.jud.ct.gov/HomePDFs/parentingprogram.pdf
How does alimony work in Connecticut?
Either spouse may be ordered to pay alimony. There is no formula: the judge looks at the length of the marriage, the causes of the breakdown, age, health, income, earning capacity, skills, the property division and, for a parent with custody, whether working is practical. Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-82.