Broward County Divorce Records

Broward County divorce records are official documents that detail the dissolution of marriages in Broward County, FL. These documents include divorce decrees that outline the conditions for marriage terminations within the county.

Per Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes (Public Records Law), Broward County divorce records are publicly accessible to interested individuals. However, sensitive divorce data, such as Social Security numbers, financial account details, and minor children’s personal information, are often subject to legal and privacy restrictions. Additionally, sealed Broward County divorce records are not open to public disclosure.

How to find divorce records in Broward County may differ for individuals, including those who may need them for:

• Legal use to prove marital status for benefits or court proceedings
• Remarriage
• Genealogical research to trace family history and understand ancestral relationships
• Personal reasons. For instance, to have closure or clarity on past relationships.

Florida Divorce Rate: Florida has one of the highest divorce rates in the United States, and data from the National Center for Health Statistics show an 11.76% drop in the state’s divorce rate between 2021 and 2023 (3.4, 3.1, and 3.0 per 1,000 persons). Broward is one of the largest counties in Florida and may have a similar declining divorce trend within this period.

Are Divorce Records Public in Broward County?

Yes, divorce records are public in Broward County. The Florida Public Records Law grants public access to most court records (including Broward County divorce records). Nonetheless, public access to Broward County divorce records is not absolute. Florida laws exempt access to sealed divorce records and empower the Broward County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Office (the custodian agency) to redact sensitive information from publicly available copies of divorce records. For instance, Social Security Numbers, financial account details, and information about minor children of the divorced parties are not public. However, interested individuals may access basic information about Broward County divorces, including:

• Case Numbers
• Names of parties
• Filing and finalization dates
• Divorce decree
• Docket entries.

How to Find Divorce Records in Broward County

Information seekers may look up divorce records in Broward County through the Broward County Clerk of Circuit Courts Case Search Portal or access certified copies of these documents through the Broward County Clerk of Courts Office.

The Broward County Clerk of Circuit Courts Case Search Portal allows users to access divorce case files and other court documents by name. However, users may only access records of divorces from January 1, 1978, to the present. Additionally, this portal limits search output to the first 200 results.

For pre-1978 divorce records or access to certified copies of divorce documents, visit or mail a request with case details and applicable fees to the Broward County Clerk of Courts at:

Central Courthouse

Judicial Complex, East Building

(Archives)

201 S.E. 6th Street,

Fort Lauderdale,

FL 33301.

Method	Where to Go	Info Needed	Cost	Processing Time
Online	The Broward County Clerk of Circuit Courts Case Search Portal	Party name Business name Case number Citation number	Basic search, viewing, and downloading records - free Certified copies of divorce records - $8.00	Instant
Mail	Broward County Clerk of the Circuit Court Circuit Civil Division 201 S.E. 6th Street, Room 04130, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301	A written request letter containing the full names of the divorced parties, the approximate date of divorce, and the specific record’s case number (if known) Type of divorce record (for instance, divorce decree, docket, or certified copy) A check or money order for the estimated fees The requester’s contact details	Copy Fee - $1.00 per page Search Fee - $2.00 per name, per year searched Certification Fee: $2.00 per document The requester is also liable for the mailing costs	Up to two weeks
In-person	The specific location depends on the age of the documents. For Broward County divorce records from January 1, 1978, to the present: Circuit Civil Division Broward County Judicial Complex West Building 201 S.E. 6th Street, Room 04130, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 For a Broward County divorce search for records older than January 1, 1978: Archives Division Broward Judicial Complex East Building 201 S.E. 6th Street, 3rd Floor, Room 03305, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301	Full names of the divorced parties Approximate date of divorce Case number (if known) Type of divorce record (for instance, divorce decree, docket, or certified copy) A check or money order for the estimated fees The requester’s contact details Government-issued photo identification	Copy Fee - $1.00 per page Search Fee - $2.00 per name, per year searched Certification Fee: $2.00 per document	Same day

Overview of the Broward County Court System

The Broward County court system comprises the Broward County Circuit Court and several county courts. Under Florida’s judicial structure, the Circuit Courts handle civil and criminal cases beyond the authority of the county courts (this includes family law cases).

Broward County family court divorce filings are through the Family Division of the Circuit Court. The Broward County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Office is the custodian of Broward County court records, including those relating to divorces within the county. These documents are accessible through the Clerk of Circuit Court’s Office Case Search Portal. Public members may also request mail or in-person access to Broward County divorce records at:

Broward County Judicial Complex

201 S.E. 6th Street,

Fort Lauderdale,

FL 33301.

Online Access to Broward County Divorce Records

There is a free online divorce lookup for Broward County divorce records. The Broward County Clerk of Courts & Comptroller’s Office Case Search Portal offers quick and easy access to court documents, including divorce records. Individuals searching for Broward County divorce records for the first time should:

• Log in to the Broward County Clerk of Courts Office Case Search Portal
• Choose any of the search criteria (party name, business name, case number, or citation number)
• Enter the information into their specific fields
• Tick the CAPTCHA box
• Click "Search" to submit their queries.

