Divorce certificate definition

A divorce certificate is not to be confused with a divorce decree. The first one, a divorce certificate, is issued by your state’s health department or by the bureau of vital statistics.

The divorce certificate is not issued by a court and simply shows:

• The person is divorced
• Names of both parties involved
• Date and place of the divorce

This type of certificate is used for limited purposes and not all states will issue one.

However, it can be used to change your name, show proof of divorce without revealing all the details, getting a travel visa or a passport, inheritance purposes, or getting married again.

To obtain a copy of your divorce certificate, you should contact the vital records office in the state where it was registered.