Answer

The Śvetāmbara–Digambara split did not happen on one exact date. In Jain tradition, its roots are usually linked to the centuries after Mahāvīra, especially the 4th–3rd century BCE, when differences such as monastic clothing and nudity began to harden into separate identities. Historians generally say the division became fully established much later, around the 5th century CE, especially after the Valabhī council in 453 or 456 CE, when the Śvetāmbara canon was codified without Digambara participation. ( jainpedia.org)

Explanation

So if you mean “when did the disagreement start?”, the answer is gradually after Mahāvīra, in the 4th–3rd century BCE. If you mean “when did the two sects become clearly separate?”, the answer is by the 5th century CE. ( jainpedia.org)

Spiritual Understanding

In Jain Dharma, both traditions preserve the core aim of liberation through non-violence, discipline, and self-restraint. The split was mainly about monastic practice, scripture, and interpretation, rather than a change in the essential Jain goal. ( britannica.com)

Takeaway

In simple words: the split began gradually after Mahāvīra, and it became clearly fixed by about the 5th century CE. ( jainpedia.org)