Explore Free Riverside County Divorce Records (Verify Status)

Look up free Riverside County divorce records to find details of marriages dissolved within the county.

These records can be accessed by anyone — thanks to the California Public Records Act and the federal Freedom of Information Act — and may be used for legal, genealogical, or personal purposes. This resource outlines clear steps for tracking down records of divorce in Riverside County, California, using official county and state-level sources.

How To Look Up Riverside County Divorce Records

People can use the Riverside Superior Court’s Public Access service to find divorce records online.¹

First, users must set up their own account on this website. This step lets them get into the system, where they will find all data involving divorce records.

The next step would be finding the case in question. This can either involve entering a case number or looking up by the names of any of the parties involved.

Looking up divorce records in Riverside County involves some costs. These fees can vary depending on the type and extent of information an individual requires.

Free public divorce records search can be conducted through case numbers, while searching by name comes at a small fee. However, when searching by name, individuals will be offered a list of names that closely match what was keyed in.

For each name searched, there is a cost, listed on the Public Access page.¹ It’s $1 for a single search and if planning multiple searches, then citizens get five search requests for $3.50 or ten search requests for just $5.00. The more an individual spends at once, the less each search will cost.

There are also options available if extensive use is expected, such as unlimited name search, which would cost $250 per month.

Once a citizen finds a person’s record, up to 10 cases can be viewed under that name before initiating another search. The portal provides non-certified copies of the divorce records that can even be downloaded – if an inquirer knows the case number. However, downloads would cost an extra $1 per page for initial five pages and $0.50 afterwards, with the maximum spending limit set at $50 per document in total.

In case a certified divorce record is required it comes with additional cost typically around $15. This could potentially increase based on the specific situation, like extensive research required for finding the records or postal delivery.

Acquiring divorce records in Riverside County through mail involves filling out a Request for Certified Copies Form known as RI-MC011.³ After filling out the forum, it can be submitted via an online portal known as eSubmit, a seamless and efficient method of submission.⁴

However, if anyone prefers traditional methods, this form can also be dropped off at the applicable courthouse that is closest to the requester’s location. The location of the drop boxes are also mentioned in the form. Payments must also accompany these requests and should be made to the Riverside Superior Court.

Two types of costs are associated with this process. First, there’s a record search fee that amounts to $15 per name that will be looked up. In addition, copy fees amounting to $0.50 per page also apply.

There are other various charges depending on specific needs like certification ($40 per document), off-site file/record retrieval ($30), obtaining a certified divorce decree ($15), and so forth, including applicable postal charges. If the citizen requests exemplification – a special type of certification – it comes with its own charge at $50 per exemplification.

Remember though, while making the payment either by check or money order, to include a self-addressed envelope.

Obtaining divorce records can also be done through submitting an in-person request. All the requester needs to do is visit any court location and place their order for the necessary documents.⁶

The court staff is always ready to assist with requests like these. If the record search is convenient and brief, they will likely be able to fulfill it on the spot, while the inquirer waits.

However, if the required documents in question require search times longer than 10 minutes, then a fee would be applicable. To be precise, every prolonged search conducted would require a fee payment of $15. This additional fee is applied according to the law laid out by the government code section 70627 (c) which applies to all Riverside County courts.

How To Find Divorce Records at the State Level Through the California Department of Public Health

Statewide divorce records can be searched through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).⁷ The department is responsible for maintaining the divorce index for the whole state of California. Access to these records is defined under the California Public Records Act (PRA).⁸

To obtain these documents from CDPH, individuals will need to fill out an Application for Certificate of Record for a Divorce – also known as form VS 113-B.⁹ This paperwork initiates the request for a certified record about someone’s divorce. After filling the form, citizens will be required to pay a fee of $16.

The amount can only be paid through money order or paycheck, payable to ‘CDPH Vital Records’. However, it must be emphasized that if the amount is not disclosed within the mail, then the request will automatically stand rejected.

There are also specific rules on what kind of checks or orders are accepted by the CDPH. So, it is recommended to issue the amount through a US Bank or by US Postal Service.

After completing all of these steps mentioned, the application form, with the applicable fee, should be sent to the following address:

California Department of Public Health
Vital Records Division – MS 5103
Post Office Box, 997410
Sacramento, California, 95899-7410

Phone: 916-445-2684

Requests can take 8-10 weeks to complete and CDPH only provides divorce records from 1962 until June 1984. Additionally, the documents they keep are not extensive; plus, individuals will also not find any record of common law divorces, as these are not recognized by the state.

Divorce records are paperwork that confirm the marriage’s dissolution and are frequently made public. While decrees contain more precise information and are normally only available to the separated couple and their legal agents.

The CDPH does not provide the full decree but only offers a divorce certificate. This document gives basic details about the case – namely who were involved in the divorce and when and where it was filed, nothing more. It provides no detailed reasons or other intricate information the inquirer may be looking for.

In-depth records are maintained by the Superior Courts within the counties and interested individuals can approach them to get more information.⁶ You can also access these records through third party vendors, however, these are not always endorsed by the state and the data may also not be accurate.

Does Riverside County Provide Divorce & Dissolution of Marriage Information to the Public?

Riverside County does provide public access to divorce records and this is done through the Superior Courts Public Access system, which is accessible to every citizen.¹ However, the system has its limitations and this is evident whenever divorce proceedings occur outside of Riverside – in neighboring counties or other areas of California.

In such situations, getting data such as divorce papers and records can be done through state entities, such as the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).⁷

The CDPH maintains divorce records from 1962 to June 1984 and to access these records, individuals are required to download and fill an Application for Certificate of Record for Divorce, which is also known as VS 113-B.⁹ A fee of $16 is required to process the request, which can only be paid through paycheck or money order. The form, along with the associated fee, can then be mailed to the address below:

California Department of Public Health
Vital Records Division – MS 5103
Post Office Box, 997410
Sacramento, California, 95899-7410

Phone: 916-445-2684

State level searches often provide the broadest of results, whereas county level searches narrow these down. To find this information, this resource has highlighted all of the ways of finding Riverside County divorce records that citizens can utilize.