To obtain a divorce certificate, contact the vital records office in the state where the divorce was finalized and submit a request in person, by mail, or online. You’ll need a completed application, a government-issued photo ID, and a fee that generally runs from about $10 to $30 per certified copy. The federal government does not keep divorce records, so every request goes through a state or local office.1CDC. Where to Write for Vital Records
Make Sure You Actually Need the Certificate
Before you order anything, confirm which document the person asking for it actually wants. A divorce certificate is a short vital record listing both parties’ names, the date the divorce was finalized, and the location. A divorce decree is the court order that ended the marriage and spells out property division, support, custody, and every other term the judge approved.2USAGov. How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree or Certificate
The certificate proves the marriage ended. The decree proves what was decided. A certificate is usually enough to remarry or update a name. If you need to enforce child support, transfer a house title, or resolve a dispute over the terms, you need the decree instead.2USAGov. How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree or Certificate Certificates come from the state vital records office; decrees come from the court that granted the divorce. Show up at the wrong counter and you’ll leave empty-handed.
Find the Right Office
Every divorce certificate is filed with the state or local vital records office in the jurisdiction where the divorce was finalized. If you know the state and roughly when the divorce was granted, go straight to that state’s vital records office. The CDC publishes a national directory with current addresses and contact information for every state office.1CDC. Where to Write for Vital Records
If you’re not sure where the divorce was filed, start with the county courthouse where you or your ex-spouse lived at the time. Court clerks can usually confirm whether a case was filed there and point you to the correct records office.
Some states only maintain divorce records for certain date ranges. For older divorces, the state office may send you back to the county court that issued the original decree.
The Three Ways to Request a Copy
Most states offer the same three request methods. The requirements are similar; the speed and cost aren’t.
In Person
Walking into the vital records office is the fastest route. Bring a completed application (available on the office’s website or at the counter), a government-issued photo ID, and the fee. Many offices issue a certified copy the same day.
By Mail
A mail request needs a completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and payment, typically by check or money order. Some states require the whole application to be notarized. Standard processing generally takes a few weeks and varies widely by state, so plan ahead if a deadline is involved.
Online
Many states contract with third-party processors such as VitalChek to handle online and phone orders. These services verify your identity electronically and charge your credit card. You’ll pay the state’s base fee plus a separate processing fee, and can usually add overnight shipping. Online orders often receive priority handling, which can beat standard mail turnaround.
Fees and Processing Times
State fees for a single certified copy typically fall in the range of roughly $10 to $30, with the exact amount depending on the state. Some states charge extra for expedited or priority processing. Third-party services generally add around $8 to $15 per transaction, plus optional shipping charges.
Mail requests take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. In-person requests usually produce same-day results. Online orders with priority handling tend to land somewhere between the two. If you’re working against a firm deadline, call the vital records office first and ask about current turnaround. Staffing and backlogs shift.
Who’s Allowed to Get One
Every request method requires proof of identity. A current driver’s license or passport is standard. Some offices also accept military IDs or other government-issued credentials. Mail and online requests may verify identity through a notarized affidavit or an electronic verification service such as LexisNexis.
Eligibility for a certified copy is generally limited to the individuals named in the divorce, their legal representatives, and in some states, immediate family members. If someone is requesting on your behalf, they typically need a signed authorization letter or a power of attorney. These restrictions exist to protect personal information, and offices enforce them.
When Records Are Restricted
Some states treat divorce records as confidential and limit access to the parties and their authorized representatives. Others open records to the public after a set number of years. If you don’t meet the standard eligibility criteria but have a legitimate reason to obtain someone else’s divorce certificate, you can petition the court for an order granting access. That usually means showing a specific legal or financial need. An attorney can help frame the request, though for straightforward situations the filing itself isn’t especially complex.
If Your Divorce Was Granted Outside the United States
A foreign divorce certificate needs extra work before U.S. agencies will accept it. Two things usually have to happen: translation and authentication.
Translation
Federal agencies require a full certified English translation of any foreign-language document. The translator must certify in writing that the translation is complete and accurate and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language into English. The translator doesn’t have to be licensed, but the certification statement must accompany the translated document.3eCFR. 8 CFR 103.2 Submission and Adjudication of Benefit Requests
Hague Convention Countries
If the divorce was granted in a country that is part of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, you can authenticate the certificate by obtaining an apostille from the competent authority in that country. The apostille replaces the older legalization process with a single standardized certificate.4HCCH. Apostille Section
Non-Hague Countries
If the country isn’t a party to the Hague Convention, the document needs an authentication certificate instead. For a foreign government-issued divorce record, this typically means getting the document authenticated first by the issuing country’s government, then submitting it to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications with Form DS-4194 and the required fees. The process can take weeks or longer, depending on the foreign government’s procedures.5U.S. Department of State. Preparing a Document for an Authentication Certificate
In some situations, a U.S. court may need to formally recognize a foreign divorce before domestic agencies will accept it, particularly when the granting country’s legal standards differ significantly from U.S. norms. Consulting an attorney experienced in international family law is worth the cost here. Procedural missteps in this area tend to be expensive to unwind later.