Obtain Free Nassau County Divorce Records & Decrees

Find free Nassau County divorce records on anybody who wed locally.

Certain people are allowed to obtain copies of marital records, and all searches must be done in-person, at a designated terminal, or through mail.

This resource serves as guidance for everyone looking for paperwork on a dissolved marriage from Nassau County, New York; the sections below detail who is allowed access, where to obtain copies, which associated fees apply, and what types of documents are available.

How Do I Look Up Nassau County Divorce Records?

Nassau County, like almost everywhere in New York State, keeps all records from family court cases confidential, including divorce records. Because of this, there are not many instances or exceptions where members of the public are given access to view divorce records.

If the individual seeking the record is one of the two parties involved in the dissolution – or an authorized representative – the Nassau County Clerk’s Office can assist.¹ As the official custodian of these records, the clerk’s office can help locate the correct files, either by mail or in person.

All other local government agencies – such as city, town or village clerk’s offices – will not be able to assist in obtaining these records; they are only available through the county clerk.

To order a copy of a divorce record by mail, the Nassau County Clerk has provided a Divorce Document Mail-In Request Form, which includes guidance for placing an order.² The form must be notarized before being sent into the clerk’s office for processing.

Information that will need to be known includes the names of both parties involved in the action, a phone number of the person inquiring, and the index number (index numbers are given to any order or proceeding that occurs through a New York court, according to the state’s glossary of legal terms).³

In instances where the index number is unknown, interested parties can include a check for $5.00, and the clerk’s office will search for the record. The form must indicate if the individual wants a certified or non-certified copy. Prices for each are as follows:⁴

• Non-Certified: Cost 65 cents per page, with a minimum of $1.30 and a maximum of $40.00 per document
• Certified: Charged at $1.25 per page, with a minimum of $5.00 and a maximum of $40.00 per document

If the exact page count is known, the check can be made out for the specific amount. If inquirers are unsure, the amount on the check can be left blank, and “Do not exceed $40.00” can be written on the memo line.

Along with the notarized form and any checks to cover fees, the sender must include a self-addressed and stamped envelope in order to receive the copy by mail. All contents can be sent together to the following address:

Nassau County Clerk
Attn: Room 106
240 Old Country Road
Mineola, NY 11501

Phone: 516-571-2660
Hours: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm from Monday to Friday

If opting to go to the clerk’s office in person, interested parties must bring a copy of a government-issued ID along with either cash or a Visa or Mastercard. If the index number isn’t known, there are terminals available at the office that individuals can use for free to search for the correct number.

If preferred, a staff member can still search on behalf of any citizen for an additional fee of $5.00. More information on associated fees and accepted forms of payment are available on the county clerk’s FAQ page.⁴

The county clerk’s office’s physical address is the same as the mailing address listed above, and is just a block away from the Nassau County Courthouse.

How To Find Divorce Records in All of New York Through the State Department of Health

If the sought-after divorce papers cannot be found through the Nassau County Clerk’s Office, then the event may have occurred in another area of the state. If individuals suspect this is the case, then the county clerk’s office will not be of use, and New York’s Department of Health should be utilized instead.⁵

Similar accessibility laws apply through the department’s Vital Records Section, and copies of divorce records are only available to parties listed on the document or people with a New York State court order, such as a lawyer.⁶ Orders can be placed by mail or online.

For mail, complete the Mail-in Form for a Copy of a Divorce Certificate, and submit to the Vital Records Section of the department; their address is listed below.⁷ Along with the form, other items to include are:

• The state court order, if the individual is not one of the parties involved in the divorce
• A photocopy of a valid form of identification, which are listed on the application
• A check or money order made out to the New York State Department of Health (the fee is $30.00 per copy requested)

Payments can also be placed over the phone at 855-322-1022. Otherwise, the form, check, and ID can be sent to the New York State Department of Health at following address:

New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
PO Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2606

To order a certificate of divorce online, the department utilizes VitalChek, an independent third party endorsed by the New York state government. Fees for obtaining a divorce record through this medium start at $58.50 ($45.00 for the record, and $13.50 for a VitalChek fee).

The Vital Records Section has some archived files in its Genealogy Records & Research Division, but the divorce index only dates back to 1963.⁸ For any documents before 1963, individuals will need to know the county, and search through local resources instead.

Are Divorce Records in Nassau County Publicly Accessible?

The only public divorce records available anywhere in the state are from a century ago or longer. Because of New York’s Domestic Relations Law 235, the seal on divorce documents lifts after 100 years, and the information then becomes available to the public.⁹

New York abolished common law marriages in 1933, but upheld any of these unions that took place prior to that year.

Any common law divorce – which is the same as a legal divorce – that resulted is or will become public information at the same time as any other marriage dissolution of the same year. Any divorce record younger than a century, though, is still only accessible by directly involved parties, authorized representatives, or a person with a court order.

Citizens eligible for copies of divorce paperwork have two types of records available: The state’s Vital Records Section offers certificates, which contain a few essential details about the dissolved marriage, such as the names of the former spouses, and the county and date where and when the event occurred.⁶ These certificates are only for divorces from 1963 and after.

The Nassau County Clerk’s Office can give copies of divorce decrees to approved individuals. A decree is the order that dissolved the marriage, and typically contains far more in-depth information, such as all the terms and conditions of the divorce.

There are third-party vendors that may have some information available on divorce records in Nassau County, and may be of assistance to any curious citizens that can’t find the information they’re looking for on the state and county websites. However, unless the third-party is officially endorsed by the government agency, the information or verifications issued cannot be used for any legal purposes.

Although there isn’t much information readily available on these family law documents anywhere throughout the state, local government agencies keep the details they do provide organized for the public.

The most helpful way to obtain these papers is by going in-person to the clerk’s office, or sending in requests by mail.

Lastly, it is helpful to remember that even though curious folks might wish this information was more accessible, the confidentiality of Nassau County divorce records is kept with the integrity of the involved individuals in mind.