Westchester County Court
Westchester County Divorce Records

Westchester County, New York Divorce Records

Westchester County divorce records are court-maintained documents generated by the Westchester County Supreme Court during marriage dissolution proceedings. These documents are official proof of the end of marriages within the county and typically include divorce decrees, separation agreements, and court orders. Certified copies of Westchester divorce records are vital for various legal and administrative purposes; individuals can use them to:

Legally remarry
Manage financial matters
Verify legal standings
Restore maiden names.

Westchester County Divorce Stats: According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2024, 71,888 residents of Westchester County aged 15 years or older were divorced. This figure accounts for 8.59% of the county's population within that age bracket. Additionally, 1.87% (15,701) of individuals aged 15 years or older lived apart from their spouses. New York consistently maintained a divorce rate below the national average between 2020 and 2024, and this trend also applies to most of the state's counties

Are Divorce Records Public in Westchester County?

No, Westchester County divorce records are confidential documents. Section 235 of the New York Domestic Relations Law restricts public access to details of divorce proceedings. Under New York laws, access to Westchester County’s divorce records is limited to:

The parties named in the divorce case
Attorneys of record of the involved parties
Persons with legitimate interest backed by court orders.

While a full Westchester County divorce record is a sealed document, New York permits the issuance of “Certificates of Marriage Dissolution” to the involved parties. This is a simplified form of the divorce record that confirms that the divorce occurred and displays the names of the divorced spouses, the date, and the location of the final decree. A Westchester County Certificate of Marriage Dissolution satisfies the orders of the matrimonial action without disclosing private details, evidence, or testimony contained in the divorce record. The parties to a divorce can use this document for legal purposes that require proof of divorce, without disclosing confidential details.

Notwithstanding the confidential nature of Westchester County divorce records under New York State law, these documents become public after 100 years.

How to Find Divorce Records in Westchester County

Westchester County divorce records are confidential documents under New York law. Access to these documents is limited to individuals involved in the divorce, their attorneys, and persons with court orders. To find a Westchester County divorce record:

Confirm eligibility to access the specific record.
Gather the required data to aid the search for the document, including:
- Full names of the spouses.
- The approximate year of divorce.
- The case index number. The Office of the Westchester County Clerk may charge a fee if the index number is unknown.
Submit a formal request in person or by mail to the Office of the Westchester County Clerk at:
110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Room 330,
White Plains,
NY 10601.

Eligible requesters should note that in addition to valid government-issued identification documents, a non-involved party must provide a notarized release form from one of the spouses or a court order authorizing access to the document. The Office of the Westchester County Clerk charges $1.25 per page, with a minimum payment of $5.00 and a maximum of $40.00. Additionally, a mail-in request must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a check payable to the agency (the amount must not exceed $40.00 or $45.00 (if the index number is unknown)).

Method	Where to Go	Info Needed	Cost	Processing Time
In Person	Office of the Westchester County Clerk	Valid ID, notarized release form from any of the parties involved in the divorce (if the requester is not a party in the divorce)	$1.25 per page, a minimum payment of $5.00, and a maximum of $40.00, or $45.00 if the index number is unknown	Same day
By Mail	Office of the Westchester County Clerk	Written request, notarized release form from a party to the divorce (if applicable), payment	$1.25 per page, a minimum payment of $5.00, and a maximum of $40.00, or $45.00 if the requester does not provide the index number	1 to 3 weeks.

Overview of the Westchester County Court System

The judicial system in Westchester County comprises the county's Supreme Court, County Court, Family Courts, Surrogate's Court, City Courts, and Town/Village Courts. The Westchester County Supreme Court is the county’s apex court, with superior authority over civil and criminal trials. Nonetheless, the Westchester County Supreme Court only handles cases beyond the authority of the other courts in the county.

Across New York, the Supreme Courts oversee divorce proceedings. In Westchester County, the Legal Division of the Office of the Westchester County Clerk is the custodian of divorce records. Eligible individuals seeking copies of Westchester family court divorce filings should visit the Westchester County Supreme Court or contact the Office of the Westchester County Clerk at the following addresses:

Westchester County Supreme Court

Richard J. Daronco Courthouse

111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard,

White Plains,

NY 10601

Phone: (914) 824-5300

Office of the Westchester County Clerk (Legal Division)

110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Room 330,

White Plains,

NY 10601

Phone: (914) 995-3070

Email: CC-Legal@westchestercountyny.gov.

