In many states there is a waiting period for finalizing a divorce following the filing of the lawsuit for divorce. This waiting period is intended to allow the spouses to “cool-off” and reconcile if possible. And some states require the spouses to have separated and lived apart for some period of time before proceeding with the divorce. In some states that require such a separation period, if the spouses reconcile and begin living together again (cohabitating) after separating, the separation period must be restarted before the divorce process can proceed.

The waiting period or separation period is often 30-90 days but may be as long as 5-18 months in states such as Arkansas, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Vermont. These waiting periods are generally in addition to any minimum time period a spouse must have resided in the county in which the divorce is filed before filing for divorce—known as the residency requirement.

In Iowa, there is a mandatory waiting period for finalizing a divorce, which is intended to provide the spouses with a 'cooling-off' period that might lead to reconciliation. Specifically, Iowa law requires a 90-day waiting period from the time the original notice is served upon the respondent or from the time of filing the petition for divorce, whichever occurs later. However, the court may waive this waiting period if there are compelling circumstances. Additionally, Iowa does not have a statutory requirement for the spouses to live apart for a certain period before filing for divorce. The residency requirement in Iowa mandates that one of the spouses must have resided in the state for a minimum of one year before filing for divorce, unless the marriage took place in Iowa and one spouse has been a resident since the time of marriage.