How to get West Virginia divorce records
In West Virginia, get a certified copy of the divorce decree from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the divorce was granted.1 The office charges by the page: $12 per page, so the total depends on the length of the document. You can order at a local office. Only the people the state lists below can order a certified copy.
On this page
Ways to order
| How | Cost per copy | Processing time | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| At a local office | $12 a page | – | – |
At a local office
What West Virginia divorce records cost
- Copy charge per page
- $12
Who can order West Virginia divorce records
The state names these people and bodies as able to order a certified copy. Each line gives the official wording.
- Parties to the divorce (for state-held divorce records)5
- Records open to the public after
- 50 years6
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:7
- 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
- Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the divorce was granted1
Special situations
Warnings from the office
- Divorces are heard by family courts4
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.
- 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
- W. Va. Code §59-1-11 Fees to be charged by clerk of circuit courtWest Virginia Legislature
- Authentication of Documents for International UseWest Virginia Secretary of State
- Family CourtsSupreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- 64CSR32 Vital Statistics, Final File (effective May 8, 2025)West Virginia Secretary of State (Code of State Rules), rule of the WV Department of Healthdated May 8, 2025
- W. Va. Code §16-5-27 Disclosure of information from vital recordsWest Virginia Legislature
- Where to Write for Vital Records: Application GuidelinesCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated November 6, 2015