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How to get South Dakota divorce records

In South Dakota, order a certified divorce record from the South Dakota Department of Health, Vital Records Office.1 Divorce certificate: State Office only. Full divorce decree: Clerk of Courts of the county where the divorce was filed.2 Each certified copy costs $153. You can order online, by mail, in person, at a local office or by phone. Only the people the state lists below can order a certified copy.

Last checked against official sources.

On this page
  1. Ways to order
  2. What South Dakota divorce records cost
  3. Who can order South Dakota 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. Special situations
  10. Warnings from the office
  11. The state office
  12. Questions people ask
  13. Sources

Ways to order

HowCost per copyProcessing timePayment
Online through VitalChek Network, Inc.$152, plus $6.502 VitalChek fee
+ 2 possible extra charges		––
By mail$153–Check and money order2
In person$153
+ one extra charge		–Cash, check, money order and card2
At a local office$154 a document––
By phone$155
+ one extra charge		–Card5

Not offered: online directly with the vital records office.6

Online through VitalChek Network, Inc.

Vendor
VitalChek Network, Inc.2
Vendor status
The state's only authorized vendor2
Fees
  • Per copy $152
  • VitalChek fee $6.502
  • Expedite Fee (Regular Mail) $52
  • Optional UPS Next Day $17.502
  • Each additional copy in the same order $152
  • Total for one copy, regular mail $26.502
  • Total for one copy, UPS Next Day $442
Expedited service
$17.50. UPS Next Day shipping instead of regular mail2

Good to know

  • Genealogy requests by mail only; no online or phone orders2
  • Credit card must be in the applicant's name2
  • Online/phone identity: copy of government photo ID or electronic authentication7

Go to the ordering site2

By mail

Fees
  • Per copy $153
Expedited service
Optional prepaid priority return envelope for faster return2
Payment
Check and money order2
Mail to
Vital Records, South Dakota Department of Health, 221 West Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501
1

Good to know

  • Records cannot be faxed or e-mailed2

Open the application or mail instructions2

In person

Fees
  • Per copy $153
  • Credit/Debit Card $2.502
Payment
Cash, check, money order and card2
Office
State Office (Vital Records), 221 West Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501
2
Hours
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central Time, Monday - Friday1

Open the official page1

At a local office

Run by
Clerk of Courts in the county where the divorce was filed2
Fees
  • Authenticated Copies $154

Good to know

  • Older records come directly from the county clerk of courts; pre-1989 criminal and pre-2006 civil statewide searches are not available9

Find a local office8

By phone

Run by
VitalChek Network, Inc. (orders placed at 605-773-4961)2
Fees
  • Per copy $155
  • Expedited service $11.503
Payment
Card5

Good to know

  • No genealogy orders by phone2

What South Dakota divorce records cost

First certified copy
$153
Each additional copy
$155
Expedite fee
$11.503
If no record is found
The fee is kept as a search fee2
Fees in effect since
Nov. 5, 202610

Types of copies

CopyAccepted forFee
Certified copy11Identification and other legal purposes11$153
Informational copy11Not for legal proof of identification11$153
Certified photostatic copy (photocopy of the original record)11Legal purposes11$155
Informational photostatic copy12Genealogy; not legal use11$155
Notification of Records Searched2–$153

No-fee copies

  • Military/veterans: free certified copies for a claim against the government13

Who can order South Dakota divorce records

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

  • The person named on the record11
    Proof: Not stated for the registrant2
  • Spouse and child11
  • A parent named on the record and legal guardian11
  • Grandparent and brother or sister11
  • Grandchild over 18 (listed on the application form)5
  • Attorney or legal representative and funeral director11
    Proof for each of the 5 lines above: May be required2
  • Designated agent (notarized designation by an eligible person)11
    Proof: Notarized designation14
  • Anyone with a personal or property right to the record11
    Proof: May be required2

Other kinds of copies

  • Informational copy Anyone: The department or authorized local registrars shall upon receipt of an application, issue informational copies to any applicant of any vital record.15
    Proof: Not required for informational copies16

ID you need

Photo ID
Required11
Accepted ID
  • Photocopy of driver's license
  • Photocopy of state ID card
  • Photocopy of tribal ID
  • Photocopy of passport or Visa
  • Photocopy of military ID11
Without that ID
  • Social Security card
  • Utility bill with current address
  • Bank statement with current address
  • Pay stub (must include your name, Social Security number plus name, and address of business)
  • Car registration or title with current address
11
Notarization
Mail applications: notarized signature OR a clear copy of a photo ID2
ID copy with a mail order
Include a copy of your ID7

What the application asks for

Have these details ready before you fill in the form or start an online order.16

  • Applicant's full name, address, signature, phone
  • Type of record
  • For a certified copy: relationship to registrant
  • Names of both parties and the date of the event, or enough information to locate 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. South Dakota also keeps a state record of divorces at its vital records office2; it shows that the divorce happened, not its terms. Divorce certificate vs decree explains which one an agency usually wants.

Forms

Years held and older records

Older records
Full divorce decrees: Clerk of Courts in the county where the divorce was filed2

Special situations

Military and veterans
Free copies for military/veterans' claims17

Warnings from the office

  • VitalChek is the only authorized third-party vendor2
  • Copies cannot be faxed or e-mailed2
  • The fee is required before any search2
  • Not open for public inspection1

The state office

Office
South Dakota Department of Health, Vital Records Office1
Mailing address
Vital Records, South Dakota Department of Health, 221 West Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501
1
Walk-in address
State Office (Vital Records), 221 West Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501
2
Hours
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central Time, Monday - Friday1

Questions people ask

How much is a certified South Dakota divorce record?

Each certified copy costs $15.35

Can I order South Dakota divorce records online?

Yes. Online through VitalChek Network, Inc.2

What ID do I need?

The state accepts: Photocopy of driver's license; Photocopy of state ID card; Photocopy of tribal ID; Photocopy of passport or Visa; Photocopy of military ID.11

Where are older South Dakota divorce records kept?

Full divorce decrees: Clerk of Courts in the county where the divorce was filed.2

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. Vital recordsSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated September 14, 2026
  2. Order Vital RecordsSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated September 14, 2026
  3. Vital records feesSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated January 9, 2025
  4. Schedule of Court Costs (Rev. July 1, 2026)South Dakota Unified Judicial Systemdated July 1, 2026
  5. South Dakota Vital Records Request (application)South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Records
  6. Vital Records Services PortalSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated September 14, 2026
  7. Section 44:09:06:06South Dakota Legislature (Legislative Research Council)dated November 5, 2026
  8. Cases and RecordsSouth Dakota Unified Judicial System
  9. Court Records SearchSouth Dakota Unified Judicial System
  10. Section 44:09:06:02South Dakota Legislature (Legislative Research Council)dated November 5, 2026
  11. Vital Records Eligibility & IdentificationSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated January 9, 2025
  12. Genealogy resourcesSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Recordsdated February 13, 2026
  13. Military Fee Waiver RequestSouth Dakota Department of Health, Office of Vital Records
  14. Section 44:09:06:05South Dakota Legislature (Legislative Research Council)dated November 5, 2026
  15. Section 34-25-52South Dakota Legislature (Legislative Research Council)
  16. Section 44:09:06:04South Dakota Legislature (Legislative Research Council)dated November 5, 2026
  17. Section 34-25-54South Dakota Legislature (Legislative Research Council)