Virginia Divorce Records

The Virginia Division of Vital Records began tracking divorce records in 1918 and you can access these free divorce records through that department. The divorce records can be accessed online or by mailing a request to:

Virginia Division of Vital Records Department
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, Virginia  23218

These records are no longer classified because of the Freedom of Information Act that most states adhere to. Divorce records can be used for legal, historical and genealogy purposes and are much easier to obtain now that the data is offered online. To order Virginia divorce records through the mail, there is an administration fee of $12, and you’ll probably wait for five to ten business days to receive the requested information. You can pay the fee by check, money order or with a credit card – but, no cash is accepted. Send the fee, along with a completed application to the address above. The completed application should include the husband’s and wife’s full names, date of the divorce (or years you want searched), where the divorce took place, your relationship to the couple and why you’re making the request. The more information you can provide, the quicker you’ll receive a copy of the divorce decree. You may be charged extra for numerous copies or a search that takes place after the year, 1918.

Online services charge a small fee to retrieve and send the same information, and all you have to do is enter some valid data about the divorce such as bride’s and/or groom’s name and the approximate date of the divorce. Reputable, online services use incredibly powerful databases and search engines to procure the information for you and usually deliver it within minutes (or 24 hours at most). When the information arrives, it will be presented in a way that you can understand and not in a hodge-podge form that may be the case if you order from the Virginia Division of Vital Records Department. This state department receives over 30,000 phone calls a month and simply don’t have the staff to gather and present the information to you in a concise fashion.

VA Divorce Records

To try a fee-based, online search service, simply click on the link. You’ll then enter some pertinent information about the divorce and begin the search. If the service doesn’t find a match for your request, there is no fee charged. Your request and name will be strictly confidential. Click on the link to begin your Virginia divorce records search.