Divorce in Vermont, start to finish
See a different stateVermont
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Vermont gives you the forms for free. What it doesn’t give you is the order, the two separate six-month-and-one-year clocks that both have to run out, the traps that stall a filing for months, or anyone to tell you which path you’re actually on. That’s this.
Put in the day you filed and this page works out every deadline in your case, then hands you a calendar file that reminds you a week before each one and again the day before. It opens in the calendar you already use. Free, no account, nothing stored.
Put in the day you filed and this page works out every date in your case, then hands you a calendar file that reminds you a week before each one and again the day before. It opens in the calendar you already use. Free, no account, nothing stored.
Which forms do you actually need?
Your route and its conditions, the forms grouped by route, how filing actually works in Vermont, and the sequence with its costs.
First, which route you are on. Each one opens to the conditions the rule actually sets.
Stipulated
15 V.S.A. § 592 (residency); filing fee $90
Available only where all of these are true:
- The spouses have fully settled how to divide property and debts and, where there are children, parental rights and responsibilities, parent-child contact, and child support.
- Both spouses actually sign the Final Stipulation together. A spouse who is merely declining to fight service has not yet stipulated.
Contested (non-stipulated)
15 V.S.A. § 592 (residency); filing fee $295
This is the track where either of these is true:
- Property, debts, or parenting terms are not fully agreed.
- The other spouse will not sign the stipulation.
Grouped exactly as Vermont labels them, and nothing is added. 17 of 19 link straight to the official document; the rest are listed by name so you can find them in the state’s own catalog or ask the clerk for them.
All 7 forms
- 400-00831 — Notice of Appearance for Self-Represented Litigant
- 400-00800 — Information Sheet
- 400-00849 — Statement of Confidential Information
- VDH-VR-DIV — Department of Health Record of Divorce or Annulment
- 400-00813A — Financial Affidavit — Income and Expenses
- 400-00813B — Financial Affidavit — Property and Assets
- 600-00228 — Application to Waive Filing Fees & Service Costs (if needed)
Contested, formal service 2 forms
- 600-00264 — Certificate of Service
- 400-00820 — First Class Mail with Notice of Action & Request for Waiver of Service
Contested, minor children 1 form
- 400-00837 — Answer to the Complaint — With Children (the responding spouse files this)
Contested, no minor children 1 form
- 400-00837 — Notice of Appearance, Answer & Counterclaim — No Children (the responding spouse files this)
Minor children 1 form
- 400-00836 — Summons and Complaint for Divorce — With Children
No minor children 1 form
- 400-00836 — Summons and Complaint for Divorce — No Children
Stipulated 3 forms
Stipulated, minor children 2 forms
Stipulated; also Contested where the other spouse will accept service 1 form
- 400-00844 — Acceptance of Service — the responding spouse signs this instead of being served
You may e-file, but you do not have to
The checklist is not something you file. It is your worktable — what to do, in what order, and what it costs. The forms are what reaches the court, and this is how they get there in Vermont.
- Portal
- Odyssey File & Serve (Vermont eFiling)
- Paper
- Still accepted — you can file over the counter.
- What it costs
- No portal fee published.
- Account
- Only if the self-represented litigant elects to e-file. No registration cost is published in the rules.
- With a fee waiver
- Yes, for statutorily fee-exempt filers. VREF Rule 10(d)(2) provides that "[e]filing fees will not be applied" to those exempt from court filing fees under statute.
- Worth knowing
- Vermont is one of the few states that answers the fee-waiver question directly in the rule text: if you are statutorily exempt from court filing fees, e-filing fees are not applied to you either. The same one-way-door caution as Nevada applies — VREF 3(d)(2) locks a self-represented litigant into e-filing for the rest of the case once they elect it, absent a good-cause order.
