Introduction to Iowa Divorce Certificates

This article is designed to help you get an Iowa Divorce certificate.  Divorce Certificates are a bit more difficult to obtain than Divorce Certificates and Death Certificates.  The main difficulty in obtaining Divorce Certificates is that states have not been registering Divorces for as long as other vital records.  There are some states that still do not register Divorces.  Due to this lack of centralization it is common to contact the county in which the Divorce took place.

Counter to common belief, not everything is a few clicks away on the Internet.  Divorce Certificates are one of the items that you can’t just click some links and get a copy of your Divorce Certificate; this is probably a good thing.  You do not want your Divorce certificate in the public domain, where it can be seen by anyone.  However, this does not mean that you can’t easily get your Divorce certificate by following the correct procedure.  

Iowa Divorce Certificate Authorized Persons

By Iowa state law, Iowa Divorce certificates are confidential records and can only be obtained by the following authorized individuals:

• Person Named on the Iowa Divorce Certificate
• Mother/Father (or Legal Guardian) of Person Named on the Iowa Divorce Certificate
• Grandparent of individual named on the Iowa Divorce certificate
• Husband/Wife of Person Named on the Iowa Divorce Certificate 
• Son/Daughter of Person Named on the Iowa Divorce Certificate
• Grandchild of individual named on the Iowa Divorce certificate 
• Sister/Brother of Person Named on the Iowa Divorce Certificate
• Legal Representative of an Authorized Person of Person Named on the Iowa Divorce Certificate

Iowa Divorce Certificate for Genealogy Purpose

To obtain an Iowa Divorce certificate for genealogy reasons you need to meet one of the above criteria.

Iowa Divorce Certificate Ordering

Options Option 1 – Order Iowa Divorce Certificate Online

This option is the simplest and easiest way to get your Iowa Divorce Certificate.  Order online and you will get your Iowa Divorce Certificate usually in less than a week.  Many times you will have the option of receiving your vital record by next-day or second-day service.

Order Birth and Death Records Online!  

Option 2 – In Person

In Person in Iowa: You may go to any county health department in the State of Iowa to obtain a certified copy of an Iowa Divorce certificate. Most Iowa Divorce certificates can be issued while you wait.

Iowa Divorce Certificate Ordering Cost

The fee to search for an Iowa Divorce certificate varies by county.