Divorce Records in Virginia
Divorce Records in Virginia are closed until a period of confidentiality elapses. If you want to find out more about divorce records in Virginia and how to look them up, read further!
In Virginia, divorce records are sealed for 25 years after finalizing divorce for confidentiality. After 25 years, divorce records can be requested by any public member. Because of the sensitive nature of divorce records, it is tough to search for divorce records online or through a third-party website. Parties should visit the Virginia Department of Health Division of Vital Records or the circuit court in the county where the divorce was finalized to request the divorce records you’re looking for.
Are Divorce Records Public in Virginia?
Divorce records are considered court records. Therefore, they are open to the public with the correct forms and fees. However, in Virginia, divorce records are closed until a period of confidentiality elapses. Divorce records in Virginia become public information 25 years after the date of the finalized divorce, until then, only parties involved in the divorce have access to the divorce records. After 25 years, any resident of Virginia can request divorce records.
Virginia holds divorce records in two places: in the Office of Vital Records of Virginia or the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office in the courthouse where the divorce was finalized.
Related: How Domestic Violence Affects Divorce in Virginia
The Office of Vital Records has divorce records that contain more detailed and sensitive information than the certified copies at the Circuit County Clerk’s Office.
The copies held at the Circuit Court Clerk’s office contain less detailed information about the divorce and move to Vital Records after 25 years. These records are confidential until 25 years after the finalization of your divorce. Only parties involved in the divorce can access records in Vital Records before the confidentiality order.
Can You Find Virginia Divorce Records Online?
Divorce records often include detailed private information about families, such as private financial information or information about minors. Because divorce records often contain this sensitive nature, it is very extremely difficult to find divorce records online.
However, because divorce records are court records, they may be searchable on third-party, public record websites. These third-party websites attempt to manage and aggregate public records, but because divorce records contain confidential information, it is extremely hard to find or obtain any information about divorce records through these public websites.
Related: Uncontested Divorce in Virginia
You can find general information about divorce cases on the Virginia Judicial System website. (https://www.vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home.html) The site will ask you to provide the name of one of the parties involved, the hearing date, and the case number associated with the divorce. If you want divorce records from Virginia, you should visit the Virginia Department of Health Division of Vital Records or the Circuit Court where the divorce was finalized.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one would like to learn more about Look Up Divorce Records Virginia, get connected to an attorney with one of our Divorce Attorneys in Virginia today!
Sources Used:
https://virginia.staterecords.org/divorcerecords
https://virginia.staterecords.org/vital.php#:~:text=Are%20Virginia%20Divorce%20Records%20Public,public%20divorce%20records%20in%20Virginia.
https://virginia.staterecords.org/divorcerecords#:~:text=The%20Virginia%20Judicial%20System%20website,this%20is%20not%20always%20available.
