Obtaining Copies of Divorce Records
The California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR) maintains divorce records for only
1962 through June 1984.
These records consist only of the face sheet of the divorce action –
not the actual divorce decree. CDPH-VR is only able to provide you with a Certificate of Record, which includes the names of the parties, filing date, county, and case number of the divorce. Copies of the
actual divorce decree can only be obtained from the Superior Court in the county where the divorce took place.
Processing Times for Divorce Records
CDPH-VR's estimated processing times for copies of divorce records are listed below, which may occasionally increase as the volume of requests increases. The processing time begins when CDPH-VR receives your request.
If divorce occurred:
|
1962 – June 1984 |
Mail-In Request |
3 to 4 Weeks |
|
All Other Years |
CDPH-VR cannot provide a Certificate of Record if the divorce record you are seeking falls outside the range of these years. While CDPH-VR does preserve these records, due to the time-consuming process of searching records, CDPH-VR
is not able to provide copies of the Certificate of Record for these years. |
Requesting a Certificate of Record