However, users should note that records from this search portal are for divorces from January 1,

What’s Typically Included in a Broward County Divorce Record

Under the Florida Public Records Law, interested individuals may access basic non-sensitive divorce records. Typically, a public copy of a Broward County divorce record contains information such as:

• Names of the divorced parties
• Case details, including:
• The case number
• Filing date
• The name of the judge
• The case status
• Final judgment of dissolution of the marriage, including the date the divorce was final, a statement of the marriage dissolution, and a summary of the court’s decision
• Case filing document, which includes the initial petition of dissolution, motions, and orders
• Hearing and docket information.

Florida law, including Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes and Rule 2.420 of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, exempts the disclosure of certain divorce information to protect the privacy of individuals and minors in divorce cases. For instance, the Broward County Clerk of Courts redacts Social Security numbers, financial account information, custody agreements, or other details relating to a minor in a divorce.

Broward County Divorce Record Information	Available to the Public
Names of divorced parties	Yes
Case details	Yes
Filing dates	Yes
Hearing and docket details	Yes
Social Security Numbers	No
Financial Account Information	No
Information regarding minors	No
Protective orders and domestic violence information	No

How to Get Certified Copies of Broward County Divorce Records

The Broward County Clerk of Courts & Comptroller’s Office offers online and offline access to certified copies of divorce records. Interested individuals looking for copies of certified Broward County divorce records online should:

• Log in to the Broward County Clerk of Courts Office Case Search Portal
• Search for the specific case records using names, case numbers, or any of the other criteria
• Browse the documents in the case file to verify if they may be purchased online (the system typically indicates which documents are available for online purchase)
• Click on the documents and add to cart (the website typically provides this option)
• Review the costs and make payments (online purchase for a certified copy of Broward County divorce records costs $8.00)
• After payments, the Broward County Clerk of Courts Office typically emails a download link for certified electronic documents.

To get an official divorce record copy from the Broward Clerk of Courts Office, mail or visit the Broward County Clerk of Courts & Comptroller’s Office at:

The Broward County Judicial Complex

201 S.E. 6th Street,

Fort Lauderdale,

FL 33301.

Requests for a Broward County certified divorce decree should contain:

• The full names of the parties to the divorce
• The approximate divorce date
• The divorce case number (if known)
• The requester’s contact details (for mail-in request).

Additionally, requesting a certified divorce decree by mail or in person through the Broward County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller’s Office may incur the following costs (online or offline requests).

• Copy fee - $1.00 per page for a standard copy of a divorce record
• Certification fee - $2.00 per document
• Search fee - $2.00 per year searched if the requester does not have the record’s case number.

The Broward County Clerk of Courts Office accepts cash (for walk-in requests), checks, money orders, or credit card payments. Access to certified copies of Broward County divorce records does not require identification. However, requesters who make payments by credit or debit card may be required to provide valid government-issued IDs to prove ownership.

Individuals seeking access to certified copies of Broward County divorce records through the Broward County Clerk of Courts Office must complete a Court Records Request Form. Furthermore, mail requests for Broward County divorce records take two weeks or more to be delivered.

Requesters should note that, unlike verification or informational copies, a certified Broward County divorce decree is an official document for:

• Proving single status for remarriage in Florida or another state
• Name change
• Updating official records with various government and private entities
• Enforcing court orders against a former spouse
• Settling financial and property matters.

Type of Copy	Use Case	Who may Request	Legally Valid?
Certified Copy	Remarriage Legal proceedings Financial and property settlement Name change Official records updates	Any member of the public. However, access to confidential information is limited to the spouses, their attorneys, and the courts	Yes
Informational or Verification Copy	Personal reference and documentation Legal strategy and research Public and academic research General information	Anyone (if public)	No

Why People Request Broward County Divorce Records

Individuals request Broward County divorce records for several reasons, including:

• To change their name
• To remarry
• For legal or financial matters
• For genealogy or family research
• To update official records
• Effect name changes.

Broward County Divorce Records Summary

The following access options and fees may apply to accessing Broward County divorce records.

Custodian	Available Record Type	Access Method	Fees & Notes
Broward County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller’s Office	Full case files that include: Final judgments Case filings and pleadings Court minutes and dockets Financial affidavits Settlement agreements Parenting plans and child custody orders	Public Portal / Mail / In person	$8.00 for online download of a certified copy, and mail or in-person requests cost $1.00 per page, $2.00 for certification, and an additional $2.00 if the requester does not provide the case number
Florida Department of Health (Bureau of Vital Statistics)	Certified copies of Broward County’s certificate of records (June 6, 1927, to the present only) that contain: The full names of both spouses The date the divorce was finalized The court case number	Mail-in via Request Forms or walk-in requests from 8.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at: 1217 N Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202	$5.00 search fee for one calendar year and one certified copy, and $4 for additional certified copies $2 search fee per calendar year when exact year is unknown (maximum fee $50.00) $10 rush fee (for walk-in requests for pre-1970 records when available) $1 shipping and handling fee
Third-party websites	Aggregated records	Paid online searches	The costs and accuracy of these documents may vary with different platforms.