Whether you need proof of divorce for remarriage, a name change, immigration, or financial matters, VitalCopy obtains certified divorce certificates and decrees online — without the paperwork hassle.
A divorce certificate is the official government document confirming the legal dissolution of a marriage. It records the names of both parties, the date the divorce was finalized, and the court or county where the divorce was granted. It is issued by the state where the divorce proceedings took place.
A divorce decree is the full court order from the presiding judge and contains all the terms of the divorce, including custody arrangements, property division, and support obligations. Depending on what you need it for, you may require the short-form certificate, the full decree, or both.
VitalCopy handles requests for both divorce certificates and divorce decrees, submitting through the appropriate state vital records office or court clerk on your behalf.
Choose the state where the divorce was legally finalized.
Hover to identify a state · Click to begin your order
A divorce certificate is a short-form document issued by the state vital records office that simply confirms the basic facts of the divorce — names, date, and location. A divorce decree is the full court order signed by the judge that details all terms of the divorce including property division, custody, and support. Many situations (like remarriage or a name change) only require the certificate; others (like property transfers) may require the decree.
Always order from the state where the divorce was legally finalized — not where you currently live or where the marriage originally took place. The state of the court that granted the divorce is the issuing authority for the record.
If you have an upcoming marriage license application, we recommend starting the process as early as possible, as standard processing takes 4–8 weeks. Expedited options can reduce this significantly. Contact VitalCopy with your timeline and we can identify the fastest available path.
Yes. Vital records offices can typically locate a divorce record using the names of both parties and the approximate year and county of the divorce. A case number simply speeds up the search. Most requests are processed successfully without it.
Yes. States maintain historical divorce records and you can request certified copies of older records through the same process. Availability generally extends back to the early-to-mid 1900s for most states, with some variation by jurisdiction.
