Search Free Hidalgo County Divorce Records & Order Certificates

Look up free Hidalgo County divorce records to verify anyone’s marital status.

Such a search is possible because divorce records are part of public information due to the Texas Public Information Act and the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Citizens can seek divorce records from several public channels, including county and state agencies, and view them at no cost; however, fees are incurred when acquiring physical copies or obtaining certification.

This resource provides resources to help citizens find divorce records in Hidalgo County, Texas.

How To Track Down Free Hidalgo County Divorce Records

The main custodian of divorce records at the county level in Hidalgo County is the County Clerk’s Office; however, copies of dissolution decrees are sought from the District Clerk’s Office.

Due to the Texas Public Information Act, Hidalgo County has a mandate to provide citizens access to view divorce records.¹

The clerk’s office has a database of court records that users can retrieve conveniently online using the Hidalgo County case search tool for free.²

This tool searches through criminal and civil records; the prior link allows citizens to find court documents in family cases, which include divorce data. Interested parties can query divorce records by case, party name, and attorney. Divorce records will show information such as parties involved, date filed, attorney, and history of motions in the dissolution proceedings.

In addition, patrons may need to obtain copies of public divorce records for certified and non-certified documents. They may do so through email, mail and fax.

Certified copies of divorce papers can be used for official purposes, such as identity, and usually have a seal. Conversely, uncertified copies of dissolution records cannot serve as identity documents but as information copies of a record of the vital event.

Email serves as the quickest way to acquire non-certified divorce records. Requestors accomplish this by filling out a copy request form and emailing it directly to the [email protected].⁴ A $5.00 search fee and additional costs can be seen in this fee schedule.

Email requests are paid via credit card only, and a convenience fee applies. Depending on the type of request, the clerk will mail certified copies, or requestors may pick them up at the address below—applicants must do this within 5 business days of the request. Non-certified copies are sent to the applicant’s email address.

Hidalgo County District Clerk
100 North Closner Boulevard
District Clerk 1st Floor
Edinburg, Texas 78539

Mail requests for divorce certificates are performed using the same form and must include a self-addressed envelope. Applicants may verify the total cost of the request and the number of pages of the record by calling 956.318.2200.

All requests should be sent to the clerk’s office in Edinburg, Texas. Patrons can pay these requests using credit cards, money orders, and checks. The district clerk’s post office box mailing address can be found below:

Hidalgo County District Clerk
Post Office Box 87
Edinburg, Texas 78540

Patrons can fax orders using the same request form, orders are sent to 956.318.2251 and payable only on credit cards. Uncertified copies are faxed back while certified records are mailed to the applicant. Patrons may pick them up at the clerk’s office.

For any questions and inquiries, call the Hidalgo County District’s Clerk’s Office at 956.318.2200.

Look Up Divorce or Dissolution of Marriage Details Through Cities Within Hidalgo County

The search for divorce records can sometimes expand to cities and towns in counties; possibly through municipal courts and other jurisdictions.

Querying records at the county level provides the broadest type of search since it encompasses all cities and towns—this is useful if the requestor does not know the urban area where the vital event occurred.

Searching for divorce records at the city or municipal level presents some advantages to the requestor. These offices are often smaller, serving smaller populations; records may be processed quicker, and staff are more attentive to citizens’ needs.

The three most populated cities in Hidalgo County are McAllen, Edinburg and Mission. These will be a showcase to find divorce records at the local level.

The City of McAllen Municipal Court handles other types of records, but not divorce documents.⁵ Therefore, citizens will need to contact the county resource mentioned above.

Residents in the City of Edinburg can request a public record by email, mail or hand delivered. Interested parties should include details of the records they need in a public information request form and add their contact information—name, mailing address, and telephone number.⁶ Charges are on the prior link, but costs are $0.15 per black-and-white page.

Email requests are sent to [email protected] and mailed or hand-delivered to the address below:

City of Edinburg
Attn: Public Information Request
415 West University Dr.
Post Office Box 1079
Edinburg, Texas 78539

Moreover, the city has a Public Information Request Center where citizens can submit requests for public records through an online portal.⁷

The City of Mission Municipal Court does handle public records requests through a public information request form, but it does not process divorce documents. Residents of this city can turn to county or state agencies, which are delved into below.

