Maryland divorce at a glance
Confirm with your county before filing — fees and rules can vary.
Divorce in Maryland: the 2023 reforms
Maryland rewrote its divorce law in 2023, and the changes are still reshaping how cases run. Fault grounds were eliminated entirely, and the no-fault routes were expanded to three: mutual consent, six months of separation, or irreconcilable differences. The mutual consent path is the fastest — if both spouses sign a marital settlement agreement covering property, alimony, and any children, there is no waiting period before the court can grant the divorce.
The Complaint for Absolute Divorce (form CC-DR-020) goes to the Circuit Court in the county where either spouse resides. Eligibility requires six months of Maryland residency if the grounds arose outside the state. Property division works through a “monetary award” — the court can order one spouse to pay the other to balance an unequal split of assets, which is Maryland’s distinctive mechanism.
Alimony follows the factors in Fam. Law § 11-106, and child support follows the Maryland Child Support Guidelines under Fam. Law § 12-201. Because the 2023 reform removed the old two-year separation, the mutual consent route is now the standard choice for uncontested couples. Filing runs about $165 to $215.