Each step with the forms it names and the money it costs. The full detail of every step is in the section below. Print this part.
| # | Step | Forms it names | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm residency, start both clocks | None named | — |
| 2 | Assemble and sign your packet | 400-00813A400-00813B | — |
| 3 | File with the clerk, pay the fee | None named | $295 · $90 · $180 |
| 4 | Serve your spouse, or file the stipulation together generally within 30 days | None named | — |
| 5 | Spouse’s Answer is due 21 days from service | None named | — |
| 6 | Case manager conference, if you have children 4–8 weeks after filing | None named | — |
| 7 | Complete the COPE parent education class, if you have children | None named | $79 |
| 8 | Wait out whichever clock finishes last | None named | — |
| 9 | Final hearing, or waive it entirely | None named | — |
| 10 | The 90-day nisi period — you’re not actually divorced yet | None named | — |
Every figure here is this page’s own, from the costs section below. A fee waiver application is free to file and is listed with the forms above.
| Filing fee — without a stipulation | $295.00 |
| Filing fee — stipulated, one or both residents | $90.00 |
| Filing fee — stipulated, neither party a Vermont resident | $180.00 |
| Service by first-class mail with acknowledgment | $3.00 |
| Service by certified mail, restricted delivery | $18.50 |
| Sheriff service, per person — 32 V.S.A. § 1591(1)(A)(ii) | $75.00 + mileage |
| COPE parent education class, per parent (if minor children) | $79 |
| Typical all-in, stipulated, no kids, mail service | ~$93–$110 |
| Typical all-in, contested, sheriff service, with COPE for both parents | from $528 + mileage |
The short version8 points · tap one to jump to it
- The two tracks, and what the rule requires — Vermont’s real fork is not “simple vs. complicated”, it is stipulated vs. contested — and it changes the filing fee from $295 to $90.
- Every form Vermont publishes for a divorce — Every form here is free from the Vermont Judiciary, pulled straight from vtcourts.gov’s form library.
- Getting the forms and filling them in — Every Vermont family form is free, most are fillable PDFs, and self-represented filing is entirely normal — Vermont's Family Division has an Access and Resource Center built specifically to help people without lawyers.
- Vermont's residency trap, calculated — Vermont has two different residency clocks, and they don't run out at the same time.
- The order it actually happens in
- The rejection-proofing checklist — Every one of them costs weeks.
- The Financial Affidavits — what 813A and 813B require — Required of everyone, stipulated or contested, with or without children.
- What this costs — Form 600-00228, Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs — Vermont's own guidance points to roughly 150% of the Federal Poverty Level as the general threshold, or receipt of public assistance.
In this subject 8
1 · The two tracks, and what the rule requires
The short version8 points · tap one to jump to it
- The two tracks, and what the rule requires — Vermont’s real fork is not “simple vs. complicated”, it is stipulated vs. contested — and it changes the filing fee from $295 to $90.
- Every form Vermont publishes for a divorce — Every form here is free from the Vermont Judiciary, pulled straight from vtcourts.gov’s form library.
- Getting the forms and filling them in — Every Vermont family form is free, most are fillable PDFs, and self-represented filing is entirely normal — Vermont's Family Division has an Access and Resource Center built specifically to help people without lawyers.
- Vermont's residency trap, calculated — Vermont has two different residency clocks, and they don't run out at the same time.
- The order it actually happens in
- The rejection-proofing checklist — Every one of them costs weeks.
- The Financial Affidavits — what 813A and 813B require — Required of everyone, stipulated or contested, with or without children.
- What this costs — Form 600-00228, Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs — Vermont's own guidance points to roughly 150% of the Federal Poverty Level as the general threshold, or receipt of public assistance.
In this subject 8
Vermont’s real fork is not “simple vs. complicated”, it is stipulated vs. contested — and it changes the filing fee from $295 to $90. The two tracks are set out below with the conditions Vermont attaches to each, so the difference can be read directly rather than guessed at.
Residency comes first. 15 V.S.A. § 592 requires one spouse to have lived in Vermont for six months before a complaint can even be filed — and that is the easier of Vermont’s two residency clocks. The second, longer clock is in Section 4.
