How to Look Up Divorce Records: Your Questions Answered

PDF download Download Article
Everything you need to know about locating and accessing divorce records
PDF download Download Article

If you need to present divorce records to prove that you or someone you know is actually divorced, you may be wondering where to get them. While every state and county has their own process for pulling these records, it’s typically pretty easy to figure out where you need to go. In this article, we’ll show you where you need to go and what you’ll need to know in order to find the documents you need.

Things You Should Know

  • Find the vital records website for the state or county where the divorce took place. Call, file online, or show up to the office in person to find your records.
  • Unfortunately, there are no free solutions here. You will need to pay the state or county a small fee (usually $15-50) to pull the records.
  • Stick with official government websites when you conduct your records search. No third-party site will be cheaper or more accurate.
Section 1 of 6:

What’s the best way to find divorce records?

PDF download Download Article
  1. Unfortunately, there is no single site you can search to find divorce records. Go to the public or vital records website for the state where the divorce took place. If you can’t find the page to search for divorce records, check the county records website as well. [1]
    • You can visit the CDC’s vital records directory to find your state’s record office’s address.
    • You can normally do this online, over the phone, or in person at the local public records office. [2]
    • Some states, like Washington, call their divorce records “divorce certificates” or “certificates of dissolution.” These are almost always the same thing, though. [3]
    2. Advertisement
Section 2 of 6:

What do you need to know to find divorce records?

PDF download Download Article
  1. You may need to research a bit if you don’t have both names and the location where the divorce took place. Can you ask someone who knew the couple? If not, search online to find as much as you can. You cannot typically pull the divorce records if you don’t know who you’re looking for. [4]
    • If you do not know which state to contact, you can always try pulling records from multiple states to see if you get any hits.
    • Keep in mind, you may need to use someone’s maiden name if the name was changed before the divorce was finalized.
    • It differs from state to state, but you normally don’t need to know the specific date of the divorce. However, you do typically need to choose a year for your search to help the state narrow the search down.
Section 3 of 6:

Is it free to find divorce records?

PDF download Download Article
  1. Sorry to say that there’s no free way to do this. While it isn’t expensive, you will need to pay a little bit. Typically, states and counties will charge something like $15-25 flat per record. However, many states and counties will charge $1-3 per page (expect the divorce record to be 5-15 pages). [5]
    • Do not trust any third-party website that claim they’ll pull records for free. These sites almost always waste your time and lock “results” behind a paywall. Only use official government pages to conduct your search.
  2. Certified divorce records are stamped by the government that produced the records to confirm that the information is accurate. You may need to use certified copies for loan applications, official documents, or if you need to prove you’re divorced to a court. Expect to spend $25-50 flat, or $5-10 per page on certified copies. [6]
    3. Advertisement
Section 4 of 6:

Are divorce records public?

PDF download Download Article
  1. Judges can seal divorce records if they so choose, which makes the records inaccessible. [7] This happens when a judge believes there’s a convincing reason for the records to be private, either on their own or because someone has petitioned the court and made a convincing argument. [8]
    • A judge might seal dissolution status records if there is domestic abuse, to protect the identity of a public figure, or if record of the divorce would cause significant financial damage.
Section 5 of 6:

Can anybody request divorce records?

PDF download Download Article
  1. Typically, anybody can request a copy of divorce records for any reason they’d like. [9] However, in some areas, the only people allowed to pull divorce records are the spouses involved in the dissolved marriage, or people with a court order to acquire those records. [10]
    • “Public” does not always mean “anyone can view it,” just that there is a government record of something happening (sort of like arrest records, or birth certificates).
    2. Advertisement
Section 6 of 6:

Does the divorce record describe the terms of the divorce?

PDF download Download Article
  1. No, only the divorce decree includes the terms of a divorce. A divorce record is normally just a few sheets of paper that basically explain, “Yes, these two people are divorced. Here’s where and when it happened.” A divorce decree contains the details surrounding spousal support, child support, custody, visitation, and other components of the divorce. [11]
    • You obtain divorce decrees the exact same way you obtain divorce records. It may cost a little more if your state/county charges by the page, though (a divorce decree can be 25-30 pages). [12]

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Find out if a Divorce Has Been Filed
      How to
      File Divorce Papers Without an Attorney
      How to
      Get a Divorce in Prison
      How to
      File for Divorce
      How to
      Write a Divorce Settlement Agreement
      How to
      Divide Assets in Divorce
      Advertisement

      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about divorce processes, check out our in-depth interview with Scott Levin .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/certificates/divorce/index.html
      2. ↑ https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/divorce/app.html
      3. ↑ https://www.usa.gov/marriage-certificate
      4. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/divorce/file-for-divorce
      5. ↑ https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/vital-records/ordering-vital-record/marriage-or-divorce-record
      6. ↑ https://kingcounty.gov/depts/records-licensing/recorders-office/copy-requests.aspx
      7. ↑ https://www.wicourts.gov/services/attorney/docs/seal_flyer.pdf
      8. ↑ https://www.courtnewsohio.gov/cases/2022/SCO/1011/210203.asp#.Y3ziInbMIuU
      9. ↑ https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/vital-records/ordering-vital-record/marriage-or-divorce-record
      1. ↑ https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/divorce.htm
      2. ↑ https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/vital-records/ordering-vital-record/marriage-or-divorce-record
      3. ↑ https://www.jud.ct.gov/faq/courtrec.html#15

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Before you can find divorce records, you'll need to collect some information, like the bride and groom's full names, the date of the marriage, and the county where they filed for divorce. With that information, search the county's court website for divorce records. To access the full divorce decree, you'll need to contact the state or county's Vital Statistics office, fill out a form, and pay of fee of around $20. It could take a few weeks to several months for a response. For more ways to access divorce records through private companies, see our Legal reviewer's tips below.

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,021,499 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Teegan French

        May 23, 2022

        "I learned about the different types of legal categories under each topic and I now know that some of the questions ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement