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None. You submit an informal application to the competent local or family court for the issue of a certified copy or copy of your divorce certificate.

If you have lost your divorce decree or your divorce decree (divorce certificate), you can apply for a new certified copy or copy at the local court or family court where your divorce proceedings were conducted at the time. Only this court keeps the so-called original, i.e. the original of your divorce certificate.

You should assure the court that you have lost the divorce certificate.

It can be very helpful for the court if you can provide the file number of your divorce proceedings at the time. You may still be able to find a letter from the court or your lawyer on which the file number is printed.

In principle, court costs of EUR 0.50 per page are incurred for the production and provision of a certified copy or copy of the divorce decree.

The competent court is the district court where the divorce proceedings were conducted.

• § Section 113 (1) sentence 2 of the Act on Proceedings in Family Matters
• Matters of voluntary jurisdiction in connection with §§ 329, 317 and § 299 of the Code of Civil Procedure
• §§ Sections 47 to 49 of the Notarization Act

Before you apply to the court for a new copy, you can also try to get the divorce certificate of your divorced spouse or partner or of your lawyer at the time, which are completely identical to your own divorce certificate. A copy of this divorce certificate can then be certified by a notary public or an authority authorised to do so by state law, e.g. the Citizens' Advice Bureau. The certified copy is often sufficient for legal transactions. However, you do not have a claim to the surrender of the divorce certificate.

Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection ( BMJV)