New York Divorce Records

There are two types of New York divorce records: decrees and certificates. The decree shows the conditions and terms of the dissolution of marriage and is filed in the county where the divorce was granted. For divorces that occurred in New York before January 1963, the decree is the only type of record available as certificates weren’t issued in the state before then. New York divorce certificates are confidential by law and only available to the persons named on the document and those authorized by them, such as legal representatives.

How To Access New York Divorce Records

The New York State Department of Health, Vital Records Office has divorce decrees on file from January 1, 1963 to the present. To access New York divorce records in the form of decrees before that date, the Clerk or Registrar for Divorce in the county where the dissolution of marriage was filed should be contacted.

Contact And Fee Information For New York Divorce Records

For a certified copy of a New York divorce certificate, you can contact the health department in the county where the dissolution of marriage occurred. Usually, service while you wait is possible. The current fee is $15, which includes a certified copy of the divorce certificate if the record is found. If the record is not located, a “Certificate of Failure to Find” will be issued. Under the law, the fee covers the search itself, so the cost is non-refundable.

A check or money order for the appropriate fee amount should be made payable to the New York State Department of Health. Cash may be accepted for walk in service, but should not be sent for mail in requests.

Here is the mailing address for New York State divorce records:

New York State Department of Health
Corning Tower
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12237

Here are the phone numbers for New York State county health departments:

Here are the phone numbers for New York City county health departments:

Here are the phone numbers for New York City County Clerk offices:

Divorce Records And New York Law

You may need a legal copy of your divorce record if you want to be remarried. It is always a good idea to conduct a self background check that includes accessing your New York divorce records to make sure everything is correct in your file. Otherwise, you may experience delays in obtaining a marriage license or other document.

According to the law, both the payment of the search fee and the necessary information must be supplied by the divorce record requestor before any services can be provided by the state. You must, as the requestor of New York divorce records, state your relationship to the parties named on the certificate as well as include your reason for wanting access to the document.