Yes, divorce records are public in Florida under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, the state's Public Records Act. Anyone can inspect and copy dissolution-of-marriage records held by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, and certified divorce certificates cost $5 from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics, unless a court has sealed the file.
Key Facts: Florida Divorce Records
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Are records public? | Yes — under Fla. Stat. § 119.01 |
| Divorce filing fee | $408 base ($418 with summons) — as of March 2026 |
| Certified certificate fee | $5 first copy, $4 each additional |
| Waiting period | 20 days minimum before final judgment |
| Residency requirement | 6 months in Florida (Fla. Stat. § 61.021) |
| Grounds | No-fault (marriage irretrievably broken) |
| Property division type | Equitable distribution (Fla. Stat. § 61.075) |
| Records custodian | Clerk of the Circuit Court (case file); Bureau of Vital Statistics (certificate) |
Are Divorce Records Public in Florida?
Divorce records are public in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 119.01, the Public Records Act, which grants every person the right to inspect and copy state, county, and municipal records. Dissolution-of-marriage files held by the Clerk of the Circuit Court are presumptively open, meaning a member of the public does not need to be a party, provide a reason, or prove standing to view them.
The question "are divorce records public Florida" turns on a strong constitutional presumption of openness. Article I, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution guarantees public access to records of all three branches of government. This access covers the petition for dissolution, the final judgment, and most motions and orders filed in a divorce case. However, the openness is not absolute: certain personal identifiers are automatically redacted, and a judge may seal an entire file under a demanding legal standard. Roughly 67 county clerks maintain these records independently, so the exact search process varies by the county where the divorce was filed. Public divorce filings remain accessible for the life of the record unless a sealing order changes that status.
Three Types of Florida Divorce Records
Florida maintains three distinct record types, and knowing which one you need determines where to search and how much you pay. A divorce certificate costs $5 and confirms the divorce happened; a divorce decree (final judgment) details the court's rulings; and the full divorce record contains every filed document, including transcripts and evidence.
Each record type serves a different purpose and lives in a different place. The divorce certificate is a one-page abstract issued by the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics, listing the parties' names, divorce date, and county — it is the document most often requested to prove a divorce for remarriage or a name change. The divorce decree, formally the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage, is issued by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and spells out alimony, child support, timesharing, and property division. The complete divorce record is the most comprehensive: it includes the decree plus every petition, motion, financial affidavit, and any court transcripts. For a divorce records search that requires the full financial or custody terms, request the decree or the complete file from the county clerk, not the certificate.
| Record Type | Custodian | Typical Cost | Contains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce Certificate | Bureau of Vital Statistics | $5 (+$4 each additional) | Names, date, county |
| Divorce Decree (Final Judgment) | Clerk of Circuit Court | $1/page + $2 certification | Court's rulings on support, property, timesharing |
| Complete Divorce Record | Clerk of Circuit Court | Varies by page count | Every filed document, transcripts, evidence |
How to Search Florida Divorce Records
To search Florida divorce records, first identify the county where the divorce was filed, then use that county's Clerk of the Circuit Court online portal or request a certified certificate from the Bureau of Vital Statistics for $5. Records registered from June 6, 1927 to the present are available through Vital Statistics; earlier divorces exist only at the county clerk.
The divorce records search process follows a predictable path. Start by determining the filing county, because Florida has no single statewide case-file database; each Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains its own records. Most large counties — including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Orange — offer free online public docket portals where you can look up a case by party name or case number. These portals typically show the case number, filing date, and party names, but under Florida Supreme Court Administrative Order 2024-65 (Access to Electronic Court Records), online viewing restricts personal identifiers and confidential information through a security matrix. For a certified divorce certificate, order from the Bureau of Vital Statistics by walk-in at 1217 N. Pearl Street, Jacksonville, or by mail to P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231. Normal processing runs 3–5 business days for computerized records dating from 1970 forward.
Steps to Obtain a Certified Certificate
- Confirm the divorce was recorded (clerks forward reports to Vital Statistics roughly 60 days after judgment).
- Complete the Application for a Florida Divorce Certificate.
- Pay the $5 search fee (includes one certified copy); add $4 for each additional copy.
- Add $10 for expedited/rush processing if you need same-day or priority service.
- Submit by walk-in, mail, or through the authorized vendor VitalChek.
Florida Divorce Records Search Fees and Costs
A certified Florida divorce certificate costs $5 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy from the Bureau of Vital Statistics, while the underlying divorce filing carries a $408 base fee. Rush service adds $10, and if the divorce year is unknown, a search fee of up to $2 per calendar year may apply.
