Vital Records and Certificates
- Minnesota Vital Records and Certificates
- Available Records and Services
- Who Can Order Records
- Stillbirth Records
- Verify a Death (1997 – present)
- Directory of County Offices
Change a Vital Record
Adoption and Parentage
- Birth Records and Adoption
- Birth Records and Parentage
- Vital Records for Child Support
- Minnesota Fathers’ Adoption Registry
County Vital Records Offices
Birth and Death Registration
- Birth Registration for Hospitals
- Death Registration for Funeral Directors
- Provide Cause of Death
- Birth and Death Registration for Families
Office of Vital Records
Available Records and Services
Obtain vital records products and services via fax or mail through the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH):
- Birth records and amendments
- Death records and amendments
- Parentage records and services
- Stillbirth/fetal death records
- Marriage and divorce records
- Standard data report
Complete the form next to the product or service you want, and follow the form instructions for submission and payment. 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 records and amendments
| PRODUCT OR SERVICE | ORDER FORM | FEE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate Certified birth record issued on security paper. | $26 | All vital records offices* | |
| Birth certificate — Homeless youth More information below | Homeless Youth Birth Certificate Packet (PDF) | $0 | All vital records offices |
| Birth certificate — Veterans Administration More information below | Birth Certificate Request (PDF) | $0 | All vital records offices |
| Informational noncertified birth record Birth record issued on plain paper | Noncertified Birth Record Request (PDF) | $13 | All vital records offices* |
| Noncertified original birth record—adopted person documents Original birth record issued on plain paper with related documents | Request for Original Birth Record Information under Minnesota Statute 144.2252 (PDF) Form for adopted people or certain relatives, if adopted person is deceased | $40 | MDH only |
| Noncertified original birth record before adoption Original birth record issued on plain paper | Request for Original Birth Record of an Adopted Person (PDF) Form for parents, tribal representatives, and requesters with court orders | $13 | MDH only |
| Birth record amendment Request to change information on a birth record | Birth Record Amendment Packet (PDF) | $40 | MDH only |
| Verification of birth facts Noncertified document verifying that a Minnesota birth record exists for a specific person. | Verify a Minnesota Birth Record (PDF) | $9 | All vital records offices* |
| Summary of birth record changes Summary of amendments and other changes made to a birth record | Request for Summary of Birth Record Changes (PDF) | $9 | MDH only |
| Delayed registration of birth Registration more than a year after a birth | Contact the Office of Vital Records | $40 | MDH only |
* Birth dates from 2001 to the present: Records available from all vital records offices. Birth dates from 1900 to 2000: Records available from MDH or county where birth occurred. Birth dates before 1900: Records available from county where birth occurred.
Death records and amendments
| PRODUCT OR SERVICE | ORDER FORM | FEE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death certificate Certified death record issued on security paper | $13 | All vital records offices* | |
| Death certificate — Veterans Administration (VA) More information below | Death Certificate Request (PDF) | $0 | All vital records offices* |
| Informational noncertified death record Death record issued on plain paper | Noncertified Death Record Request (PDF) | $13 | All vital records offices* |
| Death record amendment Request to change information on a death record | Death Record Amendment Packet (PDF) | $40 | MDH or, if within five years of death, any county office |
| Delayed registration of death Registration more than a year after a death | Contact the Office of Vital Records | $40 | MDH only |
* 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.
Parentage records and services
| PRODUCT OR SERVICE | ORDER FORM | FEE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified parentage documents Certified copy of a filed Recognition of Parentage or Spouse's Non-parentage Statement | Certified Parentage Document Request (PDF) | $9 | MDH only |
| Revocation of certified parentage documents Certified copy of a filed revocation of a parentage document | Certified Parentage Document Request (PDF) | $9 | MDH only |
| Minnesota Fathers’ Adoption Registry Search Certified document verifying a putative father's registration status | Minnesota Fathers’ Adoption Registry (MFAR) Search Request (PDF) | $25 | MDH only |
Stillbirth/fetal death records
| PRODUCT OR SERVICE | ORDER FORM | FEE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth Certificate issued on security paper | Request for Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth and Fetal Death Report (PDF) | $16 | MDH only |
| Informational noncertified fetal death report Fetal death record issued on plain paper | Request for Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth and Fetal Death Report (PDF) | $9 | MDH only |
| Fetal death record correction Request to change fetal death record | Request to Change or Register a Fetal Death Record (PDF) | $0 | MDH only |
| Delayed registration of fetal death Registration more than a year after delivery | Request to Change or Register a Fetal Death Record (PDF) | $40 | MDH only |
Marriage and divorce records
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.
Standard data reports
| PRODUCT OR SERVICE | ORDER FORM | FEE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard birth data report Public data from Minnesota birth records for a specified calendar year | Contact the Office of Vital Records | $15 | MDH only |
| Standard death data report 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.
No-cost certificates
Homeless youth birth certificate
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.
Veterans Administration (VA) birth and death certificates
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:
- The veteran named on the record
- The surviving spouse or next of kin of a veteran
- Service officers of veteran's organizations chartered by the U.S. Congress or the Department of Veterans Affairs
- County veteran service officers
- Representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs
"Long form" birth certificates
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:
- A birth certificate
- A noncertified birth record (For pre-2001 births, specifically request an image of the paper record.)
Then provide those documents, along with the 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.
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