How to get Iowa divorce records
In Iowa, get a certified copy of the divorce decree from the clerk of the district court in the county where the case was filed.1 Iowa HHS keeps statistical dissolution reports, not decrees.1 You can order online or at a local office.
On this page
Ways to order
| How | Cost per copy | Processing time | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | – | – | – |
| At a local office | $0.502 a page plus $502 a document to certify | – | – |
Online
- Run by
- Iowa Judicial Branch3
At a local office
- Run by
- Clerk of court, by county3
Good to know
- Requesters may also be pointed to self-service tools3
What Iowa divorce records cost
- Fees in effect since
- 2026 legislative changes; exact date not stated2
Who can order Iowa divorce records
The state names these people and bodies as able to order a certified copy. Each line gives the official wording.
- Anyone: if the conditions in the state’s rule are met4
Who cannot order a certified copy
If the court grants a motion to require the sealing of information in the case, the sealed information shall not thereafter be made available to any person other than a party to the action or a party ’s attorney except upon order of the court for good cause shown.
5
- Records open to the public after
- 75 years4
Decree or certificate
The decree, the court's judgment with the terms of the divorce, comes from the clerk of the court that granted it. Divorce certificate vs decree explains which one an agency usually wants.
Asking the court clerk
The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics lists what a request for a divorce record should include:6
- Full names of husband and wife
- Date of divorce or annulment
- Place of divorce or annulment
- Type of final decree
- Purpose for which copy is needed
- Relationship to persons whose record is requested
- Day time telephone number with area code
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.
Years held and older records
- Older records
- State Archives: State Divorce Records1
Questions people ask
Can I order Iowa divorce records online?
Yes. Online: Iowa Judicial Branch.3
Where are older Iowa divorce records kept?
State Archives: State Divorce Records.1
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked on November 5, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.
- Vital RecordsState Historical Society of Iowa
- Civil Court FeesIowa Judicial Branch
- Public Records RequestsIowa Judicial Branch
- Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 144 Vital StatisticsIowa Legislaturedated December 9, 2025
- Iowa Code 2026, Section 598.26Iowa Legislaturedated December 12, 2025
- Where to Write for Vital Records: Application GuidelinesCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated November 6, 2015