How to Get a Copy of Your Divorce Decree in Florida (2026)

How to Get a Copy of Your Divorce Decree in Florida

1. What Is a Florida Divorce Decree?

A divorce decree -- formally called a Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage in Florida -- is the court order signed by a circuit court judge that legally ends a marriage. Under Fla. Stat. § 61.052, Florida courts dissolve marriages on the sole ground that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Once the judge signs the Final Judgment, it becomes the controlling legal document for every term of the divorce: division of marital property, alimony, child custody and time-sharing, and child support.

The Final Judgment is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the dissolution petition was originally filed. Under Fla. Stat. § 28.222, the Clerk is responsible for recording, indexing, and permanently maintaining all official court records -- which means the Clerk's office is the authoritative source for any copy of that decree regardless of how many years have passed since the case closed.

It is worth distinguishing the Final Judgment from other documents in the same court file. A marital settlement agreement, parenting plan, financial affidavit, or Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) are separate instruments, though they are often incorporated into or attached to the Final Judgment by reference. Knowing exactly which documents you need -- the judgment itself, an incorporated settlement agreement, or a later modification order -- will save time when you contact the Clerk's office and prevent you from ordering the wrong pages.

2. Why You May Need a Certified Copy

Government agencies, financial institutions, and courts almost universally require a certified copy of the Final Judgment rather than a plain photocopy. A certified copy carries the Clerk's official embossed seal and the signature of the Clerk or a Deputy Clerk, confirming it is a true and correct reproduction of the original court record. A plain photocopy is useful for your personal reference or for sharing with an attorney reviewing your situation, but it will not satisfy most official demands.

Common situations that require a certified copy include updating your name with the Social Security Administration after a divorce-related name restoration, applying for a Florida driver's license under a restored maiden name, renewing or applying for a U.S. passport, refinancing a home where a former spouse appears on the deed, and removing an ex-spouse as beneficiary from a life insurance policy or retirement account. Pension plan administrators and 401(k) custodians require a certified copy -- along with any incorporated settlement agreement containing the retirement-division language -- before processing any division of retirement assets pursuant to a QDRO.

Any post-judgment court proceeding also requires the decree as a foundational document. Enforcing unpaid alimony under Fla. Stat. § 61.08, modifying child support under Fla. Stat. § 61.30, or seeking a parenting plan modification under Fla. Stat. § 61.13001 all require you to present the original Final Judgment in the new proceeding so the court can assess what was previously ordered before ruling on any change.

3. Where Florida Divorce Records Are Kept

All dissolution of marriage proceedings in Florida are filed in the Circuit Court, which is the trial court of general jurisdiction for family law matters. Florida has 67 counties, each with its own independently operated Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Final Judgment is stored in the county where the dissolution petition was originally filed -- not necessarily where either party currently lives or even where they lived when the case ended.

If you are unsure which county handled the divorce, most Florida county clerks maintain a free public case-search portal accessible through their websites. Searching by both parties' last names and an approximate year will usually surface the case number, case style, and filing date. The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal provides statewide case information for many counties as well. Identifying the correct county is the essential first step, because each Clerk's office is a separate custodian with independent records systems -- requesting from the wrong county will simply produce a "no record found" response.

Understanding the general Florida divorce filing requirements can also help you identify which county would have had jurisdiction over your case based on where the petitioner resided at the time of filing. For cases filed in Broward County specifically, our Broward County courthouse divorce guide explains the local Clerk of Courts procedures and physical locations in detail.

4. Three Ways to Request Your Copy

In person is the fastest option for most people. Visit the Clerk of Courts office in the county where the divorce was filed, bring a government-issued photo ID, know your case number if possible, and be prepared to pay at the counter. Staff can typically locate an active or recent case electronically and print copies while you wait. Older archived cases may require a short processing delay if the file must be retrieved from off-site storage. Most Florida clerks accept cash, money order, and credit or debit card.

By mail is a practical alternative for those who cannot travel to the courthouse or whose divorce was filed in a distant county. Write a request letter that includes both parties' full names as they appeared in the case, the approximate year of the divorce, your case number if you have it, the number of copies needed, whether you want plain or certified copies, and a check or money order for the estimated fee. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow two to four weeks for processing, and call ahead to confirm the correct mailing address for records requests -- some counties route mail requests to a dedicated records division separate from the main courthouse.

Online ordering is available in a growing number of Florida counties through the county clerk's own portal or through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. You create an account, locate your case, select the documents, and pay electronically. Plain copies are often available as an immediate PDF download; certified copies typically must be mailed to you because the embossed seal cannot be reproduced digitally. Availability varies by county, so check your specific county clerk's website before assuming online ordering is an option for your case.

