Obtaining a certified copy of a divorce record from the California Department of Public Health’s Vital Records is essential for various legal and personal matters, yet it comes with its own set of rules and limitations. Specifically, this department houses records only for divorces that occurred between 1962 and June 1984. Instead of issuing a copy of the actual divorce decree, they provide a Certificate of Record, which outlines basic details such as the names of the parties involved, the filing date, the county, and the case number. It's important for applicants to understand that obtaining the full divorce decree requires contacting the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was finalized. The process for requesting these records, detailed in the form itself, underscores the importance of providing complete and accurate information to facilitate the search, includes the necessity of a $14 fee per request, and highlights the lengthy processing times which may exceed six months. Additionally, should the search not yield any results, the fee is retained by the agency, and a “Certificate of No Public Record” is issued, indicating no record of the divorce can be found within the specified years. This efficiency in delineating who, what, and how makes the VS 113-B form a critical tool for navigating the complexities of accessing historical divorce records in California.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | Form VS 113-B |
| Form Length | 2 pages |
| Fillable? | Yes |
| Fillable fields | 22 |
| Avg. time to fill out | 4 min 58 sec |
| Other names | divorce decree california form, divorce decree california, divorce certificate california sample, divorce decree california sample |
State of California – Health and Human Services Agency |
California Department of Public Health |
APPLICATION FOR CERTIFIED COPY OF DIVORCE RECORD
INFORMATION:
Divorce records have been maintained in the California Department of Public Health Vital Records only from 1962 to June 1984. For these years, we are only able to provide you with a Certificate of Record, which identifies the names of the parties, filing date, county, and case number of the divorce. Copies of the actual divorce decree can only be obtained from the Superior Court in the county where the divorce took place. Our processing time for divorce records can be quite lengthy and may
exceed six months.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1.Complete a separate application for each divorce record requested.
2.Complete the Applicant Information section and provide your signature where indicated. Provide both First Person and Second Person information to identify the divorce record. If the information you furnish is incomplete or inaccurate, we may not be able to locate the record.
3.Submit $14 for each copy requested. If no divorce record is found, the fee will be retained for searching the record (as required by law) and a “Certificate of No Public Record” will be issued to the applicant. Indicate the number of
copies you want and include the correct fee(s) in the form of a personal check or postal or bank money order (International Money Order for out‐of‐country requests) made payable to CDPH Vital Records. PLEASE SUBMIT CHECK OR MONEY ORDER ̶ DO NOT SEND CASH (CDPH cannot be held responsible for fees paid in cash that are lost, misdirected, or undelivered).
4.Mail completed applications with the fee(s) to:
California Department of Public Heath
Vital Records – MS 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899‐7410
(916) 445‐2684
Fee: $14 per copy (payable to CDPH Vital Records). PLEASE SUBMIT CHECK OR MONEY ORDER – DO NOT SEND CASH
(CDPH cannot be held responsible for fees paid in cash that are lost, misdirected, or undelivered).
PLEASE AT T ACH CH ECK H ERE
APPLICANT INFORMATION (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE) |
Today’s Date: |
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Agency Name (if applicable) |
Agency Case Number |
Inmate ID Number |
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Print Name of Applicant |
Signature of Applicant |
Purpose of Request |
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Mailing Address – Number, Street
Amount Enclosed – DO NOT SEND CASH
Number of Copies
$ ________Check $ ________Money Order
City
State/Province |
ZIP Code |
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Daytime Telephone (include area code) |
Country |
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Mailing Address of Person Receiving Copies, if Different from Applicant
Mailing Address for Copies, if Different from Applicant
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State |
ZIP Code |
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DIVORCE RECORD INFORMATION (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE)
Complete First Person and Second Person information below as shown on the divorce record, to the best of your knowledge.
Name of First Person – FIRST Name |
MIDDLE Name |
CURRENT LAST Name |
LAST Name (Before Marriage/Domestic Partnership) |
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Name of Second Person ̶ FIRST Name |
MIDDLE Name |
CURRENT LAST Name |
LAST Name (Before Marriage/Domestic Partnership) |
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Date of Divorce – Month, Day, Year (If Date Unknown, Enter Year(s)) |
County of Divorce |
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DIVORCE
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VS 113‐B (01/14)