How to Get a Certified Copy of Your Colorado Divorce Decree

Many post-divorce tasks in Colorado — changing your name at the SSA, updating your driver's license, dividing retirement accounts, or transferring a property title — may require a certified copy of your Decree of Dissolution of Marriage (JDF 1116). An uncertified photocopy or scanned PDF may not satisfy an agency's requirements.

Here is how to get certified copies and how many you actually need.

Where to Request Certified Copies

Your divorce decree is held by the district court clerk's office in the county where your divorce was filed. This is not the Colorado Department of Public Health — CDPHE maintains vital records (birth, death), but divorce records stay with the issuing court.

Contact the clerk's office directly and ask which request methods it accepts:

• In person at the clerk's counter — ask whether same-day service is available
• By mail with a written request, a check or money order, and a self-addressed stamped envelope
• Electronically where the court offers that option

You will need to provide your full name, your ex-spouse's full name, the case number, and the approximate date the decree was entered.

How Much Does a Certified Copy Cost?

Under Chief Justice Directive 06-01, the certification fee is $20 per document. Standard paper copies are $0.25 per page, up to a maximum of $15 for parties to the case. Confirm the clerk's current request procedure before mailing payment.

How Many Copies Do You Need?

Order at least two certified copies upfront — possibly more depending on your situation. These agencies may ask for a certified copy:

• Social Security Administration — for name change processing (Form SS-5)
• Colorado DMV — for driver's license name update
• Mortgage lender — for refinancing into your sole name
• Retirement plan administrator — for QDRO or PERA DRO processing
• County clerk and recorder — for recording a quitclaim deed
• U.S. Department of State — for passport name change (Form DS-82 or DS-5504)

Some agencies return the original after verification, but not all. Having extras avoids the delay of ordering more mid-process.

What If You Cannot Find Your Case Number?

If you have lost your case number, the clerk's office can search by the names of both parties and the approximate year of filing. Colorado court records are public unless sealed by court order, so you do not need your ex-spouse's permission to request copies.

For divorces finalized before electronic filing was standard, the clerk may need additional time to locate physical files. Call ahead to check availability.

Certified vs. Regular Copies

A certified copy bears the court's certification and clerk's signature. A regular copy (unmarked photocopy) may be useful for your personal records but may not satisfy the SSA, DMV, passport office, or plan administrator.

The Colorado After-Divorce Checklist maps every agency that needs a certified decree copy and the exact sequence to follow so you are not waiting on one agency before starting with the next.

See more Colorado guides →