Canada · Territory guide
Separation and divorce inNunavut.
Family law is provincial. Here is how it works in Nunavut: the property rules, support, how to file, what it costs, who enforces it, and every FairWell guide and tool set up for Nunavut.
Official source: www.gov.nu.ca · Court forms: www.nunavutcourts.ca
Property division
The Family Law Act (adopted from the NWT) divides family property equally between spouses, including qualifying common-law partners.
Child and spousal support
Federal Child Support Guidelines. Divorce is federal under the Divorce Act: one year living separate and apart (or adultery or cruelty). Child support for divorcing parents follows the Federal Child Support Guidelines; spousal support is guided by the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines.
Filing for divorce
Court: Nunavut Court of JusticeDivorce is filed in the Nunavut Court of Justice, a single-level trial court that travels on circuit. Fees in the low hundreds.
Pensions
Pension division on agreement or order.
Deadlines
Limitation periods apply to property and support claims; check the official source for current rules.
Enforcement and legal aid
Support is enforced by the Maintenance Enforcement Program. Support orders and filed agreements can be registered with the provincial maintenance enforcement program, which collects through wage garnishment, licence suspension and federal interception. Legal aid: Legal Services Board of Nunavut.
Official guidelines and tools
The government and court sources for child support, spousal support, the family law statute and self-help. Use these to check any estimate, including ours.
Common questions
How is property divided in a Nunavut divorce?
The Family Law Act (adopted from the NWT) divides family property equally between spouses, including qualifying common-law partners.
How do I file for divorce in Nunavut?
Divorce is filed in the Nunavut Court of Justice, a single-level trial court that travels on circuit. Fees in the low hundreds. File in the Nunavut Court of Justice.
When does child support end in Nunavut?
Child support usually continues until the child reaches the age of majority, which is 19 in Nunavut. Under the Divorce Act it can continue past that age if the child cannot become independent because of illness, disability or another cause, and courts often treat reasonable full-time post-secondary studies as such a cause.
What happens to property when unmarried couples separate in Nunavut?
Nunavut's Family Law Act treats common-law partners as spouses if they lived together in a conjugal relationship for at least two years, or in a relationship of some permanence with a child together. Separated spouses, married or not, are generally entitled to an equal share of the value of family property, and must apply within two years of separating.
How long do you need to live in Nunavut to file for divorce?
Under the Divorce Act, you or your spouse must have been habitually resident in Nunavut for at least one year before starting the divorce. Divorces are heard by the Nunavut Court of Justice.
Official help: Nunavut Court of Justice: Family guides and resources. Rules change, so confirm with a family lawyer in Nunavut before you rely on them.
Read next
Guides for Nunavut
Filing for an uncontested divorce in Canada
GuideWhat divorce costs in Canada
GuideChild support in Canada
GuideSpousal Support Advisory Guidelines explained
GuideProperty division across Canada
GuidePensions and CPP credit splitting
GuideSeparation and Canadian taxes
GuideIndependent legal advice
GuideCommon-law separation guide
GuideYour separation date controls everything
GuideHidden assets: warning signs
GuideJoint debt at separation
GuideWhen your ex won't pay
GuideSeparating when there is abuse
Professionals
Family lawyers, mediators and coaches in Nunavut
Family lawyers
Listings marked Verified have been checked against the law society directory. Each lawyer sets their own fees.
DirectoryMediators
Family mediators for parenting and financial issues. Listings marked Verified have been checked against their association.
DirectoryDivorce coaches and counsellors
Decision support, communication and co-parenting help. What a coach does.
Are you a professional in Nunavut? List your practice.
Nunavut
Get organised in Nunavut
Guided questions for separation agreements, parenting plans and financial disclosure, linked to the official sources on this page and organised into a plain-language summary for a local family lawyer, who prepares the agreement and advises you.
Sources and further reading
This page is legal information, not legal advice. It summarises how the process works in Nunavut so you can plan; the official sources above are where current fees, forms and deadlines live, and they are the final word if anything here differs. When you're ready, the assessment and FairWell's guided questions link to the rules for Nunavut; a local lawyer prepares any agreement and advises you before you sign.