Divorce Certificate Overview

A divorce certificate is an official vital record kept by a government entity, documenting the divorce of a couple.  In the United States the term “divorce certificate” usually refers to a certified replica of the original document, though it can also refer to the original document kept by the issuing state or county government.  Outside of the United States the term “divorce certificate” is used to refer to the original divorce record.

State Divorce Certificate Links

Obtaining Divorce Certificates

The easiest way to order a divorce certificate is to order it online.  All states have now contracted with a third party provider to manage their online delivery of divorce certificates.  Online ordering is not only the fastest and easiest way to get divorce certificates, but for some states it is the only way to obtain a divorce certificate using a credit card.  Click here to order a divorce certificate online.

Making it more difficult than birth and death certificates is the fact that not all states’ vital record departments maintain divorce records.  In many states you need to contact the local county or town municipality that issues and maintains the divorce record.  Some states do allow individuals who come directly to their offices or to order through the mail.  Ordering divorce certificates by fax or phone is very limited.  To get specific ordering instruction click on the above link for the state that you are interested.

Information on Divorce Certificates

Uses for Divorce Certificates

Divorce certificates the following uses throughout someone’s life:

• A divorce certificate is needed to obtain another marriage license.  
• Divorce records contain the conditions agreed upon, so the record may be needed to show non-compliance one of the parties of the divorce.  These conditions may include:

Genealogy Uses for Divorce Certificates

Divorce certificates can be some of the richest documents for genealogy research.  Divorce certificates are primary sources of information about the divorce of two individuals.  A divorce certificate is drawn up between the two parties that are getting the divorce and can show much of the personality and temperament of the individuals.  It can also say a lot about how the marriage was, even though it is never a pretty picture, it can insight that no other vital record can.  Due to the timeliness and effort  put into the creation of the divorce certificate, a divorce certificate is a very reliable source of information about the divorce.

Divorce certificates contain valuable information about the individual whose divorce it documents, but it also provides valuable information about others involved in the divorce.  Sometimes information that has been missing before can be found on a divorce certificate and provide valuable clues to adding branches to a family tree.

Though every step is taken to make the divorce certificate as correct as possible, mistakes can still be made.  This is truer of earlier divorce certificates when the divorce certificate creation process was more disorganized.  Even if a divorce certificate is not complete, it may contain very valuable information to add to a family tree.  Family records are a great starting place to find individuals whose divorce certificates might be of great importance to a family tree.  Such family records include:

• Family Bibles
• Family Record Books
• Journals
• Diaries
• Family Letters and Other Correspondence