You may e-file, but you do not have to Your choice
- Portal
- Odyssey File & Serve (Vermont eFiling)
- Paper
- Still accepted — you can file over the counter.
- What it costs
- No portal fee published.
- Account
- Only if the self-represented litigant elects to e-file. No registration cost is published in the rules.
- With a fee waiver
- Yes, for statutorily fee-exempt filers. VREF Rule 10(d)(2) provides that "[e]filing fees will not be applied" to those exempt from court filing fees under statute.
- Worth knowing
- Vermont is one of the few states that answers the fee-waiver question directly in the rule text: if you are statutorily exempt from court filing fees, e-filing fees are not applied to you either. The same one-way-door caution as Nevada applies — VREF 3(d)(2) locks a self-represented litigant into e-filing for the rest of the case once they elect it, absent a good-cause order.
Stipulated
15 V.S.A. § 592 (residency); filing fee $90
The lighter of Vermont’s two tracks. There is no sheriff and no formal service: the other spouse signs an Acceptance of Service and files their own paperwork alongside. The court can be asked to waive the final hearing entirely, on Form 400-00841.
Available only where all of these are true:
- The spouses have fully settled how to divide property and debts and, where there are children, parental rights and responsibilities, parent-child contact, and child support.
- Both spouses actually sign the Final Stipulation together. A spouse who is merely declining to fight service has not yet stipulated.
The filing fee is $90, or $180 where neither spouse is a Vermont resident. Spousal support is addressed directly inside the Final Stipulation (400-00878) — there is no separate form for it.
Contested (non-stipulated)
15 V.S.A. § 592 (residency); filing fee $295
The track wherever a full agreement has not been reached. It does not mean a fight in front of a judge — most non-stipulated Vermont divorces still settle before a contested hearing. It means the formal machinery applies.
This is the track where either of these is true:
- Property, debts, or parenting terms are not fully agreed.
- The other spouse will not sign the stipulation.
The filing fee is $295. Formal service applies, a 21-day Answer window runs, and where there are children a case manager conference applies. A spouse who will not stipulate to the terms but also will not dodge paperwork can still sign Form 400-00844, Acceptance of Service — saving the sheriff fee even though the case itself is contested.
2 · Every form Vermont publishes for a divorce
The complete list for both tracks, not a shortlist — because which forms a case needs depends on facts only you and, if you need one, your lawyer can weigh. Each row says which track it belongs to. Every form here is free from the Vermont Judiciary, pulled straight from vtcourts.gov’s form library.
| Form | What it is | Route | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400-00831 | Notice of Appearance for Self-Represented Litigant | All | Download |
| 400-00800 | Information Sheet | All | Download |
| 400-00849 | Statement of Confidential Information | All | Download |
| VDH-VR-DIV | Department of Health Record of Divorce or Annulment | All | Download |
| 400-00836 | Summons and Complaint for Divorce — No Children | No minor children | Download |
| 400-00836 | Summons and Complaint for Divorce — With Children | Minor children | Download |
| 400-00813A | Financial Affidavit — Income and Expenses | All | Download |
| 400-00813B | Financial Affidavit — Property and Assets | All | Download |
| 400-00878 | Final Stipulation — Property, Debts & Spousal Support. Spousal support is addressed directly inside this form; there is no separate form for it. | Stipulated | Download |
| 400-00200 | Vehicle Addendum (where either spouse owns a vehicle) | Stipulated | Download |
| 400-00825 | Agreement on Parental Rights & Responsibilities and Parent-Child Contact | Stipulated, minor children | Download |
| 400-00802 | Child Support Order | Stipulated, minor children | Download |
| 400-00844 | Acceptance of Service — the responding spouse signs this instead of being served | Stipulated; also Contested where the other spouse will accept service | Download |
| 400-00841 | Stipulation and Motion to Waive Final Hearing (optional) | Stipulated | Download |
| 400-00837 | Notice of Appearance, Answer & Counterclaim — No Children (the responding spouse files this) | Contested, no minor children | Download |
| 400-00837 | Answer to the Complaint — With Children (the responding spouse files this) | Contested, minor children | Download |
| 600-00264 | Certificate of Service | Contested, formal service | ask the clerk |
| 400-00820 | First Class Mail with Notice of Action & Request for Waiver of Service | Contested, formal service | ask the clerk |
| 600-00228 | Application to Waive Filing Fees & Service Costs (if needed) | All | Download |
Every one of these is free. Full catalog and search: vtcourts.gov/forms-library.
