California divorce timeline (2026)
Every California divorce is governed by the six-month waiting period from service, so even a fully agreed case cannot finalize sooner. Realistically, plan on six to eight months from filing to an entered judgment once you add disclosure exchange and the court's judgment-review queue.
Residency requirement
One spouse must have lived in California 6 months, and in the filing county 3 months
Waiting period
180 daysThe 6-month clock runs from the day the responding spouse is served, not the day you file.
- 1
Meet the residency rule
Six months in California and three months in your filing county.
- 2
File and serve
File the petition and summons, then serve your spouse to start the clock.
- 3
Exchange disclosures
Both spouses serve preliminary Declarations of Disclosure.
- 4
Six-month waiting period
The judgment cannot be effective until six months after service.
- 5
Submit and enter judgment
File the signed FL-180 package; the court enters the judgment.
In short, expect a 180-day waiting period in California, plus your county's scheduling time. Our filing checklist keeps the stages in order.
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