Philadelphia County Divorce Records can be obtained as a certified copy of a decree through the Office of Judicial Records. For divorces finalized in Philadelphia on or after 1885, submit the “Instructions to Obtain Certified Copies of Divorce Decrees” PDF in person at 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Room 460, or mail it with a prepaid envelope. The request must include a government‑issued photo ID, the full names of both spouses, the exact divorce date, and a $10 processing fee per copy. Standard processing takes 10‑14 business days; a 24‑hour expedited service is available for an additional $25. Questions can be directed to the office at (215) 686‑6670 during regular business hours.
Philadelphia County Divorce Records are also maintained in the County Recorder of Deeds and the Pennsylvania State Archives, where the original complaint, final judgment, docket number, filing date, grounds for divorce, and any custody or support orders are archived. Researchers may view files in person at 901 Market St., Room 210, or request digitized pages online for $5 per page. The Pennsylvania Divorce Index, managed by the Department of Health Vital Statistics Division, lists filing year, case number, spouses’ names, and court location from 1900 to the present; online queries are free, while full docket copies cost $8 each from the Recorder’s Office. Additional services include certified‑retrieval firms charging a flat $45 plus copy fees and a $5 rush option for same‑day delivery from the Recorder’s vault.
How to Obtain a Certified Copy of a Divorce Decree in Philadelphia
If your divorce was finalized in Philadelphia on or after 1885, you can request a certified copy of the decree from the Office of Judicial Records. Submit the “Instructions to Obtain Certified Copies of Divorce Decrees” PDF form in person at 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Room 460, or mail it with a prepaid envelope. The office requires a government‑issued photo ID, the names of both parties, the exact date of the divorce, and a $10 processing fee per copy. Requests are typically processed within 10‑14 business days, and expedited service (24‑hour turnaround) is available for an additional $25. For any questions about the procedure, call the Office of Judicial Records at (215) 686‑6670 during regular business hours.
Philadelphia County Divorce Records Search – Official County Office Resource
Philadelphia County divorce records comprise the original complaint, final judgment, and any subsequent amendments filed in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. These documents are archived at the County Recorder of Deeds, located at 901 Market St., Room 210. Each record includes the case docket number, filing date, names of the parties, grounds for divorce, and any custody or support orders. Researchers can access the records in person or request digitized copies online through the Pennsylvania State Archives portal, which charges $5 per page for scanned images. The archive retains records from 1910 onward, while earlier files are stored at the City Archives on Market Street.
https://www.countyoffice.org/pa-philadelphia-county-divorce-records/ 
Philadelphia Divorce Records Search – Public Access via County Office
All publicly available documents related to a divorce filed in Philadelphia are searchable through the Pennsylvania Divorce Index, which the Department of Health maintains as part of its Vital Statistics Division. The index lists the filing year, case number, names of both spouses, and the court where the decree was entered. Users can query the index online for free to confirm a filing, then request the full docket from the Philadelphia County Recorder’s Office for a fee of $8 per document. The index includes records from 1900 to the present, and searchable fields also cover marriage dates, locations, and any name changes recorded during the proceeding.
https://www.countyoffice.org/philadelphia-pa-divorce-records/ 
Top Five Proven Strategies to Locate Philadelphia Divorce Records
1 – Visit the Philadelphia City Archives at 3101 Market Street, where original docket books for divorces before 1875 are kept in climate‑controlled rooms; staff can retrieve a microfilm copy within 48 hours. 2 – For divorces dated 1875‑1874 onward, contact the Court of Common Pleas, Room 266, City Hall (phone (215) 686‑6652) and request the case file using the parties’ full legal names and filing year. 3 – Use the Pennsylvania State Archives online portal to search the digitized Pennsylvania Divorce Index, which provides docket numbers that speed up on‑site requests. 4 – Consider hiring a certified records retrieval service that can handle notarized request forms and pay any required fees on your behalf; reputable firms typically charge a flat rate of $45 plus copies. 5 – Verify the authenticity of any obtained document by checking the seal of the Prothonotary and the signature of the presiding judge, which are printed on the bottom margin of every decree.
https://phillyseaperch.org/philadelphia/how-to-find-divorce-records-philadelphia-top-5-tips.html 
Philadelphia County Vital Records – Birth, Death, Marriage, and Divorce Services
The Philadelphia County Recorder of Deeds, located at Broad & Market Streets, Room 262, City Hall (phone (215) 686‑6670), handles requests for all vital records, including divorce decrees. Office hours are 9 AM‑3 PM EST, Monday through Friday, excluding city holidays. Applicants must provide a notarized request form, a copy of a government photo ID, and the exact names and dates associated with the record. Fees are $12 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy, with an optional $5 rush fee for same‑day service. Records are stored in a climate‑controlled vault and are digitized on demand for online delivery via the PHILADELPHIA.gov portal.
https://www.archives.com/genealogy/vital-records-philadelphia-county-pa.html 
City of Philadelphia Department of Records – Official Contact Information
Jim Leonard, Commissioner of the Department of Records since April 2016, oversees the preservation, indexing, and public access to municipal documents, including court filings, land records, and historic photographs. The department’s main line is (215) 686‑2262, and inquiries can be emailed to james.leonard@phila.gov. It operates from the Municipal Services Building, 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Suite 300, with weekday hours of 8 AM‑5 PM. The department provides certified copies of records for a fee ranging from $5 to $15, offers a secure online request portal, and maintains a searchable database of over 2 million historical documents dating back to the 18th century.
https://www.phila.gov/departments/department-of-records/ 
The Philadelphia Courts – First Judicial District Overview
The First Judicial District of Pennsylvania consists of the Court of Common Pleas and the Municipal Court, both housed in the historic Philadelphia City Hall. The Court of Common Pleas handles major civil, criminal, and family law matters, including divorce, while the Municipal Court deals with small claims, landlord‑tenant disputes, and traffic offenses. The district employs 150 judges and processes approximately 250,000 filings each year. Current news releases, such as the August 9 2022 update on the Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act, are posted on the courts’ official website, and all case information is accessible through the Public Access Portal.
Search Philadelphia Civil Case Dockets – Public Access Service
The City of Philadelphia’s Public Access Search tool allows attorneys, journalists, and private citizens to retrieve civil docket information by entering the case number, plaintiff’s name, or defendant’s name. Results include filing dates, docket entries, motions, and final judgments. The system updates nightly and provides PDFs of each document for a fee of $2 per page. Users must register with a valid email address and agree to the terms of service, which prohibit the resale of data. Assistance is available via a live chat on the website or by calling the help desk at (215) 686‑6688 during business hours.
https://www.phila.gov/services/crime-law-justice/search-civil-case-dockets/ 
Related Search Terms
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