Florida Divorce Decree: What It Is, How to Get Copies, and What It Covers

Florida Divorce Decree: What It Is, How to Get Copies, and What It Covers

Your Florida divorce decree — officially called the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage (Form 12.990(a)) — is the court order that legally ends your marriage. It is the single document you will need for nearly every post-divorce administrative task: changing your name, updating bank accounts, modifying insurance policies, and dividing retirement assets.

What the Decree Contains

The final judgment is not just a one-page certificate. In a regular dissolution, it incorporates by reference every agreement the parties reached or the judge ordered:

• The legal finding that the marriage is irretrievably broken
• The division of all marital assets and liabilities (equitable distribution)
• Alimony terms (type, amount, duration) or a finding that no alimony is warranted
• The parenting plan and time-sharing schedule (if minor children are involved)
• Child support amounts calculated under Florida's guidelines
• The marital settlement agreement (attached as an exhibit)
• Any name-change order

In a simplified dissolution, the decree is simpler because there are no children, no alimony, and no judge-reviewed settlement agreement.

How the Decree Is Entered

The judge signs the final judgment at the conclusion of your final hearing. In uncontested cases, this happens the same day you appear. The signed judgment is filed with the clerk of court and becomes part of the official court record.

The clerk then records the judgment, and in most counties, the recording fee is included in the original filing fee. In some counties (Lake, Manatee), there is a separate $10.50 recording fee.

Getting Certified Copies

You will need certified copies for post-divorce tasks. Here is how to get them:

From the county clerk's office. Contact the clerk of the circuit court in the county where your divorce was filed. Most clerks charge $2 to $5 per page for certified copies. You can typically request them in person, by mail, or through the clerk's website.

From the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. If your case was electronically filed through myflcourtaccess.com, you can access your case documents online. However, downloaded documents are not certified — you still need the clerk to certify them with an official stamp.

How many copies to order. Plan on at least three to five certified copies. You will likely need one for each of the following: your bank (to change account names or close joint accounts), your employer (to update benefits and tax withholding), the DMV (if you are changing your name), your mortgage company (if transferring or refinancing the marital home), and any retirement plan administrator (to process a QDRO).

When You Need the Decree

Name change. If the judge granted a name change in the final judgment, you will need a certified copy to update your Social Security card, driver's license, passport, and financial accounts.

Retirement account division. The final judgment alone is not enough to split a 401(k), 403(b), or pension. You need a separate Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) drafted and approved by the court, then submitted to the plan administrator.

Remarriage. Florida has no waiting period between divorce and remarriage. Once the final judgment is entered, you can remarry immediately — but you will need a certified copy of the decree to obtain a new marriage license.

Enforcement. If your ex-spouse fails to comply with the terms of the decree (does not pay support, does not transfer property), the certified copy is the document you file with the court when seeking enforcement through a Motion for Contempt.

The Florida Divorce Filing Process Guide walks you through every step from filing to final judgment, including a post-hearing checklist covering exactly which offices need certified copies of your decree and in what order to contact them.

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