Tennessee Divorce Records

Tennessee divorce certificate and decree are different records

A Tennessee divorce certificate and a divorce decree serve different purposes. Tennessee Vital Records issues certified divorce certificates. The divorce decree is the court order and must be requested from the court clerk where the divorce was granted.

For a court decree, use the filing court route. For a certified divorce certificate, use the Tennessee Vital Records request process.

Request a Tennessee divorce certificate

Eligible applicants include the person named on the record, parent, child, or spouse. Guardians, legal representatives, and attorneys must provide supporting documentation. Identification and notarization establish identity requirements; they do not by themselves establish entitlement.

Submit the signed PH-1671 application with a copy of a valid government-issued ID showing the requester's signature, or the signed/notarized application condition when applicable under the identification requirements, together with payment. The application uses details such as relationship, purpose, requester signature/contact information, party names, divorce date, and county.

For mail requests, payment is made by check or money order payable to Tennessee Vital Records. The central office route is Tennessee Vital Records, 1st Floor Andrew Johnson Tower, 710 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243. VitalChek is the authorized online vendor; online ordering may include additional vendor charges. The state office does not itself provide online ordering.

Fees, dates, and older Tennessee divorce records

The certified divorce certificate fee is $15 per copy, including additional copies. A $15 search fee applies even when no record is found, and the office provides a no-record-found letter.

If the exact event date is unknown, direct office requests need at least a year or date range. VitalChek requires an estimated event date for its ordering process.

Tennessee Vital Records maintains divorce records for the past 50 years. Earlier records require the court clerk where the divorce was granted or Tennessee State Library and Archives research. Statewide divorce recording began July 1, 1945; earlier county research may be needed. Archive online collections are not a complete database.

Find decrees, historical records, and next steps

A divorce decree request should follow the filing court clerk route. The Tennessee Courts Self-Help Center provides court reference information. County decree copy and certification fees vary by the court clerk and are not generalized here.

If a record cannot be found, review names, dates, county, and the correct custodian route. A certificate proves the recorded divorce event; it is not the same as the court decree.