3 · Getting the forms and filling them in
Nobody explains this part, so here it is. Every Vermont family form is free, most are fillable PDFs, and self-represented filing is entirely normal — Vermont’s Family Division has an Access and Resource Center built specifically to help people without lawyers.
Step one — download or use the guided tool
All Vermont Judiciary family forms live in one searchable library:
vtcourts.gov/forms-library — Court Forms
Legal Services Vermont built VTCourtForms, a free step-by-step tool that fills out your divorce packet for you and tells you where to file. It’s linked from every Vermont Judiciary divorce page — vtlawhelp.org/vtcourtforms/divorce. It doesn’t replace understanding the deadlines below, but it does remove most of the form-filling risk.
Step two — fill them in on screen
Vermont’s 400-series family forms are fillable PDFs. Open them in Adobe Acrobat Reader, Preview, or any browser, type directly into the fields, and print or upload. Write “N/A” anywhere something doesn’t apply rather than leaving a field blank.
Step three — the Financial Affidavits, sworn not just signed
Forms 400-00813A (income and expenses) and 400-00813B (property and assets) are required of everyone filing for divorce in Vermont — stipulated or contested, with or without children. Both are sworn statements, completed before a notary. Attach your four most recent pay stubs.
The Financial Affidavits, the Statement of Confidential Information, and (in a stipulated case) the Final Stipulation are all sworn before a notary — you sign in their presence, not before. A form signed the night before isn’t sworn, it’s just signed, and a spouse’s attorney will catch it.
Step four — file with the Family Division clerk
File in your county’s Family Division — in person, by mail, or by email, according to Vermont Judiciary’s own instructions. Vermont does not require self-represented filers to e-file. Pay the filing fee by check, money order, cash (in person only), or card (a convenience fee applies — roughly 2.4–2.9% depending on the method).
File Form 600-00228, Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs. Vermont’s own guidance says the court should waive the fee if you receive public assistance, or if your income is under roughly 150% of the Federal Poverty Level. It can cover service costs too.
Step five — get your spouse served, or skip it entirely
If you’re stipulating, your spouse doesn’t get “served” — they sign Form 400-00844, Acceptance of Service, along with their own Notice of Appearance and Financial Affidavits. If you’re not stipulating, you’re generally responsible for arranging service yourself (the court arranges it for you only in cases with school-aged children) — by mail with acknowledgment ($3), certified mail ($18.50), or a sheriff ($75.00 per return of service under 32 V.S.A. § 1591(1)(A)(ii), plus mileage). Ask the clerk which method fits your case; they can’t give legal advice but they can explain the mechanics.
4 · Vermont’s residency trap, calculated
This is the mechanic almost nobody explains clearly. Vermont has two different residency clocks, and they don’t run out at the same time. Put in your dates and we’ll show you exactly where you stand — then add every deadline to your calendar in one click.
Under 15 V.S.A. § 592(a): “A complaint for divorce… may be brought if either party… has resided within the State for a period of six months or more, but a divorce shall not be decreed for any cause, unless the plaintiff or the defendant has resided in the State one year next preceding the date of final hearing.” You can file at six months. The judge cannot sign your decree until someone hits twelve. If you moved to Vermont eight months ago, you can file today — and then everything else in this guide happens while that clock keeps running in the background.