Online Access to Westchester County Divorce Records

Under Section 235 of the New York Domestic Relations Law, divorce records are matrimonial records and are statutorily sealed by law. Consequently, individuals cannot find Westchester divorce records online. Only the Office of the Westchester County Clerk has the legal mandate to maintain and provide access to the county’s divorce records. There is no free online divorce lookup for Westchester County’s divorce records, neither through official nor third-party platforms.

What’s Typically Included in a Westchester Divorce Record

Under New York laws, divorce records are not open to public scrutiny. This means that members of the public cannot access Westchester County’s divorce records, regardless of the types of information. Only the parties to the divorce, their attorneys of record, and individuals empowered by court orders can access divorce records in Westchester County. Notwithstanding, eligible individuals can typically access details of the case progression, including:

Names of the divorced parties
Initial pleadings
Affidavits and motions
Financial documents
Settlement agreements
The judgment of divorce.

Information	Available to the Public?
Names of spouses	No
Divorce date	No
Case number	No
Custody arrangements	No
Financial disclosures	No

How to Get Certified Copies of Westchester Divorce Records

New York does not permit public access to divorce records. For that reason, the Office of the Westchester County Clerk does not maintain a public access system for divorce records nor issue non-certified or informational copies to individuals who are not eligible to access these documents.

While informational copies of Westchester County divorce records are not available, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDH) issues Certificates of Dissolution of Marriage. These documents contain basic non-sensitive details, including:

The names of the divorced parties
Date of divorce
The location where the divorce took place.

Although a Certificate of Marriage Dissolution does not contain comprehensive details of a divorce, the involved parties can use it for:

Remarriage
Name change
General administrative purposes.

Individuals seeking copies of the Certificates of Dissolution of Marriage can order them online on the New York State Department of Health's Divorce Certificate Webpage or complete a Mail-in Application for Copy of Divorce Certificate and mail to:

Newport York State Department of Health

Vital Records Certification Unit

P.O. Box 2602,

Albany,

NY 12220-2602

Unlike the NYSDH, the Office of the Westchester County Clerk issues certified copies of Judgments of Divorce. These are the certified official documents that codify the final terms of divorce. Depending on the complexity of a divorce, a Westchester County Judgment of Divorce typically contains:

Formal declaration of marriage dissolution
Orders regarding the distribution of property, assets, and liabilities
Specifics regarding any alimony
Child custody and visitation arrangements
Child support
Other provisions, including:
- Orders for insurance coverage
- Retirement accounts split
- Directives for name change.

To obtain an official divorce record copy in Westchester County, contact the Office of the Westchester County Clerk, Legal Division, in person or by mail at:

110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Room 330,

White Plains,

NY 10601.

Non-involved parties seeking copies of Westchester County divorce records without a court order should note that, in addition to valid government-issued identification documents, they must provide a notarized release form signed by one of the spouses involved in the divorce. Additionally, the Office of the Westchester County Clerk charges $1.25 per page of document, with a minimum payment of $5.00 and a maximum of $40.00 or $45.00 (if the requester does not provide the record's index number).

Likewise, the NYSDH charges the following fees for a Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage:

Mail orders - $30.00 per copy
Online/Phone orders - $45.00 per copy, plus an additional processing fee by the service provider.

Type of Copy	Use Case	Who Can Request	Legally Valid?
Certified Copy	Remarriage, legal proceedings	Spouse, attorney, or a person authorized by a court	Yes

Westchester Divorce Records Summary

Custodian	Available Record Type	Access Method	Fees & Notes
Office of the Westchester County Clerk	Judgment of Divorce	Mail, in person	$1.25 per page of document, with a minimum payment of $5.00 and a maximum of $40.00 or $45.00 (if the requester does not provide the record's index number)
Newport York State Department of Health	Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage from 1963 to the present	Online, mail-in via form	Mail order - $30.00 Online/Phone orders - $45.00 per copy, in addition to the processing fee.