To get a copy of your divorce decree, contact the clerk of the court where your divorce was finalized and request a certified copy. That’s usually a family, circuit, or superior court in the county that handled the case. If reaching that court is difficult, or the divorce happened long ago, your state’s vital records office may also keep the record. Either way, you’ll need a government-issued photo ID and some basic information about the case.
Make Sure You’re Asking for the Right Document
A divorce decree is the full court order that ended the marriage, including terms on property, custody, support, and debts. A divorce certificate is a shorter vital record confirming that the divorce happened, with the names, date, and location.
You need the decree when you’re enforcing specific terms, changing your name with the Social Security Administration, closing joint accounts, or refinancing property. The Social Security Administration lists a divorce decree as acceptable proof for an adult name change on a Social Security card.1Social Security Administration. U.S. Citizen – Adult Name Change on Social Security Card For simpler proof-of-divorce needs like a new marriage license or a passport, a certificate is usually enough. Not every state issues divorce certificates, though, so in some places the decree is your only option.
Ordering from the Court Clerk
The clerk’s office in the county where your divorce was granted is the primary source for a certified copy.2USAGov. How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree or Certificate Depending on your state, that will be the family court, circuit court, or superior court. Call or check the court’s website to confirm the fee, what to bring, and how to submit the request.
Most courts accept requests three ways:
- In person, where you fill out a short request form at the counter and show a photo ID.
- By mail, with a completed form, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order for the fee.
- Through an online portal, where you search for the case, submit the request, and pay electronically.
If You Don’t Have the Case Number
You don’t need the case number to get started. Courts keep a public index searchable by the parties’ names, and many offer a free online case-search tool. If yours doesn’t, call the clerk and ask them to look it up using both names and an approximate year.
If the Original Court Is Gone
If the courthouse that handled the divorce has closed, merged, or lost records, the files were probably transferred. Call the current clerk’s office for that county and ask where older records live now. That’s usually a state archive, a regional court, or a records storage facility. If you used a divorce attorney, they may still have a copy in your case file. Retention periods vary by state, but many lawyers hold files for several years after a case closes.
Ordering from Vital Records
Many state vital records offices maintain divorce records alongside births, deaths, and marriages.2USAGov. How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree or Certificate What they can give you depends on the state. Some issue a divorce certificate rather than the full decree. Others only verify that a divorce occurred and send you back to the county court for the actual decree.
This route is useful when you’re not sure which county handled the case, or the divorce is old enough that court records have been archived. The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics keeps a directory linking to each state’s vital records office.3National Center for Health Statistics. Where to Write for Vital Records
Expect to provide both parties’ full legal names at the time of the divorce, the date it was finalized, and the county where it was granted. Fees vary widely by state, from under $10 to $30 or more, particularly when ordering online through a third-party processor.
Ordering Online
More courts and vital records offices now let you order copies online. Some run full self-service portals where you search, pay, and download. Others just accept the request electronically and mail the copy.
Many states route online orders through VitalChek, a third-party vendor that processes vital records requests nationwide. VitalChek adds its own fee on top of the government’s, commonly around $8 to $12 per transaction. It’s often the fastest remote option if you’re willing to pay the convenience premium.
Be careful with other third-party sites that promise to retrieve divorce records for a fee. Some are legitimate document retrieval services; others charge steep markups for work you can do yourself directly with the court or vital records office.
Who Can Request a Copy
Access rules vary by state, but the following can usually request a divorce decree:
- Either party named in the divorce.
- Their current attorney.
- Anyone with a signed, notarized authorization from one of the parties.
Some states treat divorce records as fully public; others limit access to people with a direct connection to the case. If someone else is picking up the document for you, most courts want a notarized authorization letter with both parties’ names and the case number or approximate filing year, plus that person’s own photo ID.
Records sealed by the court, often in cases involving domestic violence or other sensitive circumstances, generally require a court order to unseal. Contact the clerk’s office where the case was filed to ask about the procedure.
What to Have Ready Before You Request
Whichever office you contact, gather these before you start. Missing one item can add days or weeks.
Identification
Bring a current, unexpired government-issued photo ID: a driver’s license, passport, or state ID card. Many offices also accept military IDs. If you’re requesting on behalf of someone else, you’ll need a notarized letter of authorization and may need to show proof of your connection to the case.
Case Details
The request form will ask for both parties’ full legal names at the time of the divorce, the date it was finalized, and the county where it was granted. The case number speeds things up, but most offices can locate the record without it.
Fees and Payment
Fees for a certified copy range from a few dollars to $30 or more, with extra charges for expedited processing and shipping. Courts commonly take checks, money orders, and credit cards. Cash isn’t always accepted for mailed requests. Online portals usually require a credit or debit card. Some jurisdictions offer fee waivers for financial hardship.
Certified vs. Exemplified Copies
A certified copy is what almost everyone needs. It’s a reproduction the clerk has verified as a true copy of the original and stamped with the court’s seal, and it’s what banks, government agencies, and other courts will accept.
An exemplified copy, sometimes called a “triple-certified” copy, adds a judge’s written confirmation that the clerk had authority to certify the document. You’d typically need one to enforce your decree in a different state or for certain probate proceedings. Exemplified copies cost more and take longer, so don’t request one unless you’re sure it’s required.
If You Need the Decree Overseas
To use your decree in another country, you’ll usually need an apostille or authentication certificate attached to a certified copy. Which one depends on whether the destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention.
For Hague member countries, court-issued documents like a divorce decree typically need an apostille from the secretary of state in the state that granted the divorce.4USAGov. Authenticate an Official Document for Use Outside the U.S. Fees and processing times vary, so contact that office directly.
For non-Hague countries, you send the certified copy to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications, which charges $20 per document, and then to the destination country’s embassy or consulate. Allow at least five weeks by mail; walk-in service is available at the State Department’s Washington, D.C. office.5U.S. Department of State. Requesting Authentication Services Some countries also require a certified translation, so check with the embassy before starting.