How Long Does Divorce Take in Arkansas?

The Mandatory Minimums You Can't Skip

Arkansas has two non-negotiable timing requirements that set the floor for how fast any divorce can go:

30-day waiting period. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 9-12-307(a)(1)(B), no divorce decree can be entered until at least 30 days after the Complaint for Divorce is filed with the circuit clerk. This timer starts on your filing date, not when your spouse is served. No judge can waive it.

Three-month residency requirement. At least one spouse must have lived in Arkansas for a total of three continuous months (approximately 90 days) before the judge has authority to sign the decree. Since you also need 60 days of residency before you can file, the residency clock is usually running well ahead of the 30-day waiting period.

These two requirements run concurrently. If you've already been in Arkansas for two months before filing, you satisfy the residency minimum 30 days after filing — which lines up with the waiting period. Practically, this means the absolute fastest timeline is about 30 days from filing to decree.

Realistic Timelines by Case Type

Uncontested, no children: 30–45 days. Both spouses agree on everything, the respondent signs a Waiver of Service immediately, financial disclosures are exchanged quickly, and the finalization packet is submitted as soon as the 30-day period expires. In "by affidavit" counties, the judge may sign within a few business days of receiving the packet.

Uncontested, with children: 45–90 days. Same as above, but both parents must complete a two-hour co-parenting course under § 9-12-322 and file the certificates. Scheduling the class and filing the certificates can add 2–6 weeks depending on course availability and parenting-plan complexity.

Default (spouse doesn't respond): 45–75 days. After formal service, the respondent has 30 days to file a response. If they don't answer, you can move for default. But Arkansas prohibits "judgments pro confesso" under § 9-12-305 — even in default, you must still present evidence of residency and grounds through a court hearing or deposition. This evidence requirement adds time compared to states that grant automatic default judgments.

Contested: 6–24 months. When spouses dispute property, custody, or support, the case enters the full litigation track. You'll go through formal discovery (interrogatories, depositions, document requests), temporary order hearings, and potentially mediation before reaching a bench trial. Docket congestion in your county can push the timeline further.

What Actually Slows Things Down

Service problems. You have 120 days to serve your spouse under Rule 4(i). If they avoid service, you may need to pursue constructive service through newspaper publication — a process that alone takes 30+ days.

The 18-month separation ground. If you're filing under the no-fault separation ground instead of general indignities, the 18-month period must be completed before you file. This is the single biggest timeline factor for couples who can't or won't use a fault-based ground.

Missing documents. Filing without the Domestic Relations Cover Sheet, forgetting to notarize the Waiver of Service, or submitting an incomplete Affidavit of Financial Means sends you back to the starting line on that particular step.

County docket scheduling. If your county requires a prove-up hearing rather than finalization by affidavit, you're subject to the court's availability. Some rural counties only hold domestic dockets one or two days per month.

How to Move Faster

Use the general indignities ground. This eliminates the 18-month separation wait entirely for uncontested cases. Both spouses agree, no one contests, and § 9-12-306(a) waives the corroboration requirement.

Get the Waiver of Service signed immediately. Instead of waiting for sheriff service or certified mail, have your spouse sign the Entry of Appearance and Waiver of Service on the same day you file. This eliminates the service timeline entirely.

Check whether your county allows "by affidavit" finalization. If so, you skip the hearing and submit everything in writing. The judge can sign the decree as soon as the packet is complete and the 30-day waiting period has passed.

Prepare all documents before filing. Have the Marital Settlement Agreement, Affidavit of Financial Means, Resident Witness Affidavit, and proposed Decree drafted and ready before you file the Complaint. Once the 30-day period runs, you submit everything at once.

The Arkansas Divorce Filing Process Guide includes a preparation timeline so you can have everything ready to submit the moment your waiting period expires.

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