Divorce decree vs. dissolution of marriage certificate
Florida produces two different records when a marriage ends, and people use "divorce papers" for both.
| Final judgment of dissolution of marriage (decree) | Dissolution of marriage certificate | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The court's judgment, signed by the judge, often with the marital settlement agreement and parenting plan attached | A one-page vital record the Department of Health describes as an abstract of the judgment |
| Who certifies it | Clerk of Court in the county where the divorce was granted | State Registrar (Bureau of Vital Statistics), or the Clerk of the County Court |
| Years | Every divorce granted in that county | From the Bureau: June 6, 1927 to present |
| Florida apostille fee | $20 ($10 apostille + $10 certificate of incumbency) | $10 if signed by the State Registrar; $20 if certified by a clerk |
| Typical use | Recognition of the divorce abroad, custody and support matters, foreign courts | Simple proof that a divorce happened, for example for some marriage registries |
The Department of Health's divorce certificates page is explicit that its certificate is a summary and that the full judgment comes from the clerk. When a foreign office says "divorce decree," "divorce judgment" or "sentencia de divorcio," it means the clerk's certified copy of the final judgment. If it isn't clear, ask before you order. Many offices want the full judgment.
What makes a decree apostille-ready
A divorce decree is a court record. The Florida Department of State apostilles the Clerk of Court's certification on your copy, not the judge's signature on the original. Our rule follows the state's: the decree must be certified by the county clerk, either physically with an original stamp, seal and signature, or with the clerk's official online e-certification.
That rules out the copies most people already have:
- the copy handed to you at the final hearing;
- a copy from your attorney's file, even on law-firm letterhead;
- a free, watermarked image printed from the clerk's website;
- a photocopy of an old certified copy;
- a copy stamped by a notary. Florida notaries can't attest copies of court records.
A divorce granted in another state is certified by that state's court and apostilled by that state, even if you live in Florida now.
Ordering the certified decree, step by step
Every county runs its own records system, but the steps are the same.
Identify the right county
Certified copies come from the clerk of the county where the divorce was granted. Find the clerk's website through Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers.
Find the case number
Search the clerk's online records by your name. Florida restricts online access to family court records, so you may have to register with the clerk's portal to see the images. The Miami-Dade Clerk, for example, requires free registration to view family case records. If you can't search, call or visit the records office with both spouses' names and the approximate year.
Decide which pages you need
The final judgment often incorporates a marital settlement agreement or parenting plan by reference or as an attachment. A foreign court reviewing custody or property will want them; a marriage registry may only want the judgment. Ask, then request every page you need as part of one certified copy.
Order a certified copy
Most clerks take orders online, in person and by mail. Fees are set largely by statute: Miami-Dade lists $1 per page plus $2 per document for certification by mail, and the Palm Beach County Clerk charges $8 per electronically certified document. Card payments usually add a processing fee.
Ask for the unredacted version if you're a party
Online copies of family records are often redacted. Palm Beach County, for example, limits unredacted copies to the parties and attorneys of record. If the foreign office needs details that are blacked out, request the copy as a party.
Check it, then leave it alone
Confirm the clerk's certification, seal and signature (or e-certification cover page) are there, the case number and names are right, and nothing is missing. Don't unstaple, add pages or write on it.
Electronically certified divorce decrees
A growing number of Florida clerks issue electronically certified court documents, and we accept the clerk's official online certification as well as the paper version. Here's how one works, using the Palm Beach County Clerk's certified copies page as an example:
- You find the case online, add the document to a cart, pay and download it immediately as a secure PDF.
- The file stays available to download for 30 days.
- Each document has a cover page with a unique code, an electronic stamp and seal, and a digital signature.
- Anyone can verify it free through the link on the cover page, the QR code or the clerk's site, and altered documents are flagged.
Two cautions. First, only documents the clerk shows online can be e-certified, and family records may need registration or an in-person request. Second, keep the e-certified copy exactly as the clerk delivered it, and tell us it's e-certified when you order so we can check it before filing.
If your clerk doesn't offer e-certification for family cases, order a paper certified copy in person or by mail.
If you only need the dissolution certificate
When the receiving office accepts the one-page certificate, order it from the Bureau of Vital Statistics through VitalChek ($15 plus a $7 processing fee) or by mail on form DH260 ($5 for the search and one copy). The Bureau's records start June 6, 1927, and a new divorce takes about 60 days to reach the state, so for a recent divorce go to the clerk. Our rule for vital records applies: certified in 2014 or later. The Bureau-side details are in the vital records guide.
What foreign offices tend to ask for
- Remarriage abroad. Civil registries usually want proof that every earlier marriage ended, alongside your birth certificate and often a single status affidavit.
- Recognition of the divorce. Some countries require a formal recognition procedure before a foreign divorce has effect there. For Germany, a Florida divorce presented for recognition needs the apostille plus a translation by a sworn German translator; the German authority handling recognition will list anything else it needs.
- Translations. Many countries want the decree and the apostille translated. Whether a translation made in Florida is accepted varies by country; see how to get a certified translation apostilled.
- Name changes. If the decree restored a former name, it may be the document that links your names. Make sure that page is in the certified copy.
Pre-filing checklist for a divorce decree
Run through this before the decree goes anywhere. Each item is a reason we've seen a decree come back or get refused abroad.
- Final judgment, not a temporary order, a petition or a docket printout
- Certified by the Clerk of Court of the Florida county where the divorce was granted
- Original clerk stamp, seal and signature, or the clerk's e-certification cover page and code
- Every page the foreign office asked for, including any settlement agreement or parenting plan
- Unredacted, if the foreign office needs details such as dates of birth
- Names and case number match your other documents
- Nothing unstapled, added, highlighted or translated onto it
- Destination country confirmed, so we file an apostille or a Florida authentication
Getting the decree apostilled
Filing yourself with the Florida Department of State costs $20 for a clerk-certified decree; sending $10 is the classic short payment. The state's process is on its apostille page and in our guide on how to get a Florida apostille.
With us, the $20 state fee is built into our price: $220 for one document, $380 for two and $160 each for three or more, including the request form, in-person filing in Tallahassee and FedEx inside the U.S. The clerk's copy fees are separate. International return shipping is $100 flat per order, and turnaround is 5–7 business days. Order online, or see our divorce apostille page and court records apostille.