A West Virginia divorce certificate is an official record of a divorce issued by the West Virginia Vital Registration Office, the state's repository for vital records, including birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. These certified copies serve as legal proof of divorce for purposes including remarriage, name changes, social security updates, and legal proceedings. The Vital Registration Office processes approximately 9,000 divorces annually and maintains divorce records as part of the state's vital records system.
Unlike divorce decrees issued by courts, divorce certificates are standardized documents issued by the West Virginia Vital Registration Office within the Department of Health and Human Resources. While courts handle the legal process of granting divorces, the Vital Registration Office creates and maintains the permanent record of these vital events, issuing certified copies when individuals need official proof of divorce.
What Is a West Virginia Divorce Certificate?
A West Virginia divorce certificate is a certified copy of the divorce record maintained by the West Virginia Vital Registration Office. This official document verifies that a divorce occurred, providing essential information including names of both parties, date of divorce, and county where the divorce was granted.
The Vital Registration Office is a branch within the West Virginia Health Statistics Center with the mission to collect certificates of vital events such as birth, death, marriage, and divorce. These records collectively constitute West Virginia vital records and serve as prima facie evidence of the events they document.
Divorce certificates differ from divorce decrees. The decree is the court order ending the marriage and detailing property division, custody arrangements, and support obligations. The certificate is simply a vital record documenting that the divorce occurred, similar to how birth certificates document births and death certificates document deaths.
How Do You Obtain a Divorce Certificate in Person?
Ordering in person is the fastest way to obtain a West Virginia divorce certificate. Same-day walk-in service is available at the Vital Registration Office located at 350 Capitol Street in Charleston. A walk-up counter is on the right side of the main lobby.
In-Person Process
- Visit the Vital Registration Office during business hours
- Complete the application form (or bring pre-filled form)
- Present required identification
- Pay the $12 fee per copy in cash, check, or money order
- Receive your certified copy, typically within 15 minutes
Peak times occur between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm, so expect longer wait times during this period. The office accepts cash, check, and money order only, debit and credit cards are not accepted at the walk-up counter.
Required Identification for In-Person Requests
To obtain a certified copy of a divorce certificate in person, you must present one of the following forms of identification:
- State-issued driver's license (can be expired)
- United States or foreign passport
- Military ID
- Photo ID cards from government-sponsored programs
Alternatively, you can present any two of the following:
- Major credit card
- State social services program card
- Recent utility bill in your name
Exceptions to identification requirements may be granted on a case-by-case basis if you cannot provide these forms of identification.
How Do You Request a Divorce Certificate by Mail?
Ordering by mail is the slowest method to obtain a West Virginia divorce certificate due to processing and transit time, which can take five to 15 business days or one to three weeks total.
Mail Request Process
- Download and complete the appropriate application form from the Vital Registration Office website
- Make a color copy of your identification
- Obtain a check or money order for the $12 fee (debit/credit cards not accepted by mail)
- Mail all materials to:
Vital Registration Office350 Capitol Street, Room 165Charleston, WV 25301-3701
The $12 fee includes a non-refundable search fee. If the computerized search doesn't find the record, the office will search the year specified, the year before, and the year after. Additional searches cost $12 per three-year period.
Can You Order a Divorce Certificate Online or by Phone?
Yes, expedited service is available through VitalChek®, the only order service approved by the West Virginia Vital Registration Office. This option requires payment by credit or debit card and includes additional fees beyond the standard certificate cost.
VitalChek® Ordering
- Processing Fee: $13.50
- Certificate Fee: $12 per copy
- Shipping Fee: Varies by method (UPS is $18.50)
- Payment: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover
You can contact VitalChek® by
- Phone: 877-448-3953
- Internet: VitalChek.com
- Fax: Available through VitalChek
This expedited service costs significantly more than ordering in person or by mail but provides faster delivery through overnight or express shipping options.
What Information Do You Need to Request a Certificate?
When completing the application form for a West Virginia divorce certificate, you'll need specific information about the divorce to help the Vital Registration Office locate the correct record.
Required Information
- Full name of husband at time of divorce
- Full name of wife at time of divorce
- Date of divorce (month, day, year)
- County where divorce was granted
- Your relationship to the persons named on the certificate
- Your reason for requesting the certificate
- Number of certified copies needed
If you don't know the exact date, provide the approximate year. The office will search the specified year plus the year before and year after as part of the standard search fee.
How Far Back Do West Virginia Divorce Records Go?
The West Virginia Vital Registration Office was established in 1917 and maintains divorce records from that year forward. Earlier divorce records may exist but are typically found in county circuit court records rather than through the state Vital Registration Office.
For divorces that occurred before 1917, you should contact the circuit clerk's office in the county where the divorce was granted. These county offices maintain historical court records including divorce decrees from before the state vital registration system began.
The West Virginia Culture and History Archives also maintains some historical vital records accessible through their interactive vital records search system, though certified copies must still be obtained from either the issuing county or the Vital Registration Office.
How Do You Obtain a Divorce Decree Instead?
If you need the actual divorce decree rather than the divorce certificate, you must contact the circuit court that granted the divorce, not the Vital Registration Office.
Obtaining Divorce Decrees
- Contact the circuit clerk in the county where the divorce was granted
- Request certified copies of the divorce decree
- Pay applicable court fees
- Provide case number if available, or names and approximate date
The West Virginia Judiciary website provides court contact information for all 55 counties. Each circuit clerk maintains court records, including divorce decrees, and can provide certified copies for a fee.
Who Can Request a West Virginia Divorce Certificate?
West Virginia law restricts who can obtain certified copies of vital records, including divorce certificates, to protect privacy.
Eligible Requestors
- Either party named on the divorce record
- Legal representatives of the parties
- Immediate family members with proper identification
- Others with legal interest demonstrating need
You must demonstrate your relationship to the parties or legal interest in the record when requesting a divorce certificate. The Vital Registration Office reviews requests to ensure compliance with privacy laws governing vital records access.
How Much Does a Divorce Certificate Cost?
The standard fee for a West Virginia divorce certificate is $12 per certified copy. This fee includes a non-refundable search fee, meaning you pay even if the office cannot locate the record.
Fee Structure
- First certified copy: $12 (includes search)
- Additional copies of same record: $12 each
- Additional three-year searches: $12 per period
- VitalChek® processing fee: Additional $13.50
- VitalChek® shipping: $18.50 and up depending on method
Payment methods vary by ordering method:
- In person: Cash, check, or money order
- By mail: Check or money order only
- VitalChek®: Credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover)
Fees are subject to change. Contact the Vital Registration Office at (304) 558-2931 to verify current fees before ordering.
Moving Forward with Your West Virginia Divorce Certificate
A West Virginia divorce certificate provides official proof that a divorce occurred, issued by the West Virginia Vital Registration Office as part of the state's vital records system alongside birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates. These certified copies serve essential legal purposes, including obtaining remarriage licenses, updating social security records, changing names on legal documents, and proving marital status for benefits or legal proceedings.
The Vital Registration Office processes divorce records for events occurring from 1917 to the present, maintaining these vital records as the state's official repository. You can obtain certified copies through in-person visits to the Charleston office for same-day service, by mail for the most economical option, or through VitalChek®.
When you need the complete court order with property division, custody arrangements, and support terms, request the divorce decree from the circuit court rather than the divorce certificate from the Vital Registration Office. For simple proof that a divorce occurred, sufficient for most legal purposes, including remarriage, the divorce certificate fromthe West Virginia Vital Registration Office provides the official documentation you need at minimal cost through convenient ordering options.