Ohio Divorce Records: Getting a Certified Decree, and What Stays Private
Ohio family law · Last reviewed October 22, 2026
Ohio has no state divorce certificate. A divorce or dissolution decree is a court record, and the only official copy comes from the clerk of courts in the county where the case was finalized.
Not from the Ohio Department of Health
The state's vital statistics office is clear about this:
Marriage and divorce records are NOT maintained by the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Certified copies of marriage licenses and divorce decrees can only be obtained from the county where the event was recorded.
"Divorce decrees can be requested from the specific county where it was finalized." The Department of Health can't issue a certified decree, and services offering a state "divorce certificate" aren't selling an official Ohio record.
Ordering a certified copy
Contact the clerk of the court of common pleas (domestic relations division, where there is one) in the county that granted the divorce. Have the names of both spouses, the case number if you know it, and the year of the decree.
What it costs. The statute sets the clerk's copy fee at "One dollar for each page, for copies" of records, "including certificate and seal" (R.C. 2303.20(Z)). In practice:
| County | Certified copy | Plain copy |
|---|---|---|
| Cuyahoga | $1 per page | $.03 per page |
| Franklin | $1 per document | $.10 per page |
| Summit | $1 per page | |
| Stark | $1 per page ($5 by mail) | |
| Clermont | $1 per page for pleadings, $3 per page for orders |
Check your clerk's page for current fees, mailing instructions and whether it accepts online requests. A certified copy is what agencies want when you change your name, apply for benefits or remarry.
What's public, and what isn't
Ohio court records are public by default: "Court records are presumed open to public access" (Sup.R. 11.10). So the docket, the complaint or petition, and the decree are generally open to anyone.
But in domestic relations courts, several kinds of documents are excluded from the public "case document" file under Sup.R. 11.09(C)(2)(h):
- health care documents, including psychological, psychiatric and counseling records;
- drug and alcohol assessments;
- guardian ad litem reports;
- home investigation reports and child custody evaluations;
- domestic violence risk assessments;
- supervised parenting time records;
- "Financial disclosure statements regarding property, debt, taxes, income, and expenses," with their supporting documents; and
- asset appraisals and evaluations.
So your income and property affidavits aren't part of the public file, but the decree itself, including any property division it spells out, usually is. Personal identifiers such as Social Security and account numbers are to be left out of public filings (Sup.R. 11.13), and a party who needs more protection can ask the court to restrict public access (Sup.R. 11.14).
The rule numbers changed on July 1, 2026. The public-access rules that were Sup.R. 44 to 47 are now Sup.R. 11.09 to 11.16 (44 became 11.09; 45 became 11.10 to 11.14; 46 became 11.15; 47 became 11.16). Older websites still cite the former numbers.
Records for remarriage
When you apply for a marriage license after a divorce, the application asks for the prior decree's court, date and case number (R.C. 3101.05). Having a certified copy on hand makes that easy.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a copy of my divorce decree in Ohio?
Request it from the clerk of courts in the county where the divorce was granted. The Ohio Department of Health doesn't keep divorce records.
How much does a certified copy of an Ohio divorce decree cost?
Usually about $1 per page, under the clerk fee statute; some clerks charge per document. Check your county clerk's fee schedule.
Are divorce records public in Ohio?
The docket and decree generally are. Financial disclosure statements, appraisals, health records, guardian ad litem reports and custody evaluations are kept out of the public file.
Can I get a divorce certificate from the state of Ohio?
No. Ohio doesn't issue state divorce certificates. The official record is the decree held by the county clerk.
Does Ohio's dissolution decree work the same as a divorce decree for records?
Yes. Both are court judgments kept by the county clerk, and you order certified copies the same way.