Knowing the Court and the Case Number
The process will cost £10 if you know the court and case number. Write a letter or send an email to the court that includes:
- Your full name and address.
- The case number.
- How you will make the payment.
Note: You need some details of the divorce, dissolution, or annulment to get copies of the absolute decree. But, the extent of information that you how will determine how to get a copy of a decree absolute or final order.
Paying by Credit or Debit Card
If you choose to pay by credit card you should include your telephone number in the email or the letter. Doing so allows the court to call you and take the payment over the phone.
Paying by Cheque (or postal order)
You can also pay by cheque or by postal order. If you choose this option make it payable to ‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service’ before sending it to the relevant court.
Not Knowing the Case Number
In some cases, you may know which court issued the decree absolute or the final order, but not the case number. You can ask the court to search through their records. It will cost £45 for a search of a ten (10) year period.
Write a letter or send an email to the court that includes your full name and address and your chosen method for payment. Try to give information on the date that you think the case happened to the court.
They will then search the records for five years either side of the date. The court will search the through the last ten years of records if you are unable to give them a date.
Paying by Credit or Debit Card
If you choose to pay by credit card you should include your telephone number in the email or the letter. Doing so allows the court to call you and take the payment over the phone.
Paying by Cheque (or postal order)
You can also pay by cheque or by postal order. If you choose this option make it payable to ‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service’ before sending it to the relevant court.
Not Knowing which Court to Ask
In most cases, the Central Family Court can search for a decree absolute or a final order. You would need to use ‘Form D440: Request for Search for Divorce Decree Absolute‘.
Fill in form D440 and then send it to the address written on the document. The cost of each search for a ten (10) year period is £65.
Paying by Credit or Debit Card
If you choose to pay by credit card you should include your telephone number in an email or by letter along with the form. Doing so allows the court to call you and take the payment over the phone.
Paying by Cheque (or postal order)
You can also pay by cheque or by postal order. If you choose this option make it payable to ‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service’ before sending it with the form to the relevant court.