Obtain a Divorce Certificate in West Virginia
The purpose of divorce certificates allows residents to make necessary name changes following a divorce and notify lenders or insurance agents about the change in marital status that can affect the shared property. Without a , you could find yourself unable to remarry, since proof of the previous marriage being dissolved is not available.
Also, you could find yourself in a legal battle where commercial and residential property is shared. In the event of your passing, this burden will pass onto your loved ones who are needing to prove a divorce to claim property that should belong to them. Having a simple solution to make this request and receive this documentation is essential, especially if time is of the essence.
The Difference Between Divorce Certificates and Divorce Decrees
are a formal record that indicates that a marriage has been dissolved, and two people are no longer joined as one. This document is provided to allow these individuals to change their names if necessary. A divorce decree is a document that is also legally binding, as it is presented after a divorce trial and provided to both parties. Any terms regarding the property shared, spousal support, child support, or any other condition outlined from the trial is listed in this document. These documents provide some of the same information but have different purposes.
Who Can Get a Divorce Certificate Copy in West Virginia?
Some limited residents have access to divorce records in West Virginia.
- Divorced parties
- Immediate family members of those divorced (children, parents, siblings, and grandchildren)
- Legal representatives of the aforementioned groups
Divorce certificates and divorce decrees are issued to the individuals getting the divorce, their immediate family, or their attorney representatives. Since divorces are not considered public records, all of these certificates are sealed to the public for 50 years.
How Much Does it Cost to Get a Divorce Certificate Copy in West Virginia?
When you visit the local county office, you can get a divorce record for approximately $12, and it can be processed then. If you choose to make the request online, then you will pay a $17 fee through the vendor and then any additional fees for search and/or expediting. If there needs to be an additional year searched to locate the record, you may also face a separate fee, especially if it falls out of a 3-year window range. Also, there are additional charges in place if multiple copies are required. If you are looking up separate divorce records, they are treated as two separate transactions.
Contact Address and Phone Number | Divorce Certificate Processing Fee |
350 Capital St.
Room 165 Charleston, WV 25301 Phone: 877-448-3953 Fax: 866-870-8723 | N/A |
How Long Does it Take to Get a Copy of a Divorce Certificate in West Virginia?
If you visit the office in person, you should be able to obtain a copy of the divorce certificate on the same day. Unfortunately, this is not a quick task and could take up a significant portion of your day. I f you make the request online, then you can expect an average turn-around time of 5-7 business days. There is an option to have the documents expedited to you if you are in a hurry but not able to sit in the records office and wait for them to print them.
What Documents Do I Need To Get A Copy of a Divorce Certificate in West Virginia?
In order to identify yourself as the person who received the divorce, a family member, or a legal representative, you will be required to show a form of photo ID. This includes the following:
- Government-issued photo identification
- School photo Identification (lists the school name)
- Employer photo identification (lists the employer name)
If you are representing one of the family members, then you may need to upload legal documentation that identifies you as a representation for that party.
How To Obtain a Copy of The Divorce Certificate on My Own
There are several ways that you can request a copy of a divorce certificate in West Virginia:
- Go in person to the CDC office in your county and make the request. You will be forced to wait and pay a non-refundable fee for the parties to search for the records. If you do not have the appropriate information or identification, you are out of your money and your time.
- Create an account with VitalCheck online and use another system that will route back to the original database and try to find the records. Again, this process requires nonrefundable search fees that could easily not return any information for something as small as a typo in a name or county. This will also take at least a week or longer to return results, making it very inconvenient if you are in a time crunch.
- Contact Your County Clerk of Court where the divorce was filed. Trying to get someone on the phone is the first hurdle or even getting them during their limited office hours. Depending on where your request falls in the list of things to do, it could be weeks before you get a response by mail on your inquiry.
You have several options, and you also need to make sure that you have the appropriate documentation when you make the request.
What Can I Do If I Can 't Get A Copy of the Divorce Certificate on My Own?
If you are not able to pursue one or more of these request options, or just find them to be too much, allow DoNotPay to help you with this task. DoNotPay is designed to take off the heavy-lifting and make the necessary requests successfully and accurately. All you need is a DoNotPay account and to follow a few quick steps to get started and get your divorce certificate on the way.
Let DoNotPay Take Care of the Process of Getting a Divorce Certificate
If you want to get a copy of a divorce certificate, 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.
There Are Several Reasons To Let DoNotPay Take on the Work
Some processes take too long to do because they are not easily accessible or outlined. These are easily the reasons why you need to choose DoNotPay today.
Fast | You don’t have to spend hours waiting online for their response. |
Easy | You don’t have to struggle with various and tedious forms or keep track of all the steps to secure a divorce certificate. |
Successful | You can rest assured that we will make the best case for you. |
You Can Also Use DoNotPay For Other Services
In addition to assisting with getting divorce certificates, you can use the service of DoNotPay for the following:
- Credit Card Assistance
- Getting assistance with filing insurance claims, and
- Finding a Notary to Notarize any documents that you have nearby.
DoNotPay is here to assist you and help make all of these legal tasks less of a burden on you.