5 · The order it actually happens in
6 · The rejection-proofing checklist
These are the specific things that stall Vermont filings — a clerk sending your packet back, or a hearing that can’t be scheduled yet. Every one of them costs weeks.
The two-clock trap
People assume that once they’ve lived in Vermont a year, they’re clear. But if you’re relying on the six-month “living separate and apart” no-fault ground and you only separated two months ago, your case still isn’t ready for a final hearing — even with a year of residency behind you. Check both dates in Section 4, not just one.
Forms people forget
Timing
Vermont’s decree is a decree nisi under 15 V.S.A. § 554 — it only becomes absolute 90 days later. Don’t plan a remarriage, a name-change errand, or anything else that depends on being legally divorced until that 90-day window has actually closed.
7 · The Financial Affidavits — what 813A and 813B require
Required of everyone, stipulated or contested, with or without children. Both are sworn before a notary — filed with the court, not just exchanged.
400-00813A covers income and expenses. 400-00813B covers property, assets, and debts. Both spouses file both, whether or not you’re stipulating — a stipulation still has to show the court the numbers behind the agreement.
8 · What this costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing fee — without a stipulation | $295.00 |
| Filing fee — stipulated, one or both residents | $90.00 |
| Filing fee — stipulated, neither party a Vermont resident | $180.00 |
| Service by first-class mail with acknowledgment | $3.00 |
| Service by certified mail, restricted delivery | $18.50 |
| Sheriff service, per person — 32 V.S.A. § 1591(1)(A)(ii) | $75.00 + mileage |
| COPE parent education class, per parent (if minor children) | $79 |
| Typical all-in, stipulated, no kids, mail service | ~$93–$110 |
| Typical all-in, contested, sheriff service, with COPE for both parents | from $528 + mileage |
Form 600-00228, Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs — Vermont’s own guidance points to roughly 150% of the Federal Poverty Level as the general threshold, or receipt of public assistance. It can also cover service costs.
What an attorney typically runs, by county Illustrative demo data
The figures below are member-reported estimates from Cusp users in each county, not official rates — nothing on this page is a quote, and actual attorney fees vary enormously by complexity. Treat this as a rough sense of scale, not a number to hold anyone to.
| County | Reported hourly range | Reported uncontested flat-fee range |
|---|---|---|
| Chittenden | $250–$375/hr | $1,500–$3,000 |
| Rutland | $200–$300/hr | $1,200–$2,400 |
| Washington | $210–$320/hr | $1,300–$2,600 |
Does cheating change the money in Vermont?
The statute says nothing either way, which is not the same as permission. What we read: § 752(b)’s nine factors are economic and demographic. How all fifty states answer this.
Reconciled, and it did not work? Vermont has written the old forgiveness doctrine out of its code: condonation, state by state. If the decision itself is what you are sitting with rather than the law, start here.
What this is. A guide to Vermont’s own process, built from Title 15 of the Vermont Statutes (chapter 11, including §§ 551, 554, and 592), Vermont Rules for Family Proceedings, and the official forms, checklists, and instructions published by the Vermont Judiciary at vtcourts.gov — including its 400-00022 and 400-00023 divorce checklists and its “Divorce Process” self-help page. The forms themselves are free and this guide links you to them rather than reselling them.
What this is not. The Cusp is not a law firm and does not practice law. Nothing here is legal advice, and nothing here tells you which choice is right for your particular situation — only what Vermont requires of each path. Court staff, including clerks and case managers, are not permitted to give legal advice either. If your case involves contested custody, a business, hidden assets, domestic violence, or a spouse with a lawyer, talk to one yourself; many offer free consultations, and one hour of advice is cheaper than a case that stalls for a season over a residency date nobody flagged.
Confirm current numbers with the clerk. Filing fees, service costs, and class fees are periodically adjusted. Where this guide could not verify an exact figure, form link, or local scheduling practice (such as exactly how many days after filing a case manager conference lands in your county) with confidence against an official Vermont Judiciary source, it says so, gives a range, or tells you to check with the Family Division clerk rather than guessing.
