How to Get Vermont Divorce Records
Two Types of Records, Two Different Offices
Vermont maintains divorce records through two separate systems, and requesting the wrong one from the wrong office is the most common source of delays.
Court records (the divorce decree) are held by the clerk of the Superior Court, Family Division, in the county where the divorce was filed. This is the full court order — property division, support terms, parental rights, and any name restoration order. Certified copies include the judge's signature and the court's raised seal.
Vital records (the divorce certificate) are maintained by the Vermont Department of Health, Vital Records Office. This is a statistical record similar to a birth or marriage certificate. It confirms a divorce occurred, lists the parties and the date, but doesn't contain any of the legal terms from the decree.
Most agencies — the SSA, DMV, banks, mortgage lenders — need the certified court decree, not the vital records certificate. Know which one you need before you order.
How to Get Certified Copies of the Decree
Contact the clerk of the Family Division unit where your case was heard. Vermont has 14 county units. If you don't remember which unit handled your case, the Vermont Superior Court Access and Resource Center (802-879-1185) can help you locate it.
Request certified copies by mail or in person. Each copy includes the court seal and is treated as an original by agencies. Order at least six — you'll use them for identity updates, property transfers, retirement account divisions, and your permanent file.
A per-page copy fee applies. The exact amount varies slightly by unit but is generally modest.
How to Get a Divorce Certificate from Vital Records
The Vermont Department of Health, Vital Records Office processes requests for divorce certificates. You can reach them through the state's vital records portal.
Vital records certificates are useful for situations where you simply need to prove a divorce happened — some name-change services, insurance applications, and estate proceedings accept them. But for anything requiring the specific terms of the decree (who got the house, how retirement was divided, whether a name change was ordered), you need the court record.
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Access Restrictions
Vermont court records are generally public, but certain documents in family cases — financial affidavits, sealed motions, records involving minors — may have restricted access. The clerk's office can tell you what's available and what requires a court order to access.
Before ordering a vital record, check the Vital Records Office's current eligibility and identification requirements.
If Your Divorce Was Years Ago
Vermont maintains court records permanently. Even if your divorce was finalized decades ago, the clerk's office should be able to locate and certify copies of the decree. Older records may require more processing time if they haven't been digitized.
For older vital-record requests, confirm current availability and processing times with the Department of Health.
Our Vermont After-Divorce Checklist includes a document tracking system that helps you organize which records you've ordered, which you've received, and which agencies still need copies.
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