How Do I Access & Search Divorce Records in Texas as a Whole?

When searching for divorce records in Hidalgo County, citizens often find the dissolution was recorded in another county in the state. In these scenarios, interested parties must turn to state agencies that receive records from county and district clerks in the state—they should, in particular, contact the Texas Department of State Health Services – Vital Statistics (TX DSHS).

The Texas DSHS does not issue certified copies of divorce records; citizens can obtain these at the county level. Nevertheless, the Vital Statistics Office issues verification letters as proof that the vital event occurred within the state’s boundaries; they cannot serve as legal documents and only prove the dissolution occurred. Texas DSHS maintains a divorce index for dissolutions that took place after 1968.

This state agency allows citizens to request divorce records online, by mail, and in person. The quickest way to acquire dissolution records online is through the Texas Divorce Verification Records Request Portal.⁸ The Texas DSHS processes these requests in 15-20 business days and payments are via credit card; the costs for acquiring these letters can be found in this fee schedule.

In addition, citizens may request verification letters of dissolution records by mail; they will need to download and complete the Texas divorce application form. Mail requests will need to be sent to the Vital Statistics headquarters in Austin whose address is below. Requesters should expect to receive their documents in 6-8 weeks after lodging their request.

For exact information on processing times, applicants can view this link. The mailing address is:

DSHS – VSS
Post Office. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040

Lastly, patrons may visit local vital statistics offices or the Austin Office, whose address appears below. Citizens residing in Hidalgo County will contact the District Clerk as outlined earlier. In most cases, applicants should expect to receive their letters the same day; nevertheless, some applications will need more time.

Interested parties can lodge requests during office hours, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.

Texas Department of State Health Services
1100 West 49th Street
Austin, Texas 78756-3199

For questions or more information, contact the Texas DSHS by calling 512.776.7111 or 888-963-7111 or view these frequently asked questions.⁹

Citizens who need to find older divorce records (those occurring before 1968) offered by state and county agencies can contact the National Archives at Fort Worth – Texas. Patrons can perform genealogy and historical research using online research tools. Interested parties may order copies or obtain scans from Research Services staff at the National Archives at Fort Worth, whose address is below, Monday to Friday 9 AM to 4 PM.

Email [email protected] for information or to request an appointment to schedule a research room appointment. Call 817.551.2051 for any inquiries.

National Archives
1400 John Burgess Drive
Fort Worth, Texas 76140

Who Is Able To View & Acquire Divorce Records in Hidalgo County?

Divorce records in Texas are available to the public due to the state’s Public Information Act, which makes documents produced by government agencies public; moreover, citizens do not need to provide a reason for requesting them.¹

In Texas, anyone can view divorce records, but only authorized individuals can request certified dissolution decrees from official agencies. These persons include the party of the record, immediate family members such as parents and children and authorized legal representatives.

As seen earlier, the public can view divorce records from the county clerks without limitations; rather than request actual decree certificates, they can order informational copies of dissolution documents from the Texas Department of State Health Services. These copies are not certified and cannot be used for official purposes such as identification. They are also less detailed, containing less information than on decrees that the county issues.

Certified copies are official documents that can be used at federal and state agencies, and these dissolution certificates contain more specifics on the divorce decrees that the judge granted.

Finally, interested parties can seek divorce records from third-party vendors; this is particularly helpful if the location of the vital event is unknown or if the searchers want to remain anonymous, as there is no need to interact with official channels. However, if these vendors are not endorsed by official agencies, documents retrieved by them cannot serve official purposes.

As a note, common law marriage in Texas is a legal and valid form of matrimony.¹¹ That means that couples united in this way can also be separated by common law divorce or death. Divorce records from common law marriages are consequently found through the same channels as those from conventional unions.

The search and retrieval of Hidalgo County divorce records is necessary to remarry or conduct other official purposes; regardless of the reason, this resource places helpful links at the hands of citizens to empower them in their quest for dissolution documents.