Wyoming · Divorce laws · Updated Oct 2026
Wyoming divorce laws
Who can file for divorce in Wyoming, 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 Wyoming
- Who can file (residency)
- One spouse must have lived in Wyoming for the 60 days right before filing, or you married in Wyoming and one of you has lived there ever since the wedding.
- Waiting period
- The divorce decree can't be entered until at least 20 days after the complaint is filed. In practice you also wait for your spouse's answer time (20 days, or 30 if served out of state) and for initial financial disclosures.
- Court
- District Court in the county where either spouse lives
- Official forms
- Divorce forms (Wyoming courts)
- Court self-help
- Divorce self-help (Wyoming courts)
- Filing fee
- $160 statutory district court filing fee, paid by the plaintiff (Wyo. Stat. 5-3-206(a)(i)); sheriff service costs extra. Ask your Clerk of District Court about any other charges.
- If you can't afford the fee
- Affidavit of Indigency (and Family Law Packet 10 on waiving filing fees): https://www.wyocourts.gov/self-help-forms/
- Law
- Wyo. Stat. 20-2-107 · Wyo. Stat. 20-2-108
Divorce in Wyoming, step by step
Check that you can file in Wyoming
One spouse must have lived in Wyoming for the 60 days right before filing, or you married in Wyoming and one of you has lived there ever since the wedding.
Get the official forms
Use the court's official divorce forms: Divorce forms (Wyoming courts)
File the papers and pay the fee, or ask for a waiver
File with the District Court in the county where either spouse lives. Filing fee: $160 statutory district court filing fee, paid by the plaintiff (Wyo. Stat. 5-3-206(a)(i)); sheriff service costs extra. Can't afford it? Affidavit of Indigency (and Family Law Packet 10 on waiving filing fees): https://www.wyocourts.gov/self-help-forms/.
Serve your spouse
Have the sheriff in your spouse's county serve the papers (usually about $50), or your spouse signs an Acknowledgment and Acceptance of Service in front of a notary.
Your spouse responds
20 days if served in Wyoming (or after signing the acceptance); 30 days if served out of state. 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
The divorce decree can't be entered until at least 20 days after the complaint is filed.
Agree, or go to mediation or a hearing
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. The court's divorce decree forms let either spouse have a previous name restored.
Free tools for Wyoming
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Divorce timeline estimator for Wyoming
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 Wyoming
- No-fault ground
- irreconcilable differences in the marital relationship
- Fault grounds
- Not available: no-fault only
- Law
- Wyo. Stat. 20-2-104 (the only other ground is incurable insanity with 2 years' confinement, 20-2-105)
Property and debts in Wyoming
- System
- Equitable distribution
- The rule
- The court divides property in a way that is just and equitable, considering the merits of each spouse, how each will be left after the divorce, who acquired the property and burdens on it. Federal VA disability benefits can't be considered.
- Law
- Wyo. Stat. 20-2-114
Alimony (spousal support) in Wyoming
The court may order reasonable alimony out of the other spouse's estate, considering their ability to pay; it can be a specific sum or an assignment of property income. No formula. The court can later revise alimony. Wyo. Stat. 20-2-114, 20-2-116.
Children: custody and support in Wyoming
- What Wyoming calls custody
- custody and visitation
- Parenting class
- The court may require parents to attend parenting classes (Wyoming Judicial Branch divorce packet instructions).
- Child support agency
- Wyoming Department of Family Services, Child Support
Serving your spouse in Wyoming
- How your spouse gets the papers
- Have the sheriff in your spouse's county serve the papers (usually about $50), or your spouse signs an Acknowledgment and Acceptance of Service in front of a notary.
- Time to respond
- 20 days if served in Wyoming (or after signing the acceptance); 30 days if served out of state
- Law
- Wyoming Judicial Branch, Plaintiff's Family Law Information & Instructions (DIVCP 03, May 2025)
Going back to a former name in Wyoming
Yes. The court's divorce decree forms let either spouse have a previous name restored.
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 Wyoming: Wyoming domestic violence protection order forms (Wyoming Judicial Branch self-help forms): https://www.wyocourts.gov/self-help-forms/
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Free help in Wyoming
Good to know in Wyoming
- Only 60 days' residency is required — one of the shortest in the U.S. (Wyo. Stat. 20-2-107)
- A divorce decree can be entered as soon as 20 days after filing. (Wyo. Stat. 20-2-108)
- Irreconcilable differences is effectively the only ground (besides incurable insanity). (Wyo. Stat. 20-2-104, -105)
Changes in 2024–2026
Wyoming Judicial Branch divorce forms revised May and October 2025.
Divorce checklist for Wyoming
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 Wyoming
How long do you have to live in Wyoming to file for divorce?
One spouse must have lived in Wyoming for the 60 days right before filing, or you married in Wyoming and one of you has lived there ever since the wedding.
How long does a divorce take in Wyoming?
The divorce decree can't be entered until at least 20 days after the complaint is filed. In practice you also wait for your spouse's answer time (20 days, or 30 if served out of state) and for initial financial disclosures.
What are the grounds for divorce in Wyoming?
Wyoming's no-fault ground is irreconcilable differences in the marital relationship. Wyoming has no fault grounds.
Is Wyoming a community property state?
No. Wyoming uses equitable distribution. The court divides property in a way that is just and equitable, considering the merits of each spouse, how each will be left after the divorce, who acquired the property and burdens on it. Federal VA disability benefits can't be considered.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Wyoming?
$160 statutory district court filing fee, paid by the plaintiff (Wyo. Stat. 5-3-206(a)(i)); sheriff service costs extra. Ask your Clerk of District Court about any other charges.
Can I get the divorce filing fee waived in Wyoming?
Affidavit of Indigency (and Family Law Packet 10 on waiving filing fees): https://www.wyocourts.gov/self-help-forms/
How long does my spouse have to respond in Wyoming?
20 days if served in Wyoming (or after signing the acceptance); 30 days if served out of state
Can I change my name back in a divorce in Wyoming?
Yes. The court's divorce decree forms let either spouse have a previous name restored.
Do divorcing parents have to take a class in Wyoming?
The court may require parents to attend parenting classes (Wyoming Judicial Branch divorce packet instructions).
How does alimony work in Wyoming?
The court may order reasonable alimony out of the other spouse's estate, considering their ability to pay; it can be a specific sum or an assignment of property income. No formula. The court can later revise alimony. Wyo. Stat. 20-2-114, 20-2-116.