EXCLUSIVE

Slash jumped the deadline issued by his wife, Perla and pulled the trigger on divorcing her ... TMZ has learned.

Slash filed divorce docs in L.A. on Tuesday ... citing irreconcilable differences. He lists their date of separation as June 15th, and is requesting joint physical and legal custody of their boys ... 12-year-old London and 10-year-old Cash.

They've been married since Oct. 2001.

TMZ broke the story ... Perla flew to Hawaii -- with their sons -- on Sunday night and told the guitar god he had until New Year's Day to clean up his issues.

Slash also filed divorce docs in 2010, but withdrew his petition two months later when he and Perla worked things out.