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How to get New York City divorce records

In New York City, order a certified divorce record from the New York State Department of Health, Vital Records.1 Divorce decree: County Clerk of the county where it was filed.1 Each certified copy costs $301. You can order online, by mail, at a local office or by phone. Only the people the city lists below can order a certified copy.

Last checked against official sources.

On this page
  1. Ways to order
  2. What New York City divorce records cost
  3. Who can order New York City divorce records
  4. ID you need
  5. What the application asks for
  6. Decree or certificate
  7. Forms
  8. Years held and older records
  9. Warnings from the office
  10. The vital records office
  11. Questions people ask
  12. Sources

Ways to order

HowCost per copyProcessing timePayment
Online through VitalChek$451, plus a vendor processing fee per transaction, not per copy, amount not published–Card and check1
By mail$301–Check and money order1
At a local office–––
By phone$451, plus a vendor processing fee per transaction, not per copy, amount not published––

Online through VitalChek

Vendor
VitalChek1
Fees
  • Per copy $451
Payment
Card and check1

Go to the ordering site1

By mail

Run by
New York State Department of Health, Vital Records Certification Unit1
Fees
  • Per copy $301
Payment
Check and money order1
Make payable to
NYS Department of Health1
Mail to
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street, CN-4, Room 119, New York, NY 10013
2

Open the application or mail instructions1

At a local office

By phone

Fees
  • Per copy $451

What New York City divorce records cost

First certified copy
$301
Each additional copy
$301
If no record is found
The fee is kept as a search fee3

Types of copies

CopyAccepted forFee
Divorce Certificate (Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage)1–$301
Divorce decree (court record)1Details the terms and conditions of the divorce1–

Who can order New York City divorce records

The city names these people and bodies as able to order a certified copy. Each line gives the official wording.

  • Spouse1
  • Person named in a court order1
    Proof: New York State court order1

ID you need

Photo ID
Required1
Accepted ID
  • Driver's license
  • State-issued, nondriver photo-ID card
  • Passport
  • U.S. Military-issued, photo-ID1
Without that ID
Two documents showing name and address: utility or telephone bill; letter from a government agency dated within the last six months1
Notarization
Only if delivery is to a P.O. Box or third party (notarized statement)3
ID copy with a mail order
Include a copy of your ID1

What the application asks for

Have these details ready before you fill in the form or start an online order.3

  • Each spouse's name (first, middle, last, birth name if different) and address at time of decree
  • Date of final decree or period to search
  • Date of marriage
  • Place where the marriage license was issued
  • County in which the divorce decree was filed
  • Divorce certificate number and local registration number (if known)
  • Purpose of the request and your relationship to the person on the record

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:4

  • 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.

Forms

Years held and older records

Years the issuing office holds
1963 to today1
Older records
County Clerk (divorce decree); before January 1, 1963 the decree is the only record1

Warnings from the office

  • NYS DOH reports significant delays1

The vital records office

Office
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Records5
Phone
311; 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) from outside NYC5
Email
[email protected] (orders); [email protected] (corrections)5
Mailing address
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street, CN-4, Room 119, New York, NY 10013
2
Hours
Office: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; online chat Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.6
Appointments
Required6

Questions people ask

How much is a certified New York City divorce record?

Each certified copy costs $30.1

Can I order New York City divorce records online?

Yes. Online through VitalChek.1

Who do I make the check or money order payable to?

Write it exactly as the office prints it: NYS Department of Health.1

What ID do I need?

The city accepts: Driver's license; State-issued, nondriver photo-ID card; Passport; U.S. Military-issued, photo-ID.1

Where are older New York City divorce records kept?

County Clerk (divorce decree); before January 1, 1963 the decree is the only record.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.

  1. Divorce Certificates - New York State Department of HealthNew York State Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Recordsdated January 1, 2023
  2. VR 66 (Rev. 12.23)NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygienedated December 1, 2023
  3. Mail-in Application for Copy of Divorce Certificate (DOH-4378)New York State Department of Healthdated July 1, 2011
  4. Where to Write for Vital Records: Application GuidelinesCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated November 6, 2015
  5. Birth and Death Records - NYC HealthNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  6. How to Order Birth and Death Records - NYC HealthNYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene