Simplest Way to Get a Divorce Certificate in Rhode Island

Do you need to prove that you are divorced? If you live in Rhode Island, that may be more difficult than you think. Most states offer some type of divorce certificate, but Rhode Island has strayed from the norm and chosen to make finding information about a divorce more challenging for residents.

Fortunately, makes getting the closest thing Rhode Island offers to a divorce certificate easier than attempting to do so on your own. Here is an overview of how Rhode Island handles divorce information and how we can help you find it.

The Difference Between Divorce Certificates and Divorce Decrees

Although divorce certificates and divorce decrees are similar types of documents, they do not serve exactly the same purpose.

Divorce Decree

A divorce decree is a complex legal document that details a wide range of information about your divorce case, including agreements regarding your assets and custody arrangements, alimony, documentation of a wife's legal change back to her maiden name, your case number, and

several other statements surrounding both parties' obligations throughout the process.

Divorce Certificate

A divorce certificate merely serves as proof that a couple has gotten divorced. It only includes basic information, such as your names, the date of the divorce, and the location of the divorce.

Who Can Get a Divorce Certificate Copy in Rhode Island?

Unlike the vast majority of states, Rhode Island does not provide residents with any type of paper divorce certificate. This means that no one can get a divorce certificate copy in Rhode Island.

Instead, the state keeps records of all divorces that occur within the state that may be searched by the public. Although this technically means that anyone can access an online copy of a divorce record, much like any other type of public record, many divorce records contain sensitive information that limits what the public will actually be able to find.

How Much Does it Cost to Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate in Rhode Island?

There is no cost to search for divorce records in Rhode Island. However, you cannot get an actual divorce certificate, and the best you will typically be able to do on your own will be printing a copy of the public divorce record you find if you need to provide a hard copy of proof of your divorce.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate in Rhode Island?

The amount of time it takes to successfully search for a divorce record in Rhode Island largely depends on the nature of the divorce. Any divorce that involved domestic violence, child abuse, a restraining order, or other sensitive circumstances will usually result in little to no information being available to the public. Finding information about these divorces can be a time-consuming and expensive process, and you may not succeed on your own.

Divorces that were mutually agreed upon and both parties were relatively civil throughout the process may have more information publicly available, but you will likely still benefit from working with a professional as trying to navigate any divorce records can be much more challenging than simply requesting a copy of a divorce certificate as you can in:

Texas
Arkansas
Nevada
California
New York
Florida
The majority of other states

What Documents Do I Need to Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate in Rhode Island?

Because divorce records can be searched by anyone in Rhode Island, no documents are needed to view information that is available to the public.

How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate By Yourself

You can locate a divorce record by searching the Rhode Island State Records database. This database provides access to all public records at the state, county, city, and municipal levels. However, it is important to keep in mind that there is a strong possibility that the information you will actually find in the record you are looking for may be limited, and you may waste a significant amount of time locating what you need.

Next Steps for Getting a Copy of a Divorce Certificate If You Can't Do It Yourself

Rhode Island's limited availability of divorce documentation means that you are likely to have a harder time finding what you are looking for by yourself than you would in other states. Although you can choose to work with a private lawyer at this point, this option is typically very expensive, and choosing DoNotPay's robot lawyer service will typically give you better results with less hassle and fewer costs.

Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate With the Help of DoNotPay

Although DoNotPay cannot get Rhode Island residents a copy of a divorce certificate that does not exist, we can make the process of locating all the information that is available in your divorce record and other sources significantly easier.

If you want to get a copy of a divorce certificate in Rhode Island but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 7 easy steps:

Go to the Certificates of Divorce product on DoNotPay.
Select whether the certificate belongs to you or a relative/loved one. If it belongs to someone else, enter the details of both people on the certificate, and select/upload evidence that proves your relationship with them. If the certificate is yours, enter the details of your spouse.*Please note: some states only allow people named on the certificate to apply.
Enter the city, state, and county where the divorce certificate and original divorce certificate were issued as well as the dates they were issued on.
Indicate what you will be using this certificate for, and choose whether you need an authorized or certified copy.
Enter your contact information and shipping address. Upload copies of your government-issued identification, such as a driver's license.
Choose whether you would like to electronically sign this form or not. Once we generate the form, verify that all of the information is correct.
If you need the document to be notarized, schedule a notarization appointment using our Notary product. Otherwise, proceed to our Mail Checks product and let DoNotPay mail-in your request form with a check on your behalf.

Why Use DoNotPay to Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate

Trying to get a copy of a divorce certificate on your own can be convoluted enough in most states, and Rhode Island's decision to only allow access to divorce information through divorce records makes finding what you are looking for even more difficult.

Choosing instead of trying to locate your divorce record on your own is faster, more convenient, and more likely to be successful the first time, and we can also comb through the internet to find any other information that may be publicly available about your divorce with the click of a button.

What Else Can DoNotPay Do?

At DoNotPay, we aim to make handling a wide range of legal concerns easier on our customers. With a few simple pieces of information, we can quickly help you: