How to get a copy of a decree absolute or final order depends on the information you have about the divorce, dissolution or annulment.
If you know the case number and the court
It costs £11 if you know both the case number and the court.
Send an email or letter to the court and include:
- your name and address
- the case number
- how you want to pay
You’ll get the copy within a week after the court gets your payment.
Pay by cheque or postal order
Make the cheque or postal order payable to ‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service’ and send it to the court.
Pay by credit or debit card
Include your phone number in your email or letter. The court will call you to take your payment.
If you do not know the case number
If you know which court issued the decree absolute or final order, you can ask them to search their records. It costs £45 to search a 10 year period.
Give the court the date you think the case happened. The court will search 5 years of records either side of that date.
If you cannot give them a date, the court will search the last 10 years of records.
Send an email or letter to the court with your name and address, and how you want to pay.
Pay by cheque or postal order
Make the cheque or postal order payable to ‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service’ and send it to the court.
Pay by credit or debit card
Include your phone number in your email or letter. The court will call you to take your payment.
If you do not know which court to ask
You can ask the Central Family Court to search for the decree absolute or final order.
Fill in form D440 and send it to the address on the form. It costs £65 for each 10 year period that’s searched.
Pay by cheque or postal order
Make the cheque or postal order payable to ‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service’ and send it with your form.
Pay by credit or debit card
The court will call you to take your payment. Include a letter with your form to request the call and give your phone number.
