How Long Does a Divorce Take in Nevada? Six Weeks' Residency and No Waiting Period
Nevada family law · Last reviewed October 27, 2026
Nevada is one of the few states with no waiting period once a divorce is filed. Nothing in Chapter 125 makes you wait between filing and the decree, and a decree "is a final decree" the moment it's entered (NRS 125.130). What takes time is residency before you file, and the procedure after.
Nevada divorce timeline calculator
NRS 125.020 · NRCP 4, 6, 12, 16.2 · the earliest dates and deadlines the rules set, not a prediction of when a judge will sign the decree
Before you file: six weeks of residency
One spouse must have been a Nevada resident "for a period of not less than 6 weeks preceding the commencement of the action" (NRS 125.020). A case is commenced when the complaint or joint petition is filed, so the six weeks must be complete on the filing date. The other spouse can live anywhere.
Residency means actually living here, not a short visit. Clark County's self-help center describes the resident witness affidavit as proof that one spouse "lived in Nevada for at least 6 weeks before filing for divorce and intends to remain here." Ask the witness to sign close to the filing date.
No separation period is required. Incompatibility, the usual ground, needs none; only the less-used ground of living apart requires a year.
After you file: the joint petition
A joint petition has no service and no answer period. Its timing is the court's review. The state self-help center says these divorces "are typically approved quickly". In Clark County, the decree goes to your assigned department after the petition is filed; mailed papers take longer than e-filed ones.
After you file: a complaint
| Step | Deadline | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Serve your spouse | Within 120 days of filing | NRCP 4(e) |
| Your spouse answers | 21 days after service; 60 days after a waiver request was sent | NRCP 12(a) |
| General Financial Disclosure Form | Within 30 days of service of the summons and complaint | NRCP 16.2(c) |
| Default, if no answer | Ask the clerk once the answer period has run | NRCP 55 |
| Notice before a default decree, if your spouse appeared | 7 days | NRCP 55(b) |
If a deadline falls on a weekend or a legal holiday, it moves to the next day the court is open (NRCP 6).
Uncontested cases then turn on how fast the judge reviews the proposed decree. Contested cases take as long as the disagreements do: hearings, custody mediation, discovery and sometimes a trial.
When the divorce takes effect
On the filing of the decree. Clark's self-help center is specific: "The date you are legally divorced is the date the Decree is" filed at the clerk's office, which can be later than the day the judge signs it. Check the filing stamp on the first page before you remarry.
After the decree
- Remarriage. No waiting period once the decree is filed.
- Appeal. A complaint case can be appealed; the clock starts when written notice of entry of the decree is served, which is why Clark's center tells you to file and serve a notice of entry. A joint petition can't be appealed.
- Property you forgot. A motion to divide community property or debt left out of the decree by fraud or mistake must be filed within three years after you discover it (NRS 125.150(3)).
Frequently asked questions
Is there a waiting period for divorce in Nevada?
No. Once one spouse has six weeks of residency, you can file, and the decree can be entered as soon as the court approves it.
How fast can you get a divorce in Nevada?
The law sets no minimum, so a joint petition is approved as soon as the judge reviews and signs it; how long that takes depends on the court's workload. A complaint case needs service and a 21-day answer period before a default.
Do we have to be separated before filing for divorce in Nevada?
No. Incompatibility requires no separation. Only the separate-and-apart ground needs a year.
Can I file for divorce the day I move to Nevada?
No. One spouse must have lived in Nevada for six weeks before the filing date, and a witness must confirm it.
When can I remarry after a Nevada divorce?
As soon as the decree is filed with the clerk. Nevada imposes no remarriage waiting period.