5. Fees Under Florida Law

Fla. Stat. § 28.24 sets the statutory schedule of service charges the Clerk of Courts may collect for copying and certifying court documents. As of 2026, the core fee structure is:

• Plain (uncertified) copy: $1.00 per page
• Certification fee: $2.00 per document certification, added to the per-page copy fee
• Exemplification or triple certification: additional fees for documents requiring international authentication

A straightforward, uncontested Final Judgment with no children and no complex property division may be only two to three pages. A contested divorce with an incorporated marital settlement agreement, detailed parenting plan, child support guidelines worksheet, and financial disclosures can run 20 to 50 pages. Ask the clerk for a page-count estimate before submitting a mail-in payment so your check covers the full amount. An underpayment will cause delays.

Some counties charge a separate search or retrieval fee when a case must be pulled from off-site storage or microfilm archives -- particularly cases from the 1970s through the early 1990s. These fees are governed by Fla. Stat. § 28.24 and are generally modest, but it is worth confirming upfront. If you need multiple certified copies simultaneously -- for example, to send to a bank, a pension plan administrator, and the Florida DMV at the same time -- ordering all copies in a single request is more economical than making multiple separate trips or mail requests. For a broader look at what divorce-related court expenses typically involve, see our guide to Florida divorce costs.

6. Certified Copies for International Use: The Apostille Process

If you need your Florida divorce decree recognized in a foreign country -- to remarry abroad, to update your civil status with a foreign government, or to settle an estate in another jurisdiction -- a standard certified copy from the Clerk of Courts may not be sufficient. Most countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention on Apostilles require an apostille, which is a standardized authentication certificate confirming that the Florida official's signature and seal on the certified copy are genuine.

Florida apostilles are issued by the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations. You submit the original certified copy of the decree bearing the Clerk's embossed seal and signature, along with the Department's request form and the applicable fee. The Department verifies the Clerk's credentials in its records and attaches the apostille certificate. Processing times and fees are set by the Department of State and are subject to periodic changes; check the Department's official website before submitting materials.

If the destination country is not a Hague Convention signatory, authentication through the U.S. Department of State and the destination country's consulate in the United States may be required instead of an apostille. This is a more involved multi-step process. An attorney familiar with international document authentication can outline the specific steps and advise on realistic timelines for your situation.

7. What to Do If the Record Cannot Be Found

Florida court records are permanent public records protected and governed by Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. However, older records may be stored on microfilm, housed in off-site warehouses, or -- in rare cases -- damaged by water, fire, or other disasters. If the Clerk's electronic database does not surface your case, specifically request a manual search of archived or microfilmed records. Most Florida counties maintain microfilm indexes covering several decades, and trained records staff can conduct these searches even when the digital system shows nothing.

If you cannot identify which county handled the divorce, the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics maintains a statewide index of divorces granted in Florida since 1927. This index is a statistical record -- not a copy of the Final Judgment -- but it confirms the county and year of the decree, giving you the lead you need to request the actual court record from the correct Clerk's office. Contact the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville to request a search of this index.

In the rare situation where the court file itself has been destroyed through a documented event, Florida courts allow parties to petition for formal reconstruction of court records. The circuit court can hold a hearing at which both parties -- and potentially their former attorneys or other witnesses -- present secondary evidence of what the decree contained. The court then issues a new order reflecting the reconstructed terms. An attorney is generally needed to navigate this process, which involves filing a formal motion and marshaling evidence sufficient to satisfy the court's evidentiary standard.

8. Correcting Errors in the Decree

A Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage is a court order, and any errors in it must be addressed through the court -- not by annotating the document or reaching an informal side agreement with a former spouse. Informal modifications to a court order have no legal effect and can actually create confusion or harm your legal position if you rely on them later.

Florida Rules of Civil Procedure distinguish between two categories of errors. Clerical errors -- typos, transposed digits, misspelled names, incorrect parcel numbers -- can be corrected at any time under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.540(a) by filing a motion for correction of clerical mistake. These are cases where the written decree simply does not reflect what the court actually ordered, and correction is typically straightforward when both parties agree the error is clerical rather than substantive.

Substantive errors or changed circumstances require a formal modification proceeding under the applicable statute. Changes in income affecting child support are governed by Fla. Stat. § 61.30; modifications to alimony by Fla. Stat. § 61.14; changes to parenting plans and time-sharing schedules by Fla. Stat. § 61.13 and § 61.13001. If you believe the court made a substantive error at the time the judgment was entered -- for example, the court miscalculated an equitable distribution figure -- Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.530 permits a motion for rehearing or to alter or amend a judgment, which must be filed within 15 days of rendition. Acting promptly is essential because that window closes quickly.

