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
Here is some information from your municipality.
Register a divorce or end of registered partnership
Your divorce or the termination of your registered partnership must be registered with the municipality. You or your lawyer must arrange the registration:
- Is it a divorce? Then you can arrange this with the municipality where you got married.
- Does it concern the termination of a registered partnership? Then you can arrange this with the municipality where your registered partnership is registered.
You need a court decision or a statement from yourself and your partner stating that you want to end the registered partnership. The divorce is only final if these documents are registered with the municipality in the registers of civil status.
A marriage officially ends when the judge pronounces the divorce. Your lawyer can submit a request to the court for this. Are you and your partner filing for divorce together? Then you can choose the same lawyer. Do you disagree? Then you each have to choose your own lawyer.
A registered partnership officially ends by a court decision or a statement from you and your partner. The latter is only possible if you and your partner agree. A lawyer or notary must also sign the statement. Do you have joint custody of minor children? Then you must dissolve the registered partnership through the courts.
Register for divorce at the municipality
- a written request for registration
- copy of the judge's decision
- possibly: a statement from the court that no appeal has been filed
Registering the end of a registered partnership with the municipality
- At the end of the court: see divorce.
- At the end by a statement: the statement that you want to end your registered partnership
Divorce
You or your lawyer must register the divorce with the municipality. Make sure that this is done within 6 months of the judge's final decision.
End of registered partnership by the court
This is the same as a divorce.
End of registered partnership by declaration
Have your and your partner's statement registered with the municipality by your lawyer or civil-law notary. Make sure that this is done within 3 months of signing the statement.
The municipality will register the judge's decision or statement as soon as possible. After that, the divorce is final.
Questions about this topic?
Contact the Municipality of Midden-Delfland
Visiting address
Anna van Raesfeltstraat 37
2636HX Schipluiden
| Monday | 14:00-17:00 |
| Tuesday | 14:00-17:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00-12:30 |
| Thursday | 09:00-12:30 |
| Friday | 09:00-12:30 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |