Certified Copies in Minnesota: Where and What It Costs
Certified copies
Ordering Certified Copies in Minnesota
Where to order a certified vital record or corporate record issued in Minnesota, what it costs, what the office requires, and what happens to it afterwards.
- Birth certificate
- $26.00, additional copies $19.00
- Death certificate
- $13.00, additional copies $6.00
- Marriage
- $9.00 at county level
- Divorce
- $10.00 at county level
Vital records
Issued by: Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Vital Records
Post to: Minnesota Department of Health, Central Cashiering - Vital Records, P.O. Box 64499, St Paul, MN 55164
Verify current fees: 651-201-5970
| Record | Certified copy |
|---|---|
| Birth | $26.00, additional copies $19.00 |
| Death | $13.00, additional copies $6.00 |
| Marriage | $9.00 at county level |
| Divorce | $10.00 at county level |
What Minnesota requires
- The state does not hold marriage or divorce records. Marriage comes from the local registrar in the county that issued the licence; divorce from the county court administrator.
- Births from January 1900, deaths from January 1908.
Corporate records
A certificate of good standing and certified copies of formation documents for a Minnesota entity come from Minnesota Secretary of State, Certification, normally online and often the same day.
Minnesota Secretary of State, Certification
- Order from the state where the entity was formed, not where it trades.
- A certificate of good standing is a statement of current status. A certified copy of the articles is a different product; if a foreign authority asks for the formation documents, you need the latter.
- Ask for a certified or exemplified copy. A plain download from the state website carries no seal and cannot be authenticated.
What happens next
Once you hold the certified copy, authentication in Minnesota goes through Minnesota Secretary of State, Certification, at $5.00 per document.
Questions people actually ask
Where do I order a Minnesota birth certificate?
From Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Vital Records. Post to Minnesota Department of Health, Central Cashiering - Vital Records, P.O. Box 64499, St Paul, MN 55164. A certified copy is $26.00, additional copies $19.00.
Does the Minnesota Secretary of State issue birth certificates?
No. Vital records come from the health department; the Secretary of State handles corporate records and, in most states, the apostille. They are separate offices with separate fees.
Can I get a certified marriage certificate from the state of Minnesota?
Not in the ordinary way. $9.00 at county level Plan on dealing with the county rather than the state office.
What will