9. Divorce Decrees From Other States: Florida Recognition

If your divorce was granted in another state and you now live in Florida, Florida courts will recognize that out-of-state decree under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution. A certified copy of the foreign decree is the starting document. For enforcement purposes, particularly for child support or alimony obligations, Florida follows the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), codified beginning at Fla. Stat. § 88.0011, which establishes procedures for registering and enforcing support orders across state lines.

To register an out-of-state support order in Florida, you file a certified copy of the order along with a statement of the arrears owed with the clerk of the circuit court. Once registered, the Florida court can enforce the order as if it were a Florida judgment -- including income-withholding orders, driver's license suspension, contempt proceedings, and other enforcement mechanisms available under Florida law. The registered order may then be modified in Florida under the circumstances spelled out in UIFSA, if Florida has proper jurisdiction to modify.

If the out-of-state decree involves real property located in Florida -- such as a marital home that must be deeded or refinanced pursuant to the decree's terms -- the decree may need to be recorded in the county property records or formally domesticated in Florida circuit court before third parties such as title companies and mortgage lenders will recognize it. An attorney can advise on the specific steps required to enforce property-related obligations from an out-of-state judgment in Florida.

10. Name Changes and the Divorce Decree

Florida law expressly allows the circuit court to restore a party's former name as part of the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage. Under Fla. Stat. § 61.052(1)(b), the court may include a name restoration in the dissolution judgment upon the timely request of a party. If your decree contains a name restoration provision, that certified copy is itself the legal authority to update your name -- no separate name-change petition or order is required.

To update your Social Security record after a name restoration reflected in the decree, bring the certified copy to a Social Security Administration office or follow SSA's mail-in process. Once the SSA updates its records and issues a new Social Security card, most downstream agencies -- the Florida DMV, financial institutions, and the U.S. Department of State for passport purposes -- will accept the updated Social Security card together with the certified decree as adequate proof of the name change.

If your decree did not include a name restoration provision but you still wish to resume a former name, Florida law provides a standalone remedy. Fla. Stat. § 68.07 governs general name-change petitions filed in circuit court, which require publication of notice and a court hearing. This is an entirely separate proceeding from the divorce itself, but it is available regardless of how much time has elapsed since the dissolution was finalized.

11. Remarriage and the 30-Day Waiting Period

Under Fla. Stat. § 61.19, a Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage does not become legally effective until 30 days after the date it is rendered, unless the court expressly orders otherwise within the judgment. During that 30-day window, neither party may legally remarry in Florida. This period exists to allow time for a motion for rehearing or a notice of appeal, and it is a firm statutory rule rather than a procedural courtesy.

After the 30-day period expires without a stay or timely rehearing motion, the decree is fully effective and both parties are free to remarry under Florida law. When applying for a Florida marriage license after a divorce, the county court clerk issuing the new license will ask whether you have been previously married and how that marriage ended. A certified copy of the Final Judgment confirming dissolution and its effective date is the document that satisfies that inquiry.

Being proactive about preserving copies of your decree will save considerable frustration. Keep a certified copy in a fireproof home safe or a bank safe deposit box, and maintain a scanned digital backup in encrypted cloud storage. Needing a copy under time pressure -- because a closing or government appointment is imminent -- is a stressful situation that good record-keeping prevents entirely. For a complete picture of the statutory framework governing Florida dissolutions, our resource on Florida divorce laws covers the process from petition through final judgment. If you need guidance on the specific court documents involved in any subsequent modification proceeding, the Florida divorce forms guide explains which forms are used at each stage.

Bottom line

Getting a copy of your Florida divorce decree is a straightforward administrative task in the vast majority of cases. The Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where your divorce was filed is the authoritative source, and Fla. Stat. § 28.24 sets modest, predictable fees -- $1.00 per page for plain copies and $2.00 per certification for certified copies. Requests can be made in person, by mail, or increasingly online. When complications arise -- missing records, clerical or substantive errors in the decree, enforcement against a non-compliant former spouse, or recognition of an out-of-state judgment -- consulting a Florida family law attorney is the most reliable path to resolving the issue efficiently and protecting your legal rights.

Attorney Advertising Disclaimer

This article is general legal information only and does not constitute legal advice. It reflects Florida law as of 2026. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Louis Law Group or any of its attorneys. Every legal situation is unique, and the information provided here may not apply to your specific circumstances. Past results in other matters do not guarantee or predict outcomes in future cases. If you have a legal question about your divorce decree or any family law matter, consult a qualified Florida family law attorney.