Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site on September 23, 2026.
Howard County, Maryland, has about 340,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). The divorce record of a couple from Howard County is a file of the Circuit Court, kept by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, not a vital record. This guide says where the file is, how a certified copy of the decree is had and what the state issues.
This guide covers the court, copies, related records and common questions.
Related guides: Howard County public records, Howard County arrest records, Howard County warrants, Howard County criminal records, Howard County court records, Maryland arrest records and Maryland inmate search.
Where a Divorce from Howard County Is Filed and Kept
Divorce records are not vital records in Maryland. The decree and the file of a divorce from Howard County are court records of the Circuit Court, and certified copies come from the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
For Howard County the court records page SearchSystems verified is at courts.state.md.us/clerks/howard/caserecords (page title: Case Records | Maryland Courts), phone 410-313-2111, 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, MD 21043, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026. Most of a divorce file is open to the public; the papers the law keeps confidential and anything the court has sealed are not.
Statewide, Maryland Judiciary Case Search is the free statewide case search of every Maryland court.
Copies of a Divorce Decree from Howard County
The copy another court or an agency asks for is a certified copy of the judgment, issued by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, reached through the court at 410-313-2111.
The Maryland Division of Vital Records also issues divorce verifications for divorces granted since 1992.
The Maryland vital records page SearchSystems verified is at health.maryland.gov/vsa/pages/birth.aspx.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a copy of a divorce decree from Howard County?
From the Circuit Court, through the Clerk of the Circuit Court (courts.state.md.us/clerks/howard/caserecords). The Maryland Division of Vital Records also issues divorce verifications for divorces granted since 1992.
Are divorce records public in Maryland?
Mostly. The court file is open except for the papers the law makes confidential and anything the court seals.
Which court hears divorces from Howard County?
The Circuit Court. The file is kept by the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Does Maryland issue divorce certificates?
The Maryland Division of Vital Records also issues divorce verifications for divorces granted since 1992.
Is this the official Howard County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.