How to Obtain and Use Information in North Carolina Divorce Records

Out of every 3 marriages in the US today, 1 is ending in a divorce. That means there are over a million divorces granted every year. There are the records to prove it. In fact, they are one of the vital public records that need to be maintained by law by the state and county authorities.

For the purpose of both public and government reference and information, divorce records are maintained at the County Clerk’s office and also at the central state repository. This practice has been in effect officially since 1967, stipulated by the Freedom of Information Act, which was passed in 1966.

It needs to be mentioned here however that the US states, at least most of them, already had it at county level long before that.

How to Find and Get Your North Carolina Divorce Records

Particular government agencies are entrusted with processing the request which is submitted for divorce records. Since these records are maintained at the county level, you will need to send your application to the County Clerk’s office.

Often, there are many who do not know exactly which county approved the divorce. If you are also faced with a similar dilemma and want to access divorce records from North Carolina, please write to the following address:

North Carolina Vital Records
1903 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1903
(919) 733-3526

You will still get the record from the correct county office even when you send your application to the above office. What happens is that once the office receives your application, it is forwarded to the relevant county office from where you will get the necessary information.

You may also walk in to the office with your request, call up and even apply on the telephone. Do not also forget to write a check or send a money order with your request.

How to Apply for Your Divorce Records

Be sure to provide the name of the person whose divorce record you are searching, including the middle name (if any) and the nicknames (if any). You must also include the date of request and date of divorce or annulment, the place of divorce (city or town, county, state)and type of final decree, your relationship to the person and why you need the information, your name and address, driver's license number and state. Finally, you will need to sign it.

The Information Included in North Carolina Divorce Records

While you may not be able to obtain the complete information from the divorce record, you will be able to confirm whether the person is indeed divorced or not. This can be very important if you are thinking of getting married to him/her and want to be sure before the ceremony. You can also find out about the date of the divorce and the county where it was granted.

On the other hand, if you yourself want proof of the divorce so that you can apply for a marriage license when you are re-marrying, the document that you will get should be enough to prove your case. The divorce record that you will get will not include the reason for the divorce, in addition to issues related to settlement and child custody.