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Updated: June 2026
Dominican Divorce Decrees and Certificates
We obtain official Dominican divorce decrees and registry certificates, fully legalised and apostilled for use abroad
How much will my Dominican divorce documents cost?
In most cases the total fee is US$210*, broken down into:
- US$95* for the search to locate your divorce decree (court judgment)
- US$115 for the certified long-form divorce certificate from the civil registry
This service provides the divorce certificate, fully legalised and apostilled, with delivery by certified airmail (typically 2–5 weeks). Divorce decrees are also available.
*If your divorce took place before 1970, or if you do not know the date or place, the search fee is US$195–US$395 depending on complexity.
Dominican divorces are processed in the following order:
What Dominican divorce documents can you obtain for us? Dominican divorce certificates and more:
- The court issues the Dominican divorce decree.
- The decree is then taken to the town hall to be registered.
- The divorce is "pronounced" (= finalised) at the civil registry office which issues the divorce certificate. In the DR it is the divorce certificate which is definitive proof that the marriage ended.
What Dominican divorce documents can you obtain for us? Dominican divorce certificates and more:
| Product | Details | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Your Dominican divorce certificate | The Dominican divorce certificate is definitive proof that the divorce is irreversible and final, and that the marriage ended. For an original long-form divorce certificate with legalisation and apostille. | US$115 |
| Your Dominican divorce decree | From the court, we shall have it certified and apostilled for it to be valid in most countries. | US$295 |
| Your entire divorce file from the Dominican courthouse |
Includes:
|
US$395 |
| Special deluxe Dominican divorce documentation package |
For all of the following:
|
US$595 |
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Where to Get Dominican Divorce Records
Dominican divorce records may be held in several different places, depending on when and where the divorce took place and which document you need. In most cases, the search begins with the Dominican civil registry office, because the divorce certificate is issued only after the court decree has been registered and the divorce has been pronounced as final.
A complete search may also involve the town hall where the divorce decree was registered, and the courthouse where the original decree was issued. This is especially important for older Dominican divorces, where the decree, docket number, or court file may not be fully digitised.
Dominican Certification Service assists clients abroad with locating Dominican divorce records and obtaining official copies of divorce certificates, divorce decrees, and full court files where available. We can then arrange legalisation, apostille and international delivery.
Need us to search for your Dominican divorce records? Start your Dominican divorce record search →
Dominican Divorce Decree Search
If you need a Dominican divorce decree search, the goal is not simply to find an old record. The important question is which document you need for your purpose: a civil registry divorce certificate, the court divorce decree, or the complete courthouse divorce file.
For most of our clients, a simple copy is not enough. Courts, immigration authorities, consulates, probate researchers and government offices often require a certified document with legalisation, apostille and, in some cases, certified translation.
Dominican Certification Service searches the relevant civil registry office, town hall and courthouse records where necessary, then helps obtain the correct official document for international use.
Old Dominican Divorce Records
Searching for old Dominican divorce records is some of the most challenging work we do. Many enquiries come from people who divorced in the Dominican Republic in the 1970s and 1980s under the country’s former quickie divorce procedures.
Years later, clients often no longer remember the exact date of the divorce, the town where the divorce was decreed, or the court that handled the case. In these situations, we normally work backwards from the civil registry record to identify the court decree and any surviving courthouse file.
How We Search for Old Dominican Divorce Records
Registry office: A Dominican divorce becomes final when the civil registry office registers and pronounces the divorce based on the court decree. The divorce certificate is usually the document that confirms that the marriage ended and that the divorce is irreversible and final. We normally start with the registry office because civil registry records are more likely to be indexed than old court files, and the registry record may provide the date and docket number of the court decree.
Town hall: Before a Dominican court divorce decree can be finalised at the civil registry office, it must first be registered at the town hall. Town halls do not always keep copies of the decrees they register, but they may hold useful references such as the docket number, date of decree, or details that help us identify the correct court record.
Courthouse: Old Dominican divorce decrees are often not scanned or searchable online. When we approach the clerk of court, the search may involve old decree indexes, binders, school exercise books, loose sheets, or archived files stored off-site. Where available, a courthouse divorce file may include:
- The Dominican divorce decree, of which we can obtain an original certified copy for you.
