Durational Residency by State*

^*Where a residency requirement says something like "6 months or 180 days," the statute itself will specify whether the requirement is "whichever is longer" or "whichever is shorter." When in doubt, wait until the longer of the two time periods (which will only differ by a matter of days) has expired, unless it is critically important that your divorce be final by a certain date. In that case, check the statute.

¹If cause for divorce occurred in Massachusetts, there is no residency requirement. If it occurred out of state, the requirement is one year.

²Required for all grounds but adultery

³If both spouses are residents of South Carolina, the residency requirement is reduced to 3 months.

⁴If marriage occurred in West Virginia, there is no residency requirement as long as one party is a state resident. If marriage occurred in another state, one party must have lived in West Virginia for a year before filing.