Divorce Records in Colorado: Decree Requests, Copies, and Fees

Copies of Colorado divorce records come from the district court where the divorce was filed. A certified copy of the decree costs $20, and the court typically fills requests within three business days.¹ If you only need proof that a marriage ended, a shorter dissolution verification is available by mail from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.² Choosing the right document first saves you from paying for one that won’t be accepted.

Which Document Do You Actually Need

Colorado produces two different divorce records, and they are not interchangeable.

The divorce decree is the full court order that ended the marriage. It contains the judge’s rulings on property division, spousal maintenance, parenting time, and child support. Because it spells out every enforceable term, the decree is what you need for most legal purposes: enforcing a support obligation, dividing a retirement account, or showing another court the exact terms of your settlement. Only the district court that handled the case issues copies.

The dissolution verification is a brief record held by CDPHE. State law requires the court clerk to notify the state registrar whenever a dissolution decree is entered, and the registrar makes that information available on request.³ The verification confirms the divorce happened and names the parties, but it does not include any of the court’s rulings. It works for situations where you just need proof the marriage ended, such as some insurance or benefits applications. You order one from CDPHE by submitting an application, identification, proof of eligibility, and the required fee by mail.²

If you are not sure which the receiving agency wants, ask them before paying. A verification will not satisfy a request that calls for the decree, and a decree is overkill (and more expensive) when a verification would do.

How to Request a Decree from the Court

The Colorado Judicial Branch offers an online Record/Document Request Form you can submit electronically.¹ You can also contact the courthouse where the divorce was filed to request a copy in person or ask about mailing a request.⁴

Have this information ready before you submit:

Both spouses’ full legal names as they appeared in the case, including maiden names or aliases
The case number: the four-digit year and case sequence assigned by the court. This is the single most useful piece of information for finding the file quickly.
The county and district court where the divorce was granted
The approximate date the divorce was finalized
Government-issued photo ID. Suppressed cases or files with confidential information may require you to show identification before copies are released.

On the form, indicate whether you want the copy certified or exemplified. Each option costs $20. Barring unusual circumstances, the court provides the documents within three business days.¹

If You Don’t Have the Case Number

The Colorado Judicial Branch’s Docket Search tool lets you look up cases by party name, date range, county, or court type. You need at least one search filter beyond the date to run a query.⁵ Searching by one spouse’s name and selecting “District” as the court type usually narrows the results quickly. The docket shows the case number, filing date, and basic status, which gives you what you need to then request the decree itself.

Docket Search does not display the full documents. It is a lookup tool for case index information, nothing more. To get the actual decree, you still submit a formal request through the court or the online form.

Certified vs. Exemplified Copies

A certified copy carries an official court seal and a clerk’s attestation that it is a true reproduction of the original. Most agencies and institutions that require a divorce decree insist on certification. A photocopy you made yourself does not qualify.

An exemplified copy adds layered authentication from multiple court officials, a chain of signatures confirming that each signer had the authority to certify the document. You may need one if you are using a Colorado divorce decree in another state’s court system. Some receiving courts call this a “triple-certified” document. Both certified and exemplified copies cost $20.¹ If you are domesticating a Colorado divorce judgment elsewhere, confirm with the receiving court first which version they require.

What’s Public and What Isn’t

Colorado’s default is open access. The Colorado Open Records Act declares that all public records are open for inspection at reasonable times unless a specific law says otherwise.⁶ Divorce cases are civil cases, so the court file is generally accessible to anyone who requests it.

Chief Justice Directive 05-01 carves out meaningful protections. A judge can seal an entire case or specific documents by court order, which most often happens when the file contains information that could harm the parties or their children if released publicly.⁷

Even in an unsealed case, certain sensitive details must be stripped from any document before release:⁷

Social Security numbers, including partial SSNs
Driver license numbers
Financial account numbers (the last four digits may remain if they do not reveal the full number)
Tax identification numbers
Personal ID numbers from passports, student IDs, and state IDs

Identifying information for child victims or witnesses in related proceedings gets additional protection. The practical result is that even a fully public divorce file should not expose the financial account details or government ID numbers of either spouse.

Fees and Waivers

The costs are straightforward:

Certified copy of a divorce decree from the court: $20 per document¹
Exemplified copy: $20 per document¹
CDPHE dissolution verification: a non-refundable application fee (check CDPHE’s current application for the amount, as fees changed January 1, 2026)²

The court fee may be waived for people who qualify under CJD 06-01 or Colorado Revised Statutes 13-32-104(1)(a).¹ If cost is a barrier, ask the clerk’s office about a fee waiver before you submit your request.

1
Colorado Judicial Branch. Record/Document Request Form
2
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Order Certificate Now
3
Colorado Public Law. Colorado Revised Statutes 14-10-120 – Decree
4
Colorado Judicial Branch. Divorce and Separation
5
Colorado Judicial Branch. Docket Search
6
Justia Law. Colorado Revised Statutes 24-72-201
7
Colorado Judicial Department. Chief Justice Directive 05-01 Concerning Access to Court Records