- The separation agreement signed by the spouses, including terms relating to custody, alimony, property division or other matters.
- A copy of the divorce announcement published in a Dominican newspaper.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dominican Republic Divorce Records
I recently re-married but never received a copy of my Dominican divorce certificate from my first marriage. Can you help?
Yes, we can help you obtain a copy of your Dominican divorce certificate. Please complete our form and we'll send you a quotation for our services to retrieve your divorce records.
Do I need a Dominican divorce decree or a divorce certificate?
It depends on the purpose. In the Dominican Republic, the divorce certificate issued by the civil registry is usually the definitive proof that the divorce was pronounced and finalised. However, some courts, attorneys, immigration authorities or probate researchers may also ask for the original court divorce decree or even the complete courthouse file. We can advise which document is most appropriate for your case.
Is a simple copy of my Dominican divorce record enough?
For informal purposes, a simple copy may be enough to show that a divorce record exists. For legal, immigration, remarriage, inheritance, citizenship or court use abroad, you will usually need an official certified document, properly legalised and apostilled. Certified translation may also be required depending on the receiving authority.
We got married in the Dominican Republic, but later divorced in Switzerland. Can I register our Swiss divorce decree in the Dominican Republic?
Yes, for your Swiss divorce to be registered with the Dominican authorities: (1) You must obtain a certified copy of your Swiss divorce decree, duly legalized and apostilled by the relevant Swiss authorities. (2) The decree must be translated into Spanish and the translation must also be apostilled. It's advisable that both documents be consularized at the Dominican consulate in Switzerland. (3) Our legal team will present the dossier to a Dominican court for homologation. (4) Once homologated, we'll register it with the Dominican Central registry office in Santo Domingo. (5) Finally, we'll take the dossier to the registry office in San Pedro de Macorís for annotation to the marriage record.
I married a Dominican national in 2001. Is it possible to check if my husband has divorced me without my knowledge?
Yes, we can help you check if a divorce has been filed without your knowledge. Please complete our order form and send us his date of birth and preferably his cédula/ID card number for our search.
How do I know if I am divorced?
We get asked this question by many Dominicans and other Latinos from the USA. Usually spouses are separated, perhaps for many years, and one spouse said they were going to the DR to take care of the divorce only to never be heard from again. The person now wishes to marry again and needs proof of the divorce. We can help verify your divorce status through our record search services.
I am an attorney representing a client who was granted a divorce in the Dominican Republic between 1987-1988, but we're unsure of the exact date and place. Can you help?
Since both parties are non-Dominicans, this search is challenging like finding a needle in a haystack. We can charge for a search of the electronic database, but success isn't guaranteed. The most reliable way to locate the record would be if your client can provide the specific location and date when the divorce was decreed.
My ex-husband and I divorced in the late 1970s outside Santo Domingo, but I cannot find the papers. Can you help locate them?
Without more specific details, this would be like searching for a needle in a haystack, since most old divorce records remain only in the original ledgers and have not yet been entered into the registry offices' electronic database. We would need more specific information about the location and approximate date.
My ex-wife and I divorced in Santo Domingo in 1980. If I give you the approximate date and our full names, can you help find our divorce certificate?
Possibly. Many old records are not in the registry-office database, so if your divorce record hasn't been computerized, we have to search manually. Santo Domingo has 16 registry offices, so to save time and effort, please send us as much information as possible, such as the name of your lawyer or the specific court where the divorce was granted.
I want a copy of my divorce papers but I'm not sure of the year and date, but it was in Tamboril. Can you help?
If you can send us your cédula (Dominican ID card) number, we may be able to track it down. However, unless your divorce record is in the registry-office database, since you don't know an approximate date, it will be difficult for us to conduct an effective search.
My husband went to Haiti for our divorce. Can you help me get copies of those papers?
We only handle cases involving Dominican public records, not those from Haiti. You would need to contact the appropriate authorities in Haiti for records from their jurisdiction.
Order a Dominican certificate of single status
Order your Dominican marriage certificate
Updated: June 2026