Find Divorce Records in Kentucky: Certificates and Court Decrees

To find divorce records in Kentucky, you have two places to go: the Office of Vital Statistics (OVS) in Frankfort issues certified divorce certificates for divorces recorded from June 1958 forward, and the Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted holds the full decree and case file.1Social Security Administration. POMS GN 00308.036 – Kentucky Vital Records2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Kentucky Which one you need depends on why you need it.

Decree or Certificate: Which One Do You Need

A divorce decree is the court order the judge signed to finalize the case. It spells out property division, spousal support, custody, visitation, and child support. If you need the actual terms of the settlement, you need the decree.1Social Security Administration. POMS GN 00308.036 – Kentucky Vital Records

A divorce certificate is a shorter, state-issued document that confirms the divorce happened. It shows both parties’ names and the date and county of the divorce, and nothing else.3USAGov. How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree or Certificate For a name change, remarriage, or a benefits application, the certificate is usually enough. Confirm with whoever is asking for the record before you order, because uncertified copies are generally not accepted for legal purposes, and some agencies want the decree instead of the certificate.

What to Have Ready Before You Request

Either office will ask for the same basic details:

  • Full names of both parties, including maiden or prior married names.
  • The date of the divorce, or a close approximation if you’re not sure.
  • The Kentucky county where the divorce was finalized.

If you’re ordering a certificate from OVS, have a valid government-issued photo ID ready. Divorce decrees are court records and generally open to the public, so anyone can request one from the Circuit Court Clerk, though copy and certification fees apply.

Ordering a Certificate From the Office of Vital Statistics

The Kentucky OVS, part of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, keeps divorce certificates from June 1958 onward.2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Kentucky The fee is $6.00 per copy, and you pay it whether or not the search turns up a record.4Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. 901 KAR 5:050 – Fees for Searches, Certified Copies of Certificates and Records There are three ways to order.

By Mail

Download form VS-230 (Application for a Certified Copy of Marriage/Divorce Certificate) from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services website.5Cabinet for Health and Family Services. VS-230 Marriage/Divorce Application Complete it with both parties’ names, the date and county of the divorce, and your contact information. Send it with a check or money order for $6.00 per copy to:

Office of Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street, 1E-A
Frankfort, KY 406212Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Kentucky

Mail requests can take several weeks. Plan ahead if you’re working against a deadline.

Online Through VitalChek

OVS partners with VitalChek for online and phone orders.1Social Security Administration. POMS GN 00308.036 – Kentucky Vital Records It’s the fastest option and the most expensive. On top of the $6.00 state fee, VitalChek adds a processing fee of around $10.50, and next-day shipping runs an extra $17.50.6VitalChek. Application for Certified Copy of a Kentucky Divorce Certificate

In Person

You can walk into the OVS office in Frankfort and request a certificate directly. Same-day service happens sometimes but isn’t guaranteed. Call ahead to check current hours and whether walk-ins are being accepted.

Ordering a Decree From the Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted holds the original decree and the full case file.1Social Security Administration. POMS GN 00308.036 – Kentucky Vital Records Contact that office to request a copy. Most clerks accept requests in person or by mail, and some take them by phone. Procedures and forms vary from county to county, so call before you send anything.

Find the right office through the Kentucky Court of Justice’s online directory, which lists contact information for every circuit court clerk in the state.7Kentucky Court of Justice. Contact List Search Fees are set at the county level, usually a per-page copy charge plus a separate certification fee. Ask for the exact amount before you send in your request.

If You Don’t Know the County

Kentucky offers free online access to public court case information through KYeCourts.8Kentucky Court of Justice. KYeCourts – Guest Login Search by party name to see case details, filing dates, and docket entries. It’s the easiest way to pin down where and when a divorce was filed when you only have one party’s name. KYeCourts shows case information, not the documents themselves, so once you find the case you still need to contact the clerk for a copy of the decree.

Divorces Before June 1958

OVS only has records back to June 1958. For anything older, go straight to the Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted.9Library of Congress. Vital Records – Kentucky Local History and Genealogy Resource Guide Kentucky circuit courts have handled divorce cases since 1809, and those records stay at the county level.

For very old cases, indexes and digitized documents may also be available through genealogy databases such as FamilySearch, which has indexed many Kentucky court records. The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives in Frankfort holds some historical court records as well. If the county clerk can’t locate a file, those are the next places to try.

Cost Summary

If you need the record for a court, immigration, or government agency, ask for a certified copy and confirm which document that office wants before you pay.