Four things can happen to the house in a Vermont divorce
Vermont is not one of the twenty states where filing freezes both spouses automatically. That is not permission to sell: either of you can still ask a court for an order, and one may already exist in your case. But the automatic-order trap is not one you fall into here.
One of you buys the other out, you sell later, you sell now, or the court decides. For a great many people the right answer is not to sell at all – and three of the four routes earn us nothing.
The four routes, compared · Keeping it: the buyout and the carrying cost · Selling: capital gains, basis and timing · Finding an agent who has done a divorce sale · What two households cost
Need a vetted attorney, mediator, or financial analyst in Vermont?
Browse The Cusp’s professional directory — rated only by verified clients, never ranked by who paid the most.
Browse the directory →The Cusp · All 50 state kits · Find a professional · About
Ask for an introduction to an agent → — who we would introduce you to, what the referral fee is and who pays it, and why the answer is sometimes that you should not sell at all.
Everything we have written about Vermont specifically. Every figure on these pages is quoted from Vermont’s own statute or its courts’ own published schedule, and carries the date we last checked it.
- Modifying support after divorce
- Modifying custody and parenting time after divorce
- Check your state’s rules in one place (modification checker)
- What it costs to file
- Child custody
- Child support
- Guardians ad litem and child representation
- Travel, custody and relocation
- Alimony
- Property, support and legal fees
- Protective orders
- Changing your name back
- Legal help you can afford
- Verified professionals
The most expensive mistakes in a divorce are made in the year after it, by people who thought the case was over. After the divorce is the checklist for that year — the health-coverage clock, the retirement order a decree cannot replace, and the beneficiary form that outranks your will.
Filing is one household becoming two, and the second one starts empty. The two-household list is what to send the people who keep asking how they can help — the second of everything, and the half of it that costs nothing. Some people call it a divorce registry.
All 19 Vermont divorce forms, listed by the number the clerk will ask for — 19 with an official form number, 17 linked straight to the state’s own file, each with its revision date where the state publishes one. Open the Vermont form list →
Common questions about filing for divorce in Vermont
Short answers to what people ask most before they start. Each one points at the part of this page that covers it in full.
How do I file for divorce in Vermont?
This page sets out the order it happens in for Vermont: which form opens the case, what has to be served on the other person and when, and what the court needs before it will finish. It is written to be followed in sequence rather than read through.
What forms do I need to file for divorce in Vermont?
The form list on this page gives the official Vermont form numbers, each one’s revision date, and a link to the copy on the court’s own site rather than a copy hosted here. Using a superseded revision is one of the most common reasons a filing comes back, which is why the dates are shown.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in Vermont?
$90 – $295 to open the case, and that is only the filing fee — it does not cover service, copies, any required class, or a lawyer. The full breakdown for Vermont, with every figure traced to the court’s own published schedule and dated, is at what it costs to file in Vermont.
What gets a Vermont divorce filing rejected?
This page has a section on exactly that — the specific mistakes that get a filing returned in Vermont rather than a general list. Most of them are procedural and cost weeks rather than money: the wrong form revision, a missing signature or notarization, service done in a way the state does not accept, or filing before a residency requirement is met.
How long does a divorce take in Vermont?
There is a timeline on this page built from Vermont’s own statutory day-counts, not from averages. The honest short answer is that the waiting period is a floor and not a prediction: an uncontested case can finish close to it, and a contested one is governed by the court’s calendar rather than the statute.
Where does the information on this page come from?
Vermont’s own courts and statutes. Every form links to the court’s site, every fee is quoted from the published schedule with the date it was last checked, and where something could not be confirmed from an official source this site says so instead of estimating. It is free, with no account and no paywall.
Does cheating change the money in Vermont?
