Obtain vital records products and services via fax or mail through the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Many vital records products and services can also be requested in-person or by mail through county vital records offices. Vital records offices cannot accept emailed applications or transmit purchased vital records electronically.
* Birth dates from 1900 to the present: Records available from all vital records offices. Birth dates before 1900: Records available from county where birth occurred.
* Death dates from 1997 to the present: Records available from all vital records offices. Death dates from 1908 to 1997: Records available from MDH or county where death occurred. Death dates before 1908: Records available from county where death occurred.
| Product or service | Request form | Fee | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified parentage documents (Recognition of Parentage, Spouse’s Non-parentage Statement) | Certified Parentage Document Request (PDF) | $9 | MDH only |
| Revocation of certified parentage documents | Certified Parentage Document Request (PDF) | $9 | MDH only |
| Minnesota Fathers’ Adoption Registry Search | Minnesota Fathers’ Adoption Registry (MFAR) Search Request (PDF) | $25 | MDH only |
| Product or service | Request form | Fee | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth | Request for Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth and Fetal Death Report (PDF) | $16 | MDH only |
| Informational noncertified fetal death report | Request for Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth and Fetal Death Report (PDF) | $9 | MDH only |
| Fetal death record correction | Request to Change or Register a Fetal Death Record (PDF) | $0 | MDH only |
| Delayed registration of fetal death | Request to Change or Register a Fetal Death Record (PDF) | $40 | MDH only |
The Minnesota Department of Health does not record marriages or divorces.
| Product or service | Availability | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Certified copy of a marriage record | County office that issued the marriage license | Varies by county |
| Divorce decree | County district court office that granted the divorce | Varies by county |
Look up marriage records in the Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS), a searchable database of most Minnesota marriage records.
| Product or service | Request form | Fee | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public data from Minnesota birth records for a specified calendar year | Contact the Office of Vital Records | $15 | MDH only |
| Data from Minnesota death records for a specified calendar year | Contact the Office of Vital Records | $15 | MDH only |
The Office of Vital Records also offers custom reports to meet your needs. Visit the Request Vital Records Data page for more details.
Minnesota offers no-cost birth certificates to homeless people who are 24 years old or younger and born in the state. Order them through MDH or from any county vital records office using the Homeless Youth Birth Certificate Packet (PDF). The certificate expires six months from the date issued. See the Birth certificate for homeless youth fact sheet (PDF) for more information.
The free VA birth and death certificates are printed with statements across the top that limit how you can use them. Present them when making a claim to the United States Veterans Administration or in connection with any veteran's organization or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Order VA certificates using the Birth Certificate Request (PDF) or the Death Certificate Request (PDF). They are available to:
People are sometimes required to provide a “long form” birth certificate for processes such as applying for dual citizenship with another country. The State of Minnesota no longer issues long form birth certificates, but we issue documents that may meet your needs.
When you are asked for a long form birth certificate, we recommend ordering from MDH:
Then provide those documents, along with Long form birth certificates policy memo (PDF) explaining Minnesota’s policy, to the government or other requesting entity. Together, a birth certificate and non-certified birth record provide the complete information available to the requestor from the Minnesota Department of Health regarding the subject’s birth.
If you are providing information to another country, you may require Apostille services. Learn more on the Minnesota Secretary of State website.