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Divorce certificate vs divorce decree

A divorce decree is the court’s final judgment, with the terms of the divorce; certified copies come from the clerk of the court that granted it. A divorce certificate or verification is a short record kept by the state vital records office in some states, showing only the names, date and place.

Last checked against official sources.

On this page
  1. When you need which
  2. Asking the court clerk
  3. Who issues divorce records, by state
  4. Sources

When you need which

The decree
To change your name, divide property, deal with custody or support, or when a foreign authority asks for the judgment itself.
The certificate or verification
To prove that a divorce happened, for example before remarrying, when the receiving office accepts it.

Asking the court clerk

Have the full names of both spouses, the approximate date of the divorce and, if you know it, the case number. Clerks charge their own copy and certification fees, and some offer an exemplified copy, a more formal certification used for out-of-state and foreign purposes. Each state page names the court office and the fees it publishes.

Who issues divorce records, by state

StateWho issues certified copiesNotes from the state
AlabamaAlabama Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics1The state issues a divorce certificate, not the decree. The decree comes from the circuit clerk.2
AlaskaAlaska Department of Health, Health Analytics and Vital Records Section3Divorce certificates come from Vital Records; divorce records and decrees come only from the Alaska Court System.4
ArizonaClerk of the Superior Court in the county where the event occurred5Not available from the state Bureau of Vital Records.5
ArkansasArkansas Department of Health, Vital Records6The state office issues a certified copy of the divorce coupon; the full certified copy of the decree comes from the clerk in the county where the divorce was granted.7
CaliforniaSuperior Court in the county where the divorce took place8CDPH holds only a face-sheet Certificate of Record for 1962 through June 1984, not the decree.8
ColoradoClerk of the District Court in the county where the dissolution was decreed; CDPHE issues a certified verification only9The State office issues a verification; 1940-1967 must come from the county.9
ConnecticutConnecticut Superior Court, Judicial District Clerk's Office10The state vital records office holds no decrees11
District of ColumbiaDC Superior Court, Family Court, Domestic Relations Branch12Divorces 1957 to present: DC Superior Court. Divorces 1902-1956: U.S. District Court for DC.13
FloridaFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics14The full judgment comes from the clerk of court in the county that granted the dissolution.14
GeorgiaClerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted15All requests for divorce records go through the superior court15
HawaiiLegal Documents Branch of the court that granted the divorce16–
IdahoIdaho Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics for divorce certificates; county court for decrees17Divorce decrees come from the county where the divorce was granted, not the state office.17
IllinoisCircuit court clerk of the county where the dissolution was granted18IDPH does not issue certified copies; it verifies facts from 196218
IndianaClerk of the circuit court in the county where the divorce was granted19The state office holds no divorce records20
IowaClerk of the district court in the county where the case was filed21Iowa HHS keeps statistical dissolution reports, not decrees21
LouisianaClerk of Court of the parish where the divorce was granted22The state Vital Records Registry does not issue divorce decrees.22
MaineMaine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine CDC, Division of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics23The divorce judgment (decree) itself is held by the court that granted the divorce; the court clerk files a divorce record with the State Registrar within 45 days24
