Pennsylvania divorce records are kept at the county level, so getting a copy means contacting the Prothonotary’s Office in the county where the divorce was granted. Philadelphia is the exception: divorces there from 1885 forward are handled by the Domestic Relations Branch of the Court of Common Pleas, Family Division, through the Office of Judicial Records.1City of Philadelphia. Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree There is no statewide database. The Pennsylvania Department of Health tracks aggregate marriage and divorce statistics but doesn’t hold individual decrees or case files, and its own guidance points you back to the county courthouse.2Department of Health. Marriage and Divorce Statistics
Find the Right County First
Counties have held these files since 1804.3Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Vital Records If you don’t know where the divorce was filed, start with the county where either spouse lived at the time. Because each county runs its own office, procedures, fees, and turnaround times differ.
How to Request a Copy
Most offices accept written requests by mail, email, or in person. At a minimum, include:
- Full names of both spouses
- Approximate date of the divorce
- Case number, if you have it (many offices can search without one)
- Your contact information, including a phone number
For mail requests, send a self-addressed stamped envelope and pay by money order or certified check. Some offices take credit cards in person. If the file involves a confidential decree, be ready to show acceptable identification.
What It Costs
Fees are set by each county. Indiana County charges $5 for a certified copy.4Indiana County PA. Prothonotary Fee Schedule Effective December 1, 2025 Philadelphia charges $41.58 per certified copy, made up of a base fee, a family court facility fund surcharge, and a law library surcharge, with additional pages at $4.20 each.5The Philadelphia Courts. Office of Judicial Records Fee Schedule Most mid-sized counties fall in the $5 to $15 range. Confirm the current amount with the specific office before sending payment; schedules change.
When You Need a Certified Copy
A plain photocopy usually won’t satisfy an agency or institution. A certified copy carries the court’s seal and is required in several situations:
- Applying for a new marriage license in Pennsylvania if you’ve been previously married. The divorce must have been final for more than 30 days before the new license application.
- Claiming Social Security benefits on a former spouse’s earnings record. The Social Security Administration requires a certified decree to prove the marriage was terminated.6Social Security Administration. Social Security Handbook – 1719. Establishing Termination of Marriage
- Legally changing your name back to a prior surname with certain agencies or financial institutions.
- Immigration proceedings that require proof of marital status.
If you’ve lost your certified copy, you can order a replacement from the issuing county. There’s no limit on how many you can request.
What’s Public and What’s Kept Out
The final divorce decree, the court order dissolving the marriage, is generally a public record. The broader case file, which can include financial affidavits, property settlement agreements, custody evaluations, and support orders, has more restricted pieces. Access to Pennsylvania court records is governed by the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System, not by the state’s Right-to-Know Law.7Legal Information Institute. 204 Pa Code 213.81 – Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania
Automatically Confidential Items
Under Section 7.0 of the Public Access Policy, some information must never appear in publicly accessible filings and is instead submitted on a separate Confidential Information Form:
- Social Security numbers
- Financial account numbers, though the last four digits may appear when the account is the subject of the case
- Names and dates of birth of minor children
These are confidential by default. If they end up in a public filing by accident, any party can request redaction.7Legal Information Institute. 204 Pa Code 213.81 – Case Records Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania
Sealing and Redaction
A party can also ask the court to seal specific documents or an entire file. Sealing removes the document from public access; only authorized individuals can view it. The requesting party files a motion and must show why the public’s general right of access should be overridden, and the judge weighs potential harm against the public interest in transparency. If granted, the order specifies which documents are covered, how long the seal lasts, and who retains access.
Redaction is narrower. Either party, or the court on its own, can seek redaction of personal data identifiers from transcripts and other documents.8Legal Information Institute. 201 Pa Code r 4014 – Redaction of Personal Data Identifiers The Prothonotary’s Office or court reporter carries out approved redactions before copies are released. A redacted document is still public with certain details blacked out; a sealed document is not public at all. Most requests in divorce cases involve redaction rather than full sealing.
Can You Get These Records Online?
Not really. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System runs a free online case search, but civil cases filed in the Courts of Common Pleas, which includes every divorce action, are excluded from its results.9UJS Web Portal Help. I Cannot Find My Case Sealed, expunged, and limited-access cases are also excluded. Some counties offer their own docket search tools that can confirm a case number or verify a divorce exists, but they rarely let you view or download the decree itself. For the actual document, you’ll need to request it directly from the county.
Older and Historical Records
Core divorce documents, including the original complaint, proof of service, the final decree, and any property, custody, or support orders, are retained permanently by the county. Supporting papers like master’s reports, hearing transcripts, and correspondence are kept for five years after the final decree and may then be destroyed.10Legal Information Institute. 204 Pa Code 213.51 – Record Retention and Disposition Schedule with Guidelines
For records that predate the county prothonotary system, the Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg holds some of the oldest divorce files in the state. Record Group 33 contains Supreme Court divorce papers from 1786 to 1815 and a general motions and divorce docket spanning 1750 to 1837, from the period when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Legislative Assembly handled divorces before the process moved to the county Courts of Common Pleas.11PA State Archives. Record Group Microfilm Archives staff may restrict access to some materials due to sensitive content. If you’re doing genealogical research and don’t know which county to check, the State Library’s vital records guide is a reasonable starting point.3Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Vital Records
Fixing an Error in a Decree
If your decree has a factual error such as a misspelled name, wrong date, or inaccurate property description, go back to the court that issued it and file a motion to amend the record. Identify the specific error and attach supporting documentation, like a birth certificate showing the correct spelling or a deed showing the correct property description. The court may schedule a hearing where both parties can present evidence. If the judge agrees, the court orders the Prothonotary’s Office to correct the record, and the corrected version becomes the official one. Clerical fixes tend to move quickly. Errors that touch on property division or custody terms are more complex, and legal representation is worth the cost, because changes to those provisions have lasting financial and parental consequences.