What Divorce Documents to Keep in Vermont

Two Documents That Sound the Same but Serve Different Purposes

Vermont issues two distinct post-divorce records, and people routinely confuse them:

Certified Copy of the Divorce Decree — issued by the clerk of the Family Division where your case was heard. This is the court order itself, with the judge's signature and the court's raised seal. It contains the property division, support orders, parental rights allocation, and (if included) the name restoration order. This is the document agencies actually need.

Divorce Certificate — issued by the Vermont Department of Health's Vital Records Office. This is a vital statistics record confirming a divorce occurred, similar to a birth or marriage certificate. It shows names, date, and location but contains none of the decree's legal terms. Some agencies accept it for name changes; most financial institutions require the actual decree.

Order at least six certified copies of the decree from the court clerk. You'll use them for SSA updates, DMV appointments, mortgage refinancing, title transfers, and more. Budget for the copy fees — they're modest but add up if you need replacements later.

The Permanent File: Documents You Should Never Discard

These records may be needed years or decades after your divorce. Keep originals or certified copies in a fireproof safe, safe deposit box, or encrypted digital storage:

Court Documents:

• Final Decree of Divorce (the absolute decree, not the nisi order) with the judge's signature and court seal
• Final Stipulation (Form 400-00878) — the detailed agreement on property, debts, and spousal support
• Any post-judgment modification orders

Retirement and Financial:

• Approved Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs) — you may need these when you or your ex-spouse actually retires, which could be decades away
• Plan administrator acceptance letters confirming the QDRO was qualified
• State pension DRO approval letters from the Office of the State Treasurer (for VSERS, VSTRS, or VMERS)

Property:

• Recorded quitclaim deeds with the town clerk's recording stamps
• Property Transfer Tax Returns (Form PTT-172) showing the divorce exemption
• Mortgage refinance documents and promissory note release letters

Vehicle:

• Form TA-VT-014 (Certification of Tax Exemption) — proves you legitimately claimed the Purchase and Use Tax exemption
• Title transfer documentation

Tax:

• Tax returns for the year of the divorce and the year before (at minimum)
• Any IRS Form 8332 releases for claiming children

How to Order Records Later

If you need additional certified copies of the decree years from now, contact the clerk of the specific Family Division unit where your case was heard. Vermont maintains these records permanently. You'll pay a per-page copy fee.

For the vital statistics certificate, contact the Vermont Department of Health, Vital Records Office through the state's vital records portal. Check the current processing fee.

Digital Backup Is Not Optional

Paper degrades, floods happen, and safe deposit box access can be complicated during emergencies. Scan every document at high resolution and store the files in an encrypted folder on a cloud service you control — not a shared family account your ex-spouse can access.

Our Vermont After-Divorce Checklist includes a document inventory worksheet that lists every record you should retain, organized by the agency that issued it and the situations where you'll need it.

See more Vermont guides →