Once your divorce is finalised the court will grant a Final Order which formally ends the marriage. This was previously known as a Decree Absolute. You or your solicitor will receive a copy of the final order at the time it is granted.

If you lose or misplace your final order the first port of call should be the solicitor who dealt with your divorce. Dependant on how long they retain their files for they should be able to provide you with a copy.

If you dealt with the divorce yourself, or a long time has passed since your Final Order/Decree Absolute was granted you can apply to the court for a further copy.

You can request and pay for a ten-year search for copies of Final Orders and Decree Absolutes online. The fee is £65 per ten-year period searched. Once you have made the application, a certificate of the search together with a copy of the Final Order/Decree Absolute is provided by post, usually within 14 days.

If the court can’t find your Final Order/Decree Absolute a “no trace” certificate will be sent to you.

If you would prefer, you can also apply for a copy of your Final Order/Decree Absolute via post. You need to complete Form D440 (you can get a copy here Request a search for a divorce decree absolute: Form D440 - GOV.UK) and send it to the address on the form with a cheque or postal order.

For more detailed guidance visit the Government website: Print Get a copy of a final order or decree absolute: Overview - GOV.UK