MarylandClerk of the Circuit Court that granted the decree (decree copies); MDH Division of Vital Records issues Verification of Divorce only25Decree copies come only from the circuit court; MDH issues a verification (names, county, date, type of action)25
MassachusettsMassachusetts Probate and Family Court26RVRS does not hold divorce records; it can only give the probate court and docket number27
MinnesotaDistrict court in the county that granted the divorce28MDH does not record divorces.28
MississippiChancery Clerk of the county where the divorce was granted29MSDH holds no decrees; it only searches the index to find the county, book and page30
MissouriCircuit Clerk in the county where the decree was granted (decree); DHSS Bureau of Vital Records31The state statement shows only both names, date of divorce and county31
NevadaClerk of the district court in the county where the divorce was granted32Clark County: Eighth Judicial District Court, Family Courts and Services Center, 601 N. Pecos Rd., Las Vegas33
New HampshireNew Hampshire Department of State, Division of Vital Records Administration34Also available from the court that granted the divorce (Circuit Court, Family Division handles divorce cases)35
New JerseySuperior Court of New Jersey Records Center36Divorce decrees are not issued by the Office of Vital Statistics and Registry; contact the Superior Court Records Center (609-421-6100)36
New MexicoClerk of the district court where the divorce was granted37District court clerk, not the state vital records office or county clerk38
New YorkNew York State Department of Health, Vital Records Section39Divorce decree: County Clerk (usually county where the plaintiff resided)40
New York CityNew York State Department of Health, Vital Records40Divorce decree: County Clerk of the county where it was filed40
North CarolinaNorth Carolina Vital Records (NC Office of Vital Records, NCOVR), NC DHHS Division of Public Health41The state issues a divorce certificate (summary); the court record/decree is held by the Clerk of Court where the divorce was filed42
North DakotaCounty clerk (Clerk of Court) or recorder in the county where the divorce was decreed43The state Vital Records Unit does not issue divorce copies but can help identify the county43
OhioClerk of Court of Common Pleas in the county where the divorce was granted44ODH does not hold divorce decrees45
OklahomaCourt clerk of the district court of the county where the divorce was granted46OSDH Vital Records does not issue marriage or divorce records; certified copies come from the county court clerk.47
PennsylvaniaProthonotary of the county where the divorce was filed48State cannot issue divorce records49
South DakotaSouth Dakota Department of Health, Vital Records Office50Divorce certificate: State Office only. Full divorce decree: Clerk of Courts of the county where the divorce was filed51
TennesseeTennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records52The clerk of the court that granted the divorce holds the decree53
TexasDistrict clerk of the county where the divorce was granted54DSHS issues only divorce verification letters (divorces since 1968), not certified decrees54
UtahUtah DHHS Office of Vital Records and Statistics55District court the divorce was filed with; OVR issues only divorce certificates, not decrees56
VermontVermont Department of Health, Vital Records Office (2024-present); VSARA for older records57Divorce certificates come from VDH/VSARA, not town clerks; the full decree comes from the Superior Court, Family Division58
VirginiaVirginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records59Divorce decrees come from the clerk of the circuit court that granted the divorce60
WashingtonWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics61Divorce decrees come from the county superior court clerk; DOH issues only the one-page divorce certificate (certificate of dissolution).62
West VirginiaClerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the divorce was granted63–
GuamSuperior Court of Guam, Records Section64The Office of Vital Statistics does not issue divorce decrees; contact the Superior Court of Guam. For divorces granted outside Guam, contact that state or country.65

