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 Wyoming, there is no mandatory waiting period after filing for divorce before the divorce can be finalized. However, the state does require that at least one of the spouses has resided in Wyoming for a minimum of 60 days prior to filing for divorce, which serves as the residency requirement. Unlike some states that have a 'cooling-off' period or require a period of separation before a divorce can proceed, Wyoming does not impose these additional time constraints. Once the divorce paperwork is filed and served, the divorce can proceed without a mandatory delay, provided that all legal requirements are met and the court's schedule allows.