View Free Polk County Divorce Records & Dissolution Documents

Search free Polk County divorce records efficiently with guidance from this streamlined resource.

You can look up these records to determine someone’s marital status or obtain documents for legal matters. Florida’s Sunshine Laws and the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) dictate public access to this information.

Anyone can find these records for free through official county and state resources. This article provides empowering resources and tools — such as aggregate links from official channels — to help find records of anyone who finalized their divorce in Polk County, Florida.

How To Access Free Polk County Divorce Records

The primary custodian for divorce records in counties in Florida is the Clerks of the Circuit Courts. Dissolution proceedings are carried out in these courts when judges sign divorce decrees finalizing separations. Due to Florida’s Sunshine Laws, the Polk County Clerk of Court is authorized and mandated to make divorce records available to citizens.^{1, 2}

Polk County provides a convenient way to view divorce records online through free public access tools. Users can utilize the Polk County Dissolution Records Search Tool to look up divorce records for free. This instrument can search for court records using several criteria including case number, party name and case filing date.

Patrons can print a summary of the divorce record—these are unofficial transcripts.

When retrieving divorce records, select “Circuit Civil” to find dissolution records. Users can view this help and frequently asked questions (FAQ) link for more information on using the system to find records.³

Moreover, Polk County does provide an Official Records Search Tool to locate divorce records for free; ensure to select the “DISSOL – DISSOLUTION (OF ANY KIND)” checkbox.

Lastly, citizens who need to order certified copies of divorce certificates can do so using the Public Records Request page (requires free registration). This will allow them to order and make payments for certified copies of divorce records and monitor the status of a request upon registration.

If unable to find a record online, patrons may mail or email a written request to [email protected] or the address below. Copies cost $1.00 and $2.00 for certification of documents. For more information on charges, view this fee schedule.

Polk County Clerk of Court
Records Custodian
Post Office Box 9000
Drawer CC-18
Bartow, Florida 33831-9000

For any questions about acquiring these public divorce records, contact the Polk County Circuit Court at 863.534.4000, send an electronic message. Patrons may also visit the Polk County Clerk of Court at the addresses below.

Bartow Office
255 North Broadway Avenue
Bartow, Florida 33830-3912

Comptroller Office
330 West Church Street
Bartow, Florida 33831-3760

Lakeland Office
Room 240, 930 East Parker Street
Lakeland, Florida 33801-1929

Northeast Office
200 Government Center Boulevard
Lake Alfred, Florida 33850

Obtain Divorce & Dissolution Records via Cities Within Polk County Florida

Searching for divorce records in Polk County from county resources permits interested parties to locate dissolution documents from all parts of the county regardless of city the event was recorded. Moreover, this presents an advantage if the city is unknown to the seeker of the records.

It is possible to browse for some records in some instances at official city channels such as clerks. These may sometimes have additional search tools, or since they tend to be smaller offices serving fewer people, they may provide an edge since they issue certificates quicker.

The top five most populated cities and towns will be used to demonstrate how to browse for dissolution records in Polk County. These are Lakeland, Winter Haven, Haines City, Auburndale and Bartow.

Major cities such as the City of Lakeland furnish ways for citizens to make public record requests.⁵ However, these records pertain only to those the city generates, such as ordinances, resolutions or city police reports. Cities in Florida do not have custody of county divorce records. Moreover, the City of Winterhaven directs requesters to contact the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller if they require divorce records.

Therefore, interested persons residing in cities and towns in Polk County can either contact the county’s Clerk of Court or contact Florida’s Vital Records Office, as seen below.

How To Search the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics for Divorce Records Throughout the State

Citizens in Polk County can turn to state agencies to acquire divorce records—in particular, they will need to contact the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics.⁷ This agency has records from all counties in Florida, and its divorce index has dissolution documents from June 6, 1927, to the present.

Patrons can search for and request divorce documents by mail or visiting the Vital Records Office in Jacksonville. For mail requests, patrons will need to download and complete the Florida Dissolution of Marriage request form.⁸ Each certified copy of a divorce record is $5.00, and if the applicant needs more than one copy, they cost $4.00 each.

If the year of record is unknown, a $2.00 per search year applies (maximum fee of $50.00). Shipping and handling costs $1.00, and an optional rush fee of $10.00 is optional.

Enclose a check or money order payable to “Vital Statistics” and mail it to the address below.

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
Post Office Box 210
Jacksonville, Florida 32231-0042

Alternatively, interested individuals may visit the Vital Records Office lobby from 8 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday. The same fees apply; payment can be made in cash, credit card, check, or money order.

In addition, the Bureau of Vital Statistics has authorized VitalChek, a third-party vendor, to issue official dissolution certificates on its behalf. Requesters may also order certificates through this company by calling +1.877.550.7330. Additional charges apply for the use of this service.

Call 904.359.6900 or email [email protected] for any questions about acquiring divorce documents from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics.

Who Can View Divorce Records in Polk County Florida?

In Florida, divorce information which are part of court documents, are available for public consumption because of the state’s public records laws known as the Sunshine Laws.¹ This means anyone can view divorce records in Polk County without restrictions and without providing any reason.

In many states, vital records such as divorce documents can be viewed by anyone, but certified copies can only be ordered by authorized persons such as parties to the case or immediate family members. This is not the case in Florida; the public can also request certified copies of divorce records without any limitations.

There is a difference between dissolution decrees and divorce records. The Polk County District Court issues dissolution decrees when couples file their divorce papers—these documents are detailed with information such as division of property or child custody agreement, if applicable. Citizens can obtain certified copies of dissolution decrees from the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller.

Conversely, divorce records are abstract documents produced from information on decrees that the Circuit Courts issue. These records are less detailed and show information such as parties of the divorce, date and place of the separation.

In Florida, the Bureau of Vital Statistics issues these divorce records as certified copies of the dissolution of marriage and serves as evidence that the vital event occurred. They are accepted at federal and state agencies, and anyone can order these as per Florida statutes.

As a note, Florida does not recognize common law marriages as legal, and therefore, does not grant divorces to couples under these forms of unions. Consequently, searching for common law divorce records in the state and counties is not possible.

Polk County divorce records can be viewed and requested by anyone in the county; this article provides valuable resources to find these documents via state and county agencies.