How to Get a Certified Copy of Your Divorce Decree in Montana

You Need Certified Copies, Not Photocopies

Every agency that processes a post-divorce name change or asset transfer requires an original certified copy of your Decree of Dissolution — stamped with the Clerk of Court's raised seal or colored certification stamp. A photocopy, a printout from your attorney's file, or a scanned PDF won't work.

The Social Security Administration, the Montana MVD, the U.S. Department of State, mortgage lenders, and retirement plan administrators all require originals. Bring a photocopy and you'll be turned away.

Where to Request Them

Contact the Clerk of District Court in the county where your dissolution was granted — not where you live now, not where your ex lives, but where the case was filed. Montana has 56 counties, each with its own Clerk of Court office.

In person: Visit the Clerk's office during business hours. Most can produce certified copies while you wait.

By mail: Send a written request with your full name (as it appears in the case), your ex-spouse's name, the approximate date of dissolution, and the case number if you have it. Include a check or money order for the total fee amount. Some county clerks provide downloadable request forms on their websites.

Online: A limited number of Montana counties have online record request portals. Check your county's website first — it can save a trip.

Fees

Montana charges at the county level, so fees vary slightly, but the standard range is:

• Decree copy: $10 per copy
• Certification stamp: $2 per document

A single certified copy typically costs $12. For five copies — the minimum recommended for post-divorce document updates — budget $60.

How Many Do You Need?

At minimum, plan for five:

1. Social Security Administration (they return it, but you'll be without it during processing)
2. Montana Motor Vehicle Division
3. U.S. Passport Office (mailed with your application — returned separately)
4. Mortgage lender or title company (for refinance or deed recording)
5. Personal file / backup

If you're dividing retirement accounts, each plan administrator will want their own copy. MPERA and TRS may keep the copy on file with your Family Law Order. Private plan administrators processing a QDRO typically retain the decree as well.

Order one or two extra to avoid a second trip to the courthouse. It's cheaper than the time cost of going back.

What If You Can't Find Your Case?

If you don't have the case number, the Clerk of Court can search by name and approximate date. Montana divorce records are public court filings — they can be located by either party's name.

For older records (pre-digital), the Clerk may need additional time to locate the physical file. Some records have been transferred to the Montana Historical Society or state archives.

Decree vs. Marriage Certificate

These are different documents from different agencies. The Clerk of District Court holds your divorce decree. The Montana Office of Vital Records (DPHHS) in Helena holds marriage and birth certificates. If you need to update a birth certificate after a divorce name change, that's a separate request to Vital Records — $41 total, processed by mail only.

Using Your Certified Copies

Each agency has its own rules about whether they keep the original or return it:

• SSA: Returns your original documents by mail
• MVD: Inspects and returns at the counter
• U.S. Passport Office: Retains during processing, returns separately by mail
• Lenders and plan administrators: Often retain the copy permanently

The Montana After-Divorce Checklist maps exactly which agencies need certified copies and in what order, so you can work through the list efficiently without running out.

See more Montana guides →