Divorce Certificates

Vital Records has the Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage for all divorces or civil annulments for New York State since 1963.

There are two (2) types of divorce records.

Divorce decree. This document is prepared by the court. It details the terms and conditions of the divorce. It is signed by the judge and filed with the County Clerk, usually in the County where the plaintiff resided. To get a copy of a divorce decree, contact the County Clerk. If the divorce was granted before January 1, 1963, the divorce decree is the only type of document available.
Divorce Certificate. This document contains basic information about the spouses, and the date and place the marriage ended. It is filed with the New York State Department of Health for divorces granted on or after January 1, 1963.

Requirements

Who is eligible to get a copy of a divorce certificate?

Either spouse
People with a New York State Court Order

What identification needs to be submitted by the applicant?

Application must be submitted with copies of either A or B:

One of the following forms of valid photo-ID:
- Driver's license
- State-issued, nondriver photo-ID card
- Passport
- U.S. Military-issued, photo-ID

Two of the following showing the applicant's name and address:
- Utility or telephone bill
- Letter from a government agency dated within the last six months

Please submit a copy of your U.S. passport in addition to the above ID if you are applying from a foreign country that requires a passport for travel.

Common Denial Reasons:

Applications without proper ID
Failure to submit a copy of their U.S. passport in addition to the required identifications when applying from a foreign country that requires a passport for travel

Fees

We are currently experiencing significant delays in order processing.

ORDER TYPE	FEES (per copy)
Online/Phone orders	$45 + vendor processing fee per transaction (not per copy) See vendor website for current processing fee
Mail orders	$30

Mail forms to:

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602

Payment Options:

Online / Phone – MasterCard/Visa, Discover, American Express, ACH (Electronic Check)
Mail – Personal Check, Postal Money Order, or Certified Check made payable to NYS Department of Health. Payment for orders from foreign countries must be made by a check drawn on a United States bank or by international money order - Do not send cash

Questions or comments: contact the Vital Records Call Center at (855) 322-1022.