You can get Tennessee divorce records online two ways: order a $15 certified divorce certificate from the state through its authorized vendor VitalChek, or search the county court’s online records for the full divorce decree. Which one you need depends on the purpose. A certificate proves a divorce happened. A decree spells out the terms.
Certificate or Decree: Which One Do You Actually Need
This is where most people spend money on the wrong document.
A divorce certificate from the state is a short summary. It lists the names of both parties, the date of the divorce, and the county where it was granted. That’s it. It works for things like proving marital status for a new marriage license, satisfying an employer background check, or confirming an event occurred.
A divorce decree is the actual court order signed by the judge. It contains property division, custody arrangements, alimony, and ongoing financial obligations. If you need to enforce a support order, refinance a home tied to the settlement, close a joint account, or change your name with the Social Security Administration, you almost certainly need the decree. The state does not issue decrees. Only the clerk of court in the county that handled the divorce can give you one.
Ordering a Tennessee Divorce Certificate Online
The Office of Vital Records does not take online orders directly. It uses VitalChek as its sole authorized online vendor.1State of Tennessee Department of Health. How Do I Get My Certificate (In Person, Local County Health Department, Mail, or Online)
You’ll complete the state’s Application for a Certified Copy of a Certificate of Divorce or Annulment, available as a downloadable form from the Tennessee Department of Health.2Tennessee Department of Health. Application for Certified Copy of Tennessee Certificate of Divorce or Annulment Every field must be filled in, including the social security numbers of both parties if you know them. Through VitalChek, you select the record type, submit the application information, confirm your shipping address, and pay. You’ll get a confirmation email with tracking. Standard orders are typically processed within a few business days of the state receiving the request.
What to Gather Before You Start
To locate the right record, have the full legal names of both spouses ready, including the maiden name of any spouse who changed theirs. You also need the approximate date the divorce was finalized and the county where it was granted. Missing or wrong details are the most common reason requests get rejected.
Identification
If you notarize your application, no additional ID is required. Otherwise you need one primary ID or two secondary documents.3State of Tennessee Department of Health. Identification Requirements
Primary IDs include a current driver’s license, passport, military ID, or U.S. naturalization certificate. Secondary documents include a current pay stub or W-2, vehicle registration, voter registration card, utility bill, or bank statement showing your name and address.
Who Can Order a Certified Copy
Tennessee restricts certified copies of divorce certificates to the people named in the divorce, their parents, their children, and their current spouse.4State of Tennessee Department of Health. Entitlement Guidelines Legal guardians, attorneys, and other legal representatives can also request records with documentation of their authority, such as court-ordered guardianship papers or a letter on firm letterhead with a copy of the attorney’s Bar card.
If you don’t qualify, you can still receive verified information confirming that a divorce occurred, but not a certified copy of the certificate itself. The state charges the same $15 fee either way.5State of Tennessee Department of Health. Fees
Costs
The state fee is $15 per search. That fee is non-refundable. If no matching record is found, you receive a letter certifying that the search turned up nothing.5State of Tennessee Department of Health. Fees
Ordering through VitalChek adds a processing fee and shipping. Total costs for a standard online order typically run $25 to $40, with higher amounts for expedited delivery.
Getting the Full Decree from the County Court
Certified copies of divorce decrees come only from the clerk of court in the county where the divorce was granted.6Eastern District of Tennessee. Marriage/Divorce Records That office holds the entire case file: the final decree plus any motions, financial disclosures, and settlement agreements filed during the case.
Several Tennessee counties let you search civil case records online. Davidson County’s Chancery Clerk and Master provides a public records search where you can look up cases by case number or party name.7Chancery Clerk and Master of Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County. Public Records Search Shelby County processes divorce decree copy requests and asks for the date and confirmation that the divorce was granted there.8Shelby County, TN – Official Website. Divorce Copies Smaller counties may not have online portals and may require requests by mail, phone, or in person. Decree fees vary by county and are separate from the state’s $15 certificate fee.
If you don’t know which county handled the divorce, order the state certificate first. It will list the county of record, and you can go to that clerk from there.
Records Older Than 50 Years
For older records, the rules loosen and the custodian changes. Certified copies of state divorce certificates are restricted to entitled individuals for the first 50 years after the divorce; after that, the records become fully open to the public.9Tennessee Virtual Archive. Tennessee Divorce Records
At that point the records transfer to the Tennessee State Library and Archives. The Library and Archives holds divorce records from before July 1945 in its court records collection, and records from July 1945 through 1975 in a separate collection. Records from 1976 forward stay with the Department of Health.10Tennessee Secretary of State. Order Records from TSLA Many have been digitized and are freely searchable through the Tennessee Virtual Archive.
If you need an official copy from the Archives, the fee is $5 for Tennessee residents and $10 for out-of-state requesters by mail or email. Certified copies by mail cost an additional $5, and in-person certified copies are $5.50 per document.
Sealed and Restricted Files
Not every divorce file is open. Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 excludes several categories of court records from public access, including anything sealed by court order, records covered by a protective order, and documents exempted under state law.11Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. Rule 34 – Public Access to Court Records If a file is marked sealed, only the parties to the case and their attorneys of record can view it, and only with proper identification. Social security numbers and similar identifiers that appear on your application are used by the state to match records internally; they don’t appear on the certificate you receive or in publicly accessible court files.