See divorce records by state for fees and how to order.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked between November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.

  1. ADPH Center for Health Statistics, Vital Records home pageAlabama Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statisticsdated February 3, 2026
  2. Live origin retCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated April 23, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  3. Health Analytics and Vital RecordsAlaska Department of Health, Health Analytics and Vital Recordsdated October 24, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  4. Vital Records OrdersAlaska Department of Health, Health Analytics and Vital Recordsdated October 24, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  5. ADHS Vital Records: Marriage & Divorce RecordsArizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records
  6. Order divorce recordsArkansas Department of Health
  7. Where to Write for Vital RecordsCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated November 6, 2015read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  8. Obtaining Copies of Divorce RecordsCalifornia Department of Public Health, Vital Recordsdated January 6, 2026
  9. Application for Certified Verification of Dissolution, REV. 12/2025Colorado Department of Public Health and Environmentdated December 1, 2025
  10. FAQs about Court RecordsConnecticut Judicial Branchdated October 15, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  11. Connecticut Department of Public Health pageConnecticut Department of Public Health, State Vital Records Office
  12. DC Superior Court Family Court - Domestic Relations BranchDistrict of Columbia Courtsdated February 11, 2026
  13. U.S. District Court for DC, Court Records (divorces 1902-1956)U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  14. Divorce certificatesFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
  15. Request Vital RecordsState of Georgia (georgia.gov)dated June 1, 2026
  16. Contact information for obtaining divorce records from the Hawaii court systemHawaii State Department of Health, Office of Health Status Monitoringdated January 30, 2026
  17. About Marriage and Divorce RecordsIdaho Department of Health and Welfare
  18. Dissolution marriage recordsIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
  19. Indiana State Library: Genealogy FAQIndiana State Library
  20. Marriage Application 10.2018.docxIndiana Department of Healthdated October 1, 2018
  21. Vital RecordsState Historical Society of Iowa
  22. Louisiana Department of Health pageLouisiana Department of Health, Center for Vital Records and Statistics
  23. Vital Records (DRVS home)Maine DHHS, Maine CDC, Data, Research and Vital Statistics (DRVS)
  24. 22 MRS §2803 Records of divorces and annulmentsMaine Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes
  25. Divorce VerificationMaryland Department of Health, Vital Statistics Administration
  26. Get a copy of your divorce recordMassachusetts Probate and Family Court
  27. Request divorce informationMassachusetts Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
  28. Minnesota Department of Health pageMinnesota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated August 31, 2026
  29. Skip directly to site contentCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated April 23, 2026
  30. Divorce RecordsMississippi State Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated September 1, 2026
  31. Order a Copy of a Vital Record | Missouri Department of Health and Senior ServicesMissouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records
  32. Marriage and Divorce RecordsNevada DPBH Office of Vital Recordsdated June 30, 2026
  33. Clerk of the Court Questions and AnswersEighth Judicial District Court (Clark County) Clerk of the Courtdated September 10, 2024
  34. Request for CertificatesNew Hampshire Secretary of State, Division of Vital Records Administrationdated September 14, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  35. RSA Chapter 5-C Vital Records AdministrationNew Hampshire General Courtdated October 24, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  36. Department of HealthNew Jersey Department of Healthdated August 21, 2017
  37. NMDOH Vital Records homeNew Mexico Department of Health
  38. Bernalillo County Clerk Marriage LicensesBernalillo County Clerk
  39. Doh 4378 (PDF)New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Recordsdated July 1, 2011
  40. Divorce Certificates - New York State Department of HealthNew York State Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Recordsdated January 1, 2023
  41. NC Vital Records home pageNC DHHS Division of Public Health, Vital Recordsdated July 23, 2026
  42. NC Vital Records divorce pageNC DHHS Division of Public Health, Vital Recordsdated July 13, 2026
  43. Certified Copies of Divorce RecordsND HHS Vital Records
  44. CDC National Center for Health Statistics pageCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated August 18, 2026
  45. Vital StatisticsOhio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics
  46. Birth and death certificatesOklahoma State Department of Health, Vital Records
  47. Oklahoma Secretary of State - ApostillesOklahoma Secretary of State
  48. Marriage recordsPennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, State Archives
  49. Act of Jun. 29, 1953,P.L. 304, No. 66 Cl. 35Pennsylvania General Assembly
  50. Vital recordsSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated September 14, 2026
  51. Order Vital RecordsSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated September 14, 2026
  52. Vital Records at the Library and ArchivesTennessee State Library and Archives
  53. Request for Unredacted Certified/Copy of Final Divorce DecreeDavidson County Circuit Court Clerk
  54. Marriage and Divorce FAQsTexas Department of State Health Services, Vital Statistics Section
  55. Order a Vital Record CertificateUtah DHHS Office of Vital Records and Statistics
  56. Frequently Asked QuestionsUtah DHHS Office of Vital Records and Statistics
  57. Application for Certified Copy of Vermont Marriage or Divorce or Civil Union Dissolution…Vermont Department of Healthdated June 1, 2026
  58. General Instruction Manual for Town/City Clerks (updated January 10, 2023)Vermont Department of Healthdated January 10, 2023
  59. Office of Vital Records (home)Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated October 5, 2026
  60. Vital Records (Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Records)Fairfax County Health Department
  61. Vital Records | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
  62. Ordering a Marriage or Divorce Record | Washington State Department of HealthWashington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
  63. Where to Write for Vital Records - West VirginiaCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated November 6, 2015read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  64. Request Records & Clearances | Judiciary of GuamJudiciary of Guam, Superior Court of Guam
  65. Office of Vital Statistics | DPHSSGuam Department of Public Health and Social Services, Office of Vital Statisticsdated September 15, 2025read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page