Probably not, but for a different reason than you might think: Vermont’s support statute contains no misconduct factor at all. Silence is not permission and it is not a prohibition — seventeen states are in this position, and in them the written rule simply does not address it. The fifty-state table sets out the section this comes from, and the card higher up this page quotes your state’s own words.
Choosing an agent for a divorce sale is a different problem from choosing one for an ordinary sale: who the agent is allowed to talk to, who has to sign, what happens when one of you will not, and the three separate conflicts of interest that come up when one spouse found the agent first. How to choose a real estate agent for a divorce sale sets out what to ask, and how to check a credential yourself — no divorce credential is official with the National Association of Realtors.
The Cusp receives a referral fee from agents it vets and trains to handle divorce clients.
Key deadlines at a glance
These are the same deadlines the calculator above works out, shown as days counted from the day you file or the day your spouse is served. Use the calculator for your exact dates.
No minor children
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint filed | The day you file | Case manager conference and, if applicable, service deadlines count from here. |
| Spouse served / Acceptance of Service signed | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | Their 21-day window starts now, if this was formal service. |
| Spouse’s Answer is due | 21 days after service | 21 days from service — Vermont Judiciary’s own divorce-process guidance. |
With minor children
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint filed | The day you file | Case manager conference and, if applicable, service deadlines count from here. |
| Spouse served / Acceptance of Service signed | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | Their 21-day window starts now, if this was formal service. |
| Spouse’s Answer is due | 21 days after service | 21 days from service — Vermont Judiciary’s own divorce-process guidance. |
| Case manager conference (typical window) | 42 days after filing | Usually scheduled 4–8 weeks after filing; this estimate uses 6 weeks. Confirm your actual date with the clerk. |
Your county
Divorce rules are set by the state, but each county or court has its own forms, deadlines, classes and filing habits. Choose yours.
Or go straight to your county or court:
Chittenden Family DivisionFranklin Family DivisionOrleans Family Division (call to confirm)Rutland Family DivisionWashington Family DivisionWindham Family DivisionWindsor Family DivisionChittenden Family Division
The Vermont Judiciary lists this Family Division at 32 Cherry Street, Suite 200, Burlington, VT 05401, phone 802-651-1709. Its listing shows it closes the second Tuesday of each month, noon to 4:00 p.m. for in-service training. The standing orders page lists no Family Division standing order for this unit, so the statewide forms and procedures are what the official site shows.
Who to contact: 32 Cherry Street, Suite 200, Burlington, VT 05401; 802-651-1709
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Franklin Family Division
The Vermont Judiciary lists this Family Division at 36 Lake Street, St. Albans, VT 05478, phone 802-524-7997. Its listing shows it closes the last Monday of each month, 9 a.m. to noon for in-service training. The standing orders page lists no Family Division standing order for this unit, so the statewide forms and procedures are what the official site shows.
Who to contact: 36 Lake Street, St. Albans, VT 05478; 802-524-7997
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Orleans Family Division Call or check the court website to confirm
The official court locations page says the Orleans County Courthouse in Newport is temporarily closed to the public, with assistance and forms offered at the Orleans Criminal Courthouse, 217 Main Street, and hearings held there in person. The standing orders page lists an Orleans Family Division order on in-person and remote appearances. Confirm current arrangements with the clerk.
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Rutland Family Division
The Vermont Judiciary lists this Family Division at 9 Merchants Row, Rutland, VT 05701, phone 802-786-5856. Its listing shows it closes the first Tuesday of each month, 8 a.m. to noon for in-service training. The standing orders page lists no Family Division standing order for this unit, so the statewide forms and procedures are what the official site shows. The only Rutland standing order listed is for the Criminal Division.
Who to contact: 9 Merchants Row, Rutland, VT 05701; 802-786-5856
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Washington Family Division
The Vermont Judiciary lists this Family Division at 255 North Main St, Suite 1, Barre, VT 05641, phone 802-479-4205. Its listing shows it closes the fourth Wednesday of each month, 8 a.m. to noon for in-service training. The standing orders page lists no Family Division standing order for this unit, so the statewide forms and procedures are what the official site shows.
