How to request a Certificate of Divorce in Ontario, Canada?

First I am not a lawyer; I am just a regular person. I helped a friend of mine to get a Certificate of Divorce in Toronto, so I know how this works. We did it ourselves since the lawyers, clerks, law offices, etc. always charge you what we considered to be excessive for something that’s quite rather simple and cheap. That been said, if you decide to follow the steps described in this post, do it at your own risk; I take no responsibility if something goes south.

On the other hand, if you find this information useful, I would be grateful if you click the Google Plus (G+) button close to the title of this article.

Be also advised that the procedure to get a Certificate of Divorce could change any time. So, for accurate information make sure to read this directly from the Ministry of the Attorney General website

Enough from disclaimers...These are some frequently asked question about the process of requesting a Certificate of Divorce in Ontario: 

How much does it cost? 

There’s a flat fee of $19.00 for a Certificate of Divorce in Ontario. 

How to pay the fee? 

You can pay it by cash, certified cheque or money order[1]. You can get a certified cheque or money order from any Canadian bank and it must be payable to the “Minister of Finance”. 

Where do I get a Certificate of Divorce from? 

You can get it from the Superior Court of Justice. There are several court offices distributed all over the province. You need to find the court office where your case was started and request the certificate there. Follow this link to find out the addresses and working hours of the court offices in Ontario.

How can I know in which court office my case was started?

It is written in your Divorce Order.

What papers do I need to submit in order to get a Certificate of Divorce in Ontario? 

You need a copy of your Divorce Order. You should have gotten a Divorce Order from the court when your divorce was concluded. Simply make a copy of it using a scanner or photocopier. Obviously you will need a certified cheque or money order if you are NOT paying in cash. Be advised that you can only pay in cash directly at the court office. 

How do I request the Certificate of Divorce? 

There are two ways:

1.) Go to the court office and request the Certificate of Divorce in person: take with you a copy of your Divorce Order and $19.00 to pay the fee. At the court office you can pay by cash, certified cheque or money order. The last two should be payable to the “Minister of Finance”. You should have the Certificate of Divorce in your hands before leaving the court. 

2.) Request the Certificate of Divorce by postal mail: get an empty envelop and fill it with the following papers: 
  • A copy of your Divorce Order.
  • A certified cheque (or money order) with exactly $19.00 payable to the “Minister of Finance”. You cannot pay by cash if you are requesting the certificate by mail. 
  • An explanation letter describing who you are, how to contact you and what are you requesting from the court (see an example of the explanation letter below[2]). 
Mail the envelop to the Superior Court of Justice office where your case was started. Your Certificate of Divorce will be mailed to you. How long will it take to get the certificate on your mail box? Nobody can say for sure, but generally speaking you should get it within a month. 

Hope this helps. Good luck. 

[1] Sometimes money orders are also known as bank drafts

[2] Example of an explanation letter. 

To the Superior Court of Justice:

By this mean I am requesting a Certificate of Divorce on my behalf. I enclosed a copy of the Divorce Order and the check for the corresponding fee.

Feel free to contact me anytime (contact information below).

Thanks in advance,

______________                       ____________________________
Date of signature                        Applicant full name and signature


Applicant contact information:
First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
Phone number:
Postal Address: