How to Get Certified Divorce Decree Copies in Indiana

Why You Need More Than One Copy

Every agency that touches your post-divorce life — the Social Security Administration, the Indiana BMV, your mortgage lender, the county recorder, retirement plan administrators — requires a certified copy of the final decree. Not a photocopy, not a scan, not the original. A certified copy carries the county clerk's raised seal and signature confirming it matches the court record exactly.

Most people need six to eight certified copies. Running out mid-process means another trip to the courthouse and another wait, so order more than you think you need upfront.

Where to Request Them

The clerk of the circuit or superior court in the county where your divorce was filed holds the original record. You can request copies in person at the clerk's office or, in some counties, through an online portal.

To make the request, you will need:

• Full legal names of both parties (as they appeared on the petition)
• The case number (printed on every court filing)
• The approximate filing date
• The specific county where the divorce was finalized

Marion County residents can request copies through the Clerk of the Marion Circuit and Superior Courts at the City-County Building in downtown Indianapolis. Some counties, like Clark County, offer online ordering through their clerk's website.

What Certified Copies Cost

Fees vary by county, but the general structure across Indiana is:

• Copy fee: $1 per page in most counties (St. Joseph County Archives charges $0.05 per page for archived records)
• Certification fee: $3 per document, regardless of page count

A typical Indiana divorce decree runs 5 to 15 pages, so each certified copy costs roughly $8 to $18. If you order six copies of a 10-page decree, expect to pay around $78 total.

Some counties accept cash only at the window. Call ahead to confirm accepted payment methods if you are making an in-person visit.

Certified Copy vs. the Original Decree

The original decree stays with the court permanently — you will never hold it. What your attorney gave you on the day of the hearing is typically an informational or file-stamped copy, which is useful for your personal records but may not satisfy agencies that require formal certification.

A certified copy is different from a settlement agreement. The decree is the judge's signed order dissolving the marriage and incorporating the settlement terms. Some agencies specifically request the decree rather than the underlying agreement — when in doubt, provide the certified decree.

How Many You Need

Here is a practical breakdown:

• SSA name change: 1 copy (returned to you after processing)
• Indiana BMV: 1 copy for driver's license name change, 1 per vehicle title transfer
• County recorder: 1 copy per real estate deed filing
• Mortgage lender: 1 copy for refinancing
• Retirement plan administrator: 1 copy per QDRO submission
• Banks and financial institutions: 1 copy (some accept a photocopy after verifying the certified original)
• Passport renewal: 1 copy for the State Department

Some agencies return the certified copy after review. Others keep it. Order at least two more than your count suggests.

The 30-Day Appeal Window

Indiana Appellate Rule 9 allows either party 30 days from the date the judgment appears on the court's Chronological Case Summary to file an appeal. During this window, the decree is technically not completely final. Some banks and financial institutions will delay processing asset transfers until the appeal period expires.

You can still order and use certified copies immediately — the appeal window affects institutional willingness to process transfers, not the validity of the document itself.

Putting Your Copies to Work

The Indiana After-Divorce Checklist maps every agency that needs a certified copy, in the order you should visit them, with the exact forms and fees for each step. Having your copies organized before you start prevents the most common post-divorce frustration: discovering you need another trip to the courthouse when you are already at the BMV counter.

See more Indiana guides →