To find California divorce records online, go to the Superior Court website for the county where the divorce was filed and use its case search tool. California has no single statewide portal covering all 58 counties, so the county is your starting point. If you don’t know which county handled the case and the divorce was finalized between 1962 and June 1984, the California Department of Public Health can identify it for you.
Start With the Right County Superior Court
Each of California’s 58 counties runs its own Superior Court, and each court keeps its own divorce files: petitions, judgments, marital settlement agreements, and custody orders.1Judicial Branch of California. Public Records The decree itself lives at the county level. There is no consolidated state court database, so a search only works if you’re looking in the county where the case was filed.
The Judicial Branch’s court directory at courts.ca.gov/find-my-court links out to every county court’s website.1Judicial Branch of California. Public Records On the county site, look for a menu item called “Online Services,” “Case Search,” or “Access a Case.” That’s where you’ll enter names or a case number.
What You Need Before You Search
A little preparation saves a lot of time. Have these in hand:
- Full legal names of both spouses as they appeared on the court paperwork, not names adopted after the divorce.
- The county where the case was filed. If you’re not sure, try the county where the couple last lived together.
- An approximate year or date range, which helps in high-volume counties.
If you don’t have a case number, most portals let you search by party name. When an online search returns nothing, the clerk’s office can run a manual search in person or by phone and confirm whether a case exists.2California Courts | Self Help Guide. How to Look Up a Court Case
What Online Portals Actually Show
County portals vary. Most let you search by party name and view a case index: filing date, hearing dates, and a list of documents filed. A few large counties go further. Los Angeles, for example, offers electronic access to certain divorce judgment documents through its website.3Superior Court of Los Angeles County. Divorce Judgment Documents
Divorce cases are generally treated more restrictively online than other civil matters. You may see that the case exists and view its docket without being able to open the documents themselves.2California Courts | Self Help Guide. How to Look Up a Court Case To get the actual decree, you’ll usually need to request a copy from the clerk.
When Online Search Won’t Work
Older cases are the most common dead end. Files from before the late 1990s or early 2000s were paper-based, and many counties never digitized them. In those situations, you’ll need to contact the clerk directly or visit the courthouse. Some counties store older files offsite and need several business days to pull them.4Superior Court of California | County of Orange. Family Law Records
A file may also be sealed. A judge can seal all or part of a divorce case under California Rules of Court, Rule 2.550, when a specific privacy interest outweighs public access.5Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.550 Sealed Records Sealed records don’t appear in a normal search, and you can’t view them without a court order or direct involvement in the case.
Even in unsealed cases, certain sensitive material is often missing from what you can see. Under Family Code section 2024.6, either spouse can ask the court to seal pleadings listing financial assets and liabilities, and section 2024.5 lets either party redact Social Security numbers from filings.6California Legislative Information. California Family Code Division 6, Part 1, Chapter 3 So financial details in a public divorce file are frequently limited.
If You Can’t Identify the County (1962 to June 1984)
The California Department of Public Health Vital Records office holds a limited record of divorces finalized between 1962 and June 1984. What it has is a Certificate of Record, not the decree itself. The certificate lists the parties’ names, filing date, county, and case number.7California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Obtaining Certified Copies of Divorce Records It’s most useful when you know a divorce happened in that window but can’t pin down the county. Once you have the county and case number, you can go to that Superior Court for the actual file.
The Certificate of Record costs $18 by mail, and CDPH processing runs about 5 to 7 weeks.8California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Obtaining Certified Copies of Divorce RecordsVital Records Processing Times For any divorce outside 1962 to June 1984, skip CDPH and go straight to the county court.
Getting a Certified Copy Once You Find the Case
An online search confirms a case exists and gives you a case number. It doesn’t produce an official document you can hand to a government agency, bank, or consulate. For that, request a certified copy from the county clerk.
California sets court copy fees statewide. As of January 1, 2026, the per-page copy charge is $0.50 under Government Code section 70627(a), and certification is $40 under section 70626(a)(4).9Judicial Branch of California. Statewide Civil Fee Schedule Effective 01-01-2026 A certified copy of a 10-page judgment runs $45: $5 in page charges plus $40 to certify. An uncertified copy of the same document is $5.
Most counties accept requests in person, by mail, or through an online request system, using a county-specific copy request form.4Superior Court of California | County of Orange. Family Law Records Include the case number, the specific document you want, and payment. Checks or money orders are standard by mail; in-person and online options often take credit cards.
Counter requests are often filled the same day or within a few business days. Mail and online requests take longer. Orange County estimates 30 to 45 days for documents purchased by mail, phone, or online.4Superior Court of California | County of Orange. Family Law Records If your timeline is tight, going to the courthouse in person is the fastest path.
If You Need the Record for Use Abroad
To use a California divorce record in another country, you’ll usually need an apostille from the California Secretary of State authenticating the signatures on the certified copy. This comes up when remarrying abroad, filing for immigration benefits, or handling foreign property.
The process runs in two steps. First, get a certified copy from the county Superior Court. Then submit that certified copy to the Secretary of State for the apostille. The fee is $20 per apostille by mail or in person. In-person requests at the Sacramento or Los Angeles office add a $6 special handling fee per signature and are processed the same day. Only original certified copies are accepted; photocopies are rejected.10California Secretary of State. Request an Apostille
Between the weeks it can take a county to produce a certified copy and the additional apostille turnaround by mail, allow two months or more if you have a deadline.