Divorce Records in California for Free

There are a number of online services where you can search public records for almost anything, including searching marriage and divorce records in California, for free. But when you find the records you want, you have to pay for the report. Given how overwhelming it might sounds to search through public records at a government office, paying for the information might sounds like an easy solution. But there are ways to find divorce records in California for free if you’re brave enough. You will have to pay if you want a copy, and a certified copy is usually a little more expensive.

California Divorce records are kept in the California Department of Health Services, often referred to as the CDHS. This department is actually split into two separate entities, the DHCS or California Department of Health Care Services, and the CDPH, the California Department of Public Health. Within the California Department of Public Health is a unit that handled certificates and licenses in the state of California. The Vital Records Office in this unit houses records of all births, deaths, marriages and divorces, among other things.

This office will have information on divorces and will be able to issue what’s known as a Certificate of Record on any divorces that occurred within the state from 1962 to mid-1984. For other divorces, you must find the records in the government office of the county in which the divorce was granted. The Certificate of Record contains very limited information regarding the divorce. It will have the names of each party in the divorce, the case number, and the name of the county where the divorce was filed. Whether or not the divorce was ever granted and finalized isn’t included. So if you want more details on any divorces listed in the Vital Records Office, you’ll need to see the government office in the county where the divorce was filed and granted.

A copy of a Certificate of Record is $13-but to get one can take several months. The better option is to request a record from the local government office where the divorce was filed, like the County Recorder’s Office.

If you’re looking for an actual divorce decree or a Record of Marriage Dissolution, you must get it from the county where the divorce was filed. You must go through the Superior Court to get it, because it contains all the details of the divorce settlement, including how assets were divided, any child support or alimony awarded, and even custody rulings and visitation rights of the non-custodial parent. Every detail of the divorce settlement is contained in this document.

And often, the marriage record or marriage license is merged with a divorce decree in the database, or the marriage license is “filed” with the divorce decree and comes up when searching for divorce records in California for free. Certified copies will cost whatever fee that particular county charges for copies, but the search and the ability to view the records should be free. For more information research the divorce law California information guide. Its online, and free!