Who to contact: 255 North Main St, Suite 1, Barre, VT 05641; 802-479-4205
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Windham Family Division
The Vermont Judiciary lists this Family Division at 30 Putney Road, 2nd Floor, Brattleboro, VT 05301, phone 802-257-2800. Its listing shows it closes the first Friday of each month, 8 a.m. to noon for in-service training. The standing orders page lists no Family Division standing order for this unit, so the statewide forms and procedures are what the official site shows.
Who to contact: 30 Putney Road, 2nd Floor, Brattleboro, VT 05301; 802-257-2800
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Windsor Family Division
The Vermont Judiciary lists this Family Division at 82 Railroad Row, White River Junction, VT 05001, phone 802-295-8865. Its listing shows it closes the second Friday of each month, 8 a.m. to noon for in-service training. The standing orders page lists no Family Division standing order for this unit, so the statewide forms and procedures are what the official site shows.
Who to contact: 82 Railroad Row, White River Junction, VT 05001; 802-295-8865
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Not listed? Your county clerk of court can tell you the local rules. These are general information from court and clerk pages, last checked 2026-11-10, not legal advice.
Serving the papers in Vermont? Sheriff, constable, or an appointed person; you must see that service is made. No outer deadline found. (As we read the rules on 29 October 2026.) See who can serve a divorce summons and whether you can do it yourself, and find Vermont in our state-by-state serving table.
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How we can help
Understand the house first. Then talk to someone who gets it.
The house is usually the largest decision in a divorce, and the one people are least ready for. Here is what we do, in the order that makes sense.
1. Start with the facts, free
22 states have automatic orders that freeze both spouses the moment a divorce is filed, barring either one from selling or borrowing against the property. Is yours one of them?
Plain-English guides on what can happen to the house, what an automatic order stops you doing, and how the tax rules decide what a sale is worth. No account and nothing to buy.
- The four things that can happen to the house
- Selling the house: who signs, and the tax rules
- Keeping the house: the buyout and the carrying cost
2. Know when not to call an agent
Often the right answer is to wait, or to talk to your lawyer or an accountant first. We say so plainly. An agent is the wrong first call if nothing is filed, or if an order restricts what either of you can do with the property.
3. Talk to someone who gets it
When you do need an agent, we introduce you to a local agent who has completed our divorce real estate training and passed its 20-question exam. Before any introduction we check the license with the state regulator (any unresolved disciplinary action is a no), the agent’s closed sales, and a review rating of 4.7 or better. The introduction is free, and you are free to say no.
Ask for an introductionHow we are paid
You pay us nothing. Agents are not charged for the training, the exam or the free resources. If an introduction leads to a closed sale, the agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee out of its own commission, not out of your proceeds. A place on the panel cannot be bought.
General information, not legal or tax advice. The Cusp is not a law firm.
Selling a home in a divorce: what to ask a local listing agent
Selling the house is often the largest single decision in a divorce. These questions help you judge whether an agent has done it before. They do not replace your lawyer, who should approve the plan before anything is listed.
- Have you sold homes where both spouses had to sign, or where a court had to approve the sale? How many, and how recently?
- Does filing already restrain a sale in my state? Check the 50-state table and ask my lawyer before we sign anything.
- Who decides on price changes and which offers to accept when we disagree, and how will that be written down?
- Who pays the mortgage, taxes and insurance until closing, and what does the listing agreement say about it?
- Where will the sale proceeds be held until the decree says who gets what?
- How will you handle showings, access and lockboxes if we are not speaking?
- Will you give both spouses and both lawyers the same information at the same time?
- What happens to the listing agreement if we settle, reconcile or the case is delayed? What are the cancellation terms?
- Can I have your fee terms in writing and the names of past clients who sold during a divorce?