Registering a divorce in the civil registry in the Netherlands

Has a judge has agreed to your divorce (echtscheiding)? Then you and your partner will be sent a copy of the final order (echtscheidingsbeschikking). When does your divorce become final? Once you have registered the final order in the municipality’s civil registry (burgerlijke stand van de gemeente).

You can register the final order in the Register of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (burgerlijke stand van de gemeente). Do this at the municipality where you were married. This must be done within 6 months of the court ruling. When you have done this you are legally divorced.

Registering the final order in the marital property register

Did you draw up huwelijkse voorwaarden (a prenuptial agreement)? Then you can register the agreement in the marital property register (huwelijksgoederenregister)(in Dutch). Do this at the court that issued the final order.

This is how it works for you

Your (future) place of residence falls under:

Municipality of Gooise Meren

Here is some information from your municipality.

Divorce

What you need to know

You can have your marriage or partnership dissolved. You will need a lawyer to do this
The lawyer submits your request to the court. You can start this procedure yourself or together with your partner
The judge makes a decision. This decision is laid down in an official order
The municipality registers the court order in the civil status registers. Then your marriage or partnership is officially dissolved or terminated. The condition is that no further appeal against the order is possible
The same procedure applies to dissolving a registered partnership

Further information

Rechtwijzer offers tips, tools and advice on how to arrange a divorce yourself (together with your partner). Rechtwijzer was developed by the Legal Aid Board
The Dutch Government provides more information about divorce

Registering your divorce with the municipality is free of charge. Do you need proof of the divorce? See the costs at gooisemeren.nl.