What are Florida Divorce Records?

Florida divorce records contain details of a divorce, such as where and when a divorce was granted and other necessary information. These are court or vital records issued by Florida for documentation and preservation. There are 8.0 divorces per thousand women over 15 years old in Florida.

Florida is a no-fault divorce state that permits either party to seek a divorce without providing any concrete reason. Primarily, there are two grounds for getting a divorce in Florida: these include:

• An irretrievable breakdown of the marriage
• The mental incapacity of one of the partners

Once the parties conclude the requirements for the dissolution of a marriage, the judge signs a legal document indicating the termination of the union. The document is the record of the divorce. It is filed with the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court. It takes three to 24 months to finalize a divorce, depending on whether it is contested or uncontested. An uncontested divorce takes an average of 3 months, while a contested divorce takes 12 months.

The records in documents related to the family court include marriage and divorce records. Both types of records contain information that is considered very personal to the parties involved, and it is recommended that those parties maintain these records with care to make future changes. The personal nature of these records results in both being considerably more difficult to find and obtain when compared to other types of public records. These records are often unavailable through government sources or third-party public record websites.

Are Divorce Records Public in Florida?

Under Florida's Public Records Act (PRA), divorce records are available to the general public. This statute allows the public to access and make copies of divorce records available in the state. Divorce records sealed or expunged by court order may not be available to the public. However, in most cases, Florida does not grant the sealing of divorce records, and when it does, the documents are not sealed entirely but redacted.

When a divorce process is finalized, the court releases the records to the state. Like other court records, divorce case information is accessible to the public. Persons who seek divorce records may obtain copies from the office of the Circuit Court's Clerk in the county where the divorce was filed.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. Operating independently of any federal, state, or local agency, such websites may simplify the search process as they are not limited by geographic location. In addition, third-party sites typically have search engines that may be used to filter specific or multiple records. To use third-party or government websites, interested parties may need to provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that the person resides in or was accused in

However, third-party sites are independent of government sources and are not sponsored by these agencies. Therefore, the record results, availability, or accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

What are the types of Divorce Records available in Florida?

Divorce Decree and Divorce Certificate are the types of Divorce Records available in Florida. Divorce court case files may also count as divorce records and are easier to find than the others. These files include all records of divorce court proceedings, such as filed evidence, testimonies, transcripts of court proceedings, and any document containing a motion. Other inclusions are verdicts, probationary clauses, terms of shared child-custody, protective orders or similar agreements, stipulated financial entitlements and allowances. They are maintained by the Clerk of Circuit Court, where divorce proceedings took place.

A Divorce Decree is a court document that contains the final declaration of the judge's dissolution of a marriage. It is issued after divorce court proceedings when the court makes a final decision binding on both parties. A divorce decree incorporates details of agreed-upon terms and conditions. These include shared child custody, division of assets and debts, child support, the rights and responsibilities of each party to the other after divorce, and other related information. This document is only available to the involved parties and lawyers during the divorce proceedings.

A Divorce Certificate is a document issued by the Bureau of Vital Statistics office of the Florida Department of Health. It establishes that a divorce was granted on a specific date. Other information on the certification includes the parties' names, the date the divorce was finalized, the venue where the divorce was finalized, and the court case number. Divorce certificates are accessible to the parties involved and the attorneys participating in the proceedings.

How Do I Get Divorce Records in Florida?

Divorce records are available to the public and may be accessed by authorized persons. Authorized persons include the actual parties involved and the legal practitioners who were a part of the divorce proceedings. In Florida, divorce records may be obtained through any of these means;

• By mail-in request to the Clerk of the Circuit Court where the divorce was finalized
• Walk-in request to the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court
• Online via the website of the Clerk of the Circuit Court

A nominal fee may apply during the process of each request. This processing fee varies from county to county and depends on the channel through which the request is made. The address and contact information of all Circuit Courts in Florida are available online on the Florida Circuit Court website.

The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics also provides copies of Florida divorce certificates. It has records dated as far back as June 6, 1927. The request process involves paying a $5 fee or $10 to expedite the request. An extra $4 may be paid for additional certified copies in the same order. Where the exact year is unknown, a search fee of $2 per calendar year may apply.

Requests may be delivered to the Bureau of Vital Statistics in person or by mail. Either way, completing the Application for Dissolution of Marriage form and submitting it with the required fee is necessary. Generally, the processing time is between 3 and 5 working days, excluding shipping time. Note, records before 1970 require additional processing time. For rush orders, the requesters are required to indicate 'RUSH' outside the envelope for the sake of identification.

Walk-in requests may be submitted at 1217 N Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202. Business hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Mail-in orders are forwarded to:

The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics,
P.O. Box 210,
Jacksonville, FL 32231–0042.

Requesters may pay in cash, money order, check, or card (Visa and Mastercard) for walk-in orders. Mail-in orders require a check or money order payable to 'Vital Statistics.'

While divorce and marriage records may be searched through government sources and organizations, their availability cannot be guaranteed. This is also true of their availability through third-party websites and companies, as these entities are not government-sponsored; therefore, record availability may vary further.

Also note that marriage and divorce records are considered extremely private due to the information they contain and are often sealed. Hence, these factors determine the availability of any type of marriage or divorce record.

Who Can Obtain Divorce Records in Florida?

Generally, members of the public may obtain copies of Florida divorce records containing non-confidential information. However, authorized copies containing confidential information, such as Divorce Decrees and Certificates, are typically only accessible to:

• The parties involved in the divorce case
• The attorneys to the parties involved in the divorce

Are Florida Divorce Records available online?

Divorce case files are the kind of records obtainable online in Florida. These records are available via a request portal on the website of the counties that provide such service. Note that these records offer redacted divorce information. The information includes the filing date for the divorce, the separated couple's names, the county court's name, and the divorce case number. It does not contain detailed information on the terms and conditions that apply when a divorce case is finalized.

How Do I Seal My Divorce Records in Florida?

The request to seal a divorce record in Florida begins with filing a motion and affidavit with the court. Here, both parties appeal to the court, revealing the damage the divorce may cause to their reputations, children, finances, and careers if the records are not sealed. The divorce record may not be sealed if the request is granted. Instead, only the sections that contain confidential or private information become protected. After the appeal to seal a divorce record has been approved, the judge typically sends a written order to the Bureau of Vital Statistics office to seal the record from public access.