Introduction to Pennsylvania Divorce Certificates

This article is designed to help you get a Pennsylvania 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.  

Pennsylvania Divorce certificates are not maintained by the Pennsylvania State Office of Vital Records.  To obtain a Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate you must order online or contact the Divorce License Clerks, County Court House, in county where license was issued.

Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate Authorized Persons

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

• Person Named on the Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate
• Mother/Father (or Legal Guardian) of Person Named on the Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate
• Grandparents and Great Grandparents of Person Named on the Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate
• Husband/Wife of Person Named on the Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate 
• Adult Son/Daughter of Person Named on the Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate
• Adult grandchildren of Person Named on the Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate
• Sister/Brother of individual named on the Pennsylvania Divorce certificate
• Legal Representative of an Authorized Person of Person Named on the Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate

Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate for Genealogy Purpose

If you do not meet the above eligibility requirements, you must be a family member and submit a copy of the individual’s death certificate to be eligible to receive a Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate, for genealogy or other reasons.

Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate Ordering

Options Option 1 – Order Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate Online

This option is the simplest and easiest way to get your Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate.  Order online and you will get your Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania: You may go to any county health department in the State of Pennsylvania to obtain a certified copy of a Pennsylvania Divorce certificate. Most Pennsylvania Divorce certificates can be issued while you wait.

Pennsylvania Divorce Certificate Ordering Cost

The fee to search for a Pennsylvania Divorce certificate varies by county.