- Residency before filing
- 6 months[2]
Key facts: divorce in Maine
| Waiting period | 60 days[1] details ↓ |
|---|---|
| Residency requirement | 6 months[2] details ↓ |
| No-fault divorce | Yes[3] details ↓ |
| Property division | Equitable distribution[4] details ↓ |
| Court mediation for custody | Required[5] details ↓ |
| Court mediation fees | $160 (two sessions)[6] details ↓ |
| Filing fee | $120[6] details ↓ |
Statutes and court rules as checked October 26, 2026. Not legal advice.
What are the divorce laws in Maine?
Not legal advice. These are plain-English summaries of Maine’s statutes and court rules as of the date shown on each; they can change and courts apply them case by case. Read the linked source or ask a lawyer licensed in Maine.
Waiting period
60 days
The Maine Judicial Branch says there is a minimum 60-day wait between filing all the necessary divorce paperwork and the final hearing, with or without children.[1]
Divorce · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“In either case, Maine law requires a minimum 60-day waiting period between the filing of all the necessary divorce paperwork and the final hearing.”
Residency requirement
6 months
A divorce may be filed in Maine if the plaintiff has lived there in good faith for 6 months, or the plaintiff is a Maine resident and the couple married in Maine or lived in Maine when the cause arose, or the defendant is a Maine resident.[2]
19-A M.R.S. § 901(1) · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“A. The plaintiff has resided in good faith in this State for 6 months prior to the commencement of the action;”
No-fault divorce
Yes, fault grounds also exist
Irreconcilable marital differences is a ground for divorce in Maine, alongside fault grounds such as cruel and abusive treatment.[3]
19-A M.R.S. § 902(1)(H) · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“Irreconcilable marital differences; or”
Property division
Equitable distribution
The court sets apart each spouse's own property and divides marital property in proportions it considers just after weighing factors such as contributions, economic circumstances and economic abuse.[4]
Community property in Maine: the statute quoted →
19-A M.R.S. § 953(1) · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“the court shall set apart to each spouse the spouse's property and shall divide the marital property in proportions the court considers just after considering all relevant factors, including:”
Court mediation for custody
Required
Before a contested hearing in a divorce or other family case with minor children, the court must refer the parties to mediation; the court may waive this for extraordinary cause shown on a motion with an affidavit.[5]
19-A M.R.S. § 251(2) · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“Except as provided in paragraph B, prior to a contested hearing under chapter 27, chapter 29, chapter 55, chapter 61 or chapter 63 when there are minor children of the parties, the court shall refer the parties to mediation.”
Court mediation fees
$160 (two sessions)
The court fee schedule sets $160 for initial mediation (two sessions) in pre-judgment Family Division matters through the court ADR service, and $160 for additional sessions; the fee is split equally unless the court directs otherwise and can be waived for parties who cannot pay.[6]
Maine Supreme Judicial Court Administrative Order JB-05-26, Court Fees Schedule, § 5; 4 M.R.S. § 18-B(7) · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“a.Initial mediation in Pre-Judgment Family Division Matters (for two mediation sessions) $160.00”
Filing fee
$120
The statewide court fee schedule sets $120 for entry of a family matter action, the category that covers a divorce complaint.[6]
Maine Supreme Judicial Court Administrative Order JB-05-26, Court Fees Schedule, § I(A)(4)(k) · checked October 26, 2026
Show statute text
“Entry of a Family Matter Action11 $120.00”
Alimony
Set by formula from January 1, 2027
Maine courts can award general, transitional, reimbursement, nominal and interim spousal support after considering listed factors. For general support, the statute sets rebuttable presumptions on whether it is awarded and for how long based on marriage length, and a new presumptive amount formula (difference in spousal support incomes × 0.015 per year of marriage, capped at 0.3) applies to actions pending on or after January 1, 2027.
Divorce rate
2.5 per 1,000 residents (2024)
Maine’s courts granted 2.5 divorces per 1,000 residents in 2024, down from 5.0 in 2000; the U.S. rate was 2.3. In the Census Bureau’s 2024 survey, 5.1 of every 1,000 women 15 and older in Maine divorced in the past year (±1.3; U.S. 6.9), a different measure.[8][9]
Divorce rates by state, with sources → · CDC/NCHS NVSS; Census ACS · checked October 27, 2026
Estimate your divorce cost in Maine: mediation vs. court →
How child support is calculated in Maine →
Official help: Divorce (State of Maine Judicial Branch)
Mediators per 100,000: MediationList listings from official court and government rosters in Maine (60) ÷ population (1,405,012, U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 county population estimates (July 1, 2024)) × 100,000, the same figure as mediator statistics.[7]
Questions about divorce in Maine
How long does a divorce take in Maine?
The law sets the minimum, not the total: The Maine Judicial Branch says there is a minimum 60-day wait between filing all the necessary divorce paperwork and the final hearing, with or without children. How long it takes after that depends on whether you agree and on the court's calendar. — Divorce[1]
How long do you have to live in Maine to file for divorce?
A divorce may be filed in Maine if the plaintiff has lived there in good faith for 6 months, or the plaintiff is a Maine resident and the couple married in Maine or lived in Maine when the cause arose, or the defendant is a Maine resident. — 19-A M.R.S. § 901(1)[2]
Is Maine a no-fault divorce state?
Irreconcilable marital differences is a ground for divorce in Maine, alongside fault grounds such as cruel and abusive treatment. — 19-A M.R.S. § 902(1)(H)[3]
Is Maine a community property state?
No. The court sets apart each spouse's own property and divides marital property in proportions it considers just after weighing factors such as contributions, economic circumstances and economic abuse. — 19-A M.R.S. § 953(1)[4]
Is mediation required for custody in Maine?
Before a contested hearing in a divorce or other family case with minor children, the court must refer the parties to mediation; the court may waive this for extraordinary cause shown on a motion with an affidavit. — 19-A M.R.S. § 251(2)[5]
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Maine?
The statewide court fee schedule sets $120 for entry of a family matter action, the category that covers a divorce complaint. — Maine Supreme Judicial Court Administrative Order JB-05-26, Court Fees Schedule, § I(A)(4)(k)[6]
How much does court mediation cost in Maine?
The court fee schedule sets $160 for initial mediation (two sessions) in pre-judgment Family Division matters through the court ADR service, and $160 for additional sessions; the fee is split equally unless the court directs otherwise and can be waived for parties who cannot pay. — Maine Supreme Judicial Court Administrative Order JB-05-26, Court Fees Schedule, § 5; 4 M.R.S. § 18-B(7)[6]
More
Sources
Maine’s statutes and court rules, read on the official site, plus federal statistics; each with the date we checked it.
- Divorce (State of Maine Judicial Branch)↩
- 19-A M.R.S. § 901(1) (Maine Legislature)↩
- 19-A M.R.S. § 902(1)(H) (Maine Legislature)↩
- 19-A M.R.S. § 953(1) (Maine Legislature)↩
- 19-A M.R.S. § 251(2) (Maine Legislature)↩
- Maine Supreme Judicial Court Administrative Order JB-05-26 (A. 3-26), Court Fees Schedule, § 5 (eff. March 9, 2026); 4 M.R.S. § 18-B(7)↩
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 county and state population estimates (July 1, 2024)↩
- CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System: Divorce rates by State: 1990, 1995, and 2000-2024↩
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B12503↩