For individuals who were divorced in the state of Florida, there may be a future need to seek documentation of said divorce. Most individuals do receive copies of documents such as judgments, which prove the divorce, but documents can be lost and destroyed. One way to get documentation of a divorce that might be needed when dealing with creditors or future legal matters is to order a copy of a divorce certificate from the Florida Department of Health.
The Florida Department of Health receives a Report of Dissolution of Marriage from the Clerks of Court within 60 days of a divorce. According to the department, it has records regarding divorce dating as far back as June 6, 1927. The longevity of the department’s records also makes it a good resource for families who need divorce records due to estate or probate matters.
A signed letter or application for a divorce certificate can be mailed to the Department of Health. The document must contain the date of the divorce in question, the county of divorce and the names of those who were divorced, including the maiden name of the woman. The letter should also come with the fee of $5 for a certified copy. Additional copies are provided for $4 each after the first copy.
The application must also include the name, address and telephone number of the person making the request. The records department will search for a divorce if the applicant doesn’t know the exact day, but an additional fee of $2 for every year searches is assessed. In emergency circumstances, certificates can be rushed for an additional fee of $10.
Though there are ways of accessing old records and getting documents such as divorce certificates, working with the original attorney who helped with a divorce may offer a more efficient way of gaining documents, especially if you aren’t sure of specific details.
Source: Florida Health, “Certificates – Birth, Death, Fetal Death, Marriage and Divorce” Aug. 27, 2014