New York City Dissolution Of Marriage
Dissolution of marriage records in New York City are split across five boroughs, each with its own County Clerk's office. Unlike other cities in the state, NYC has five separate county court systems handling divorce cases. Manhattan uses the New York County Clerk, Brooklyn uses Kings County, Queens has its own clerk, the Bronx operates through Bronx County, and Staten Island falls under Richmond County. To search for a dissolution of marriage case in New York City, you need to know which borough handled the filing, then contact that borough's County Clerk or use the state's online search tools.
New York City Dissolution Of Marriage Overview
New York City Borough Clerk Offices for Dissolution Records
Each New York City borough has its own County Clerk that handles dissolution of marriage filings. Where your case was filed depends on which county the plaintiff lived in when the action started. Here is where to go in each borough.
Manhattan uses the New York County Clerk at 60 Centre Street, Room 141B, New York, NY 10007. The phone number is 646-386-5935. The Matrimonial Judgment Section is in the basement of 60 Centre Street. This office keeps all dissolution of marriage judgments issued through the Manhattan Supreme Court. Hard copy files from 2004 to the present are stored at 60 Centre Street, while older files dating back to 1998 are at 31 Chambers Street on the 7th floor. Files from 1910 to 1954 sit in warehouse storage and take two business days to pull.
Brooklyn goes through the Kings County Clerk at 360 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Call 347-404-9694. Queens uses the Queens County Clerk at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435. Phone: 718-298-0600. The Bronx County Clerk is at 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451. Phone: 718-618-3300. Staten Island uses the Richmond County Clerk at 130 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, NY 10301. Phone: 718-675-7700.
Each borough operates independently for record storage. A case filed in Brooklyn cannot be pulled from the Manhattan clerk's office. You must go to the right borough.
Searching New York City Dissolution Cases Online
The WebCivil Supreme system covers all five New York City boroughs. You can search by party name and select the specific county (borough) from the dropdown list. Results show the case index number, party names, filing date, and case status. The system covers cases from 1983 to the present.
The state's online case search portal provides basic case index data for New York City dissolution of marriage cases across all boroughs.
Full case documents are not available online because of the confidentiality rules in the Domestic Relations Law.
For Queens County specifically, you can also use the Queens County Clerk Online system. It lets you look up index numbers and view a list of documents on file for cases from 1992 to the present. Cases with activity since 2006 show up regardless of when the action started. For cases before 1992, the records are on microfiche and you have to search in person at the Queens office.
The NYS Courts divorce forms page has packets for all five boroughs. Forms are free. You can get uncontested divorce packets with or without children, and contested divorce forms. Everything is available in English and some forms come in Spanish too.
Note: New York City dissolution of marriage records are sealed for 100 years under Domestic Relations Law Section 235, so public access is limited to basic case index data only.
Access Rules for NYC Dissolution Records
All five New York City boroughs follow the same confidentiality rules. Section 235 of the Domestic Relations Law makes dissolution of marriage files restricted. Only the parties to the case, their attorneys of record, or someone with a court order can view the full file.
If you are not a party, you need an original notarized letter from one of the spouses or their attorney. The letter must name you as the bearer, list the names of the parties at the time of filing, include the index number or approximate year, and provide a contact number or email. You also need a valid photo ID. Each borough clerk enforces these rules the same way, though some have slightly different procedures for handling the paperwork.
In Manhattan, the New York County Clerk charges $0.25 per page for copies plus $8.00 for each certification. A search certificate costs $5.00 for every two years searched. A Certificate of Non-Appeal from the Judgment Department at 60 Centre Street costs an extra $5.00. These fees apply whether you are a named party or an authorized representative.
State Resources for New York City Residents
The New York State Department of Health keeps dissolution of marriage certificates for all cases since 1963, including those from all five NYC boroughs. These certificates have basic facts like names and the date the marriage ended. Mail orders cost $30 each. Online and phone orders are $45 plus a vendor processing fee.
For the actual divorce decree with all the terms and conditions, you must go to the County Clerk in the borough where the case was filed. The DOH certificate and the divorce decree are two different documents. The certificate is a summary. The decree is the full court order.
The DOH mail request page has forms you can download. Send them to the Vital Records Certification Unit, P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Processing takes 10 to 12 weeks for regular handling. You can call 855-322-1022 with questions.
The New York State Archives notes that for cases before July 1, 1847, downstate county records (including NYC boroughs) may be at the New York County Clerk's Office at 31 Chambers Street. Cases from 1847 onward are at each borough's County Clerk.
Nearby Cities
These cities near New York City have their own dissolution of marriage information pages.