Understanding the fee structure prevents surprises. The $5 certificate fee from Vital Statistics is non-refundable, even if no matching record is found. When you do not know the exact divorce year, the Bureau charges a per-year search fee, and older records (before 1970) require additional processing time and a $10 rush fee for same-day service where available. Separately, the cost to file a divorce in Florida is $408 as the base dissolution fee under Fla. Stat. § 28.241, rising to about $418 once the $10 summons issuance fee is added. County surcharges push the total filing range to roughly $408–$435. Certified copies of documents from the county clerk generally cost $1 per page plus a $2 certification charge. As of March 2026, these figures apply statewide, but you should verify current amounts with your local clerk before relying on them.
| Item | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Certified certificate (1st copy) | $5 | Bureau of Vital Statistics |
| Each additional certified copy | $4 | Bureau of Vital Statistics |
| Rush/expedited certificate | +$10 | Bureau of Vital Statistics |
| Unknown-year search | up to $2/calendar year | Bureau of Vital Statistics |
| Base divorce filing fee | $408 | Fla. Stat. § 28.241 |
| Summons issuance | $10 | Clerk of Circuit Court |
| Certified copy from clerk | $1/page + $2 certification | Clerk of Circuit Court |
As of March 2026. Verify with your local clerk.
What Information Is Redacted or Confidential
Florida automatically shields certain sensitive data from public divorce records under Rule 2.420 of the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, which lists 23 categories of confidential information. Clerks redact Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, health records, and the addresses of domestic-violence victims from otherwise public files.
Even though divorce filings are presumptively public, the law balances openness against personal privacy. Rule 2.420 enumerates 23 categories of automatically confidential information that must be kept from public view, including Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, medical and health records, juvenile records, and the identity of sexual-offense victims. In family-law cases, filers use a Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing to flag documents containing these enumerated exemptions. Financial affidavits, which every divorcing spouse must submit, are part of the court file but have sensitive account numbers redacted before public access. This redaction framework means that while a curious member of the public can confirm that a divorce occurred and read the final judgment, they generally cannot harvest the parties' Social Security numbers, full financial account details, or a protected spouse's home address from the public record.
How to Seal Divorce Records in Florida
To seal divorce records in Florida, you must file a Motion to Determine Confidentiality of Court Records under Rule 2.420(g) and prove that confidentiality serves a compelling governmental interest. Florida courts rarely seal entire divorce files because the constitutional presumption of public access is strong, though specific sensitive documents are protected more readily.
Sealing divorce records is difficult by design. Florida applies the demanding standard set in Barron v. Florida Freedom Newspapers, Inc. and Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Lewis, requiring the party seeking secrecy to show the closure is necessary to serve a compelling interest and is narrowly tailored — no broader than necessary. Under Rule 2.420(g), a spouse who wants to seal records that fall outside the 23 automatic exemptions must file a Motion to Determine Confidentiality, give notice to all affected non-parties, and typically appear at an open hearing. The clerk temporarily locks the challenged document for up to 10 business days pending the motion. Sealing an entire file is granted only in limited circumstances — for example, to protect a domestic-violence survivor's safety or a minor child's sensitive records. Courts far more commonly order targeted redaction than full sealing, preserving divorce records privacy for genuine safety concerns while keeping the broader file open. If a court finds a sealing request was not made in good faith, it may impose sanctions.
Florida Divorce Process Basics That Shape the Record
Florida is a no-fault divorce state requiring only that one spouse assert the marriage is irretrievably broken, with a mandatory 20-day waiting period before a judge can enter a final judgment. One spouse must have resided in Florida for 6 months before filing, under Fla. Stat. § 61.021.
The procedural rules that govern a Florida dissolution directly determine what appears in the public record. Under Fla. Stat. § 61.052, Florida recognizes no-fault grounds: a spouse simply alleges the marriage is irretrievably broken, so public divorce filings rarely contain accusations of misconduct. The residency rule in Fla. Stat. § 61.021 requires at least one party to live in Florida continuously for six months before filing, and it cannot be waived because it establishes the court's subject-matter jurisdiction. Property is divided by equitable distribution under Fla. Stat. § 61.075, meaning the court divides marital assets fairly (not necessarily 50/50), and the resulting allocation appears in the final judgment. Child-related terms follow the best-interests standard in Fla. Stat. § 61.13. Because these decisions are memorialized in the final judgment, that document — a public record — reveals the core outcomes of the case even when underlying financial exhibits are redacted.
Divorce Certificate vs. Divorce Decree: Which One Do You Need?
A Florida divorce certificate is a $5 one-page abstract from the Bureau of Vital Statistics proving a divorce occurred, while a divorce decree is the full Final Judgment from the county clerk detailing support, property, and timesharing rulings. Choose the certificate for proof of status and the decree for legal terms.
Selecting the right document saves time and money. If you are remarrying, changing your name, or updating immigration or Social Security records, agencies almost always accept the certified divorce certificate, which lists only names, the divorce date, and the county — a compact, inexpensive proof. If you need to enforce or modify alimony, child support, or a timesharing schedule, you need the divorce decree (Final Judgment), because only that document contains the enforceable terms. Note that the certificate is an abstract taken from the judgment; the Bureau of Vital Statistics issues it, but the actual judgment lives with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the filing county. Because the clerk forwards a divorce report to Vital Statistics only about 60 days after entry of judgment, a very recent divorce may appear in the county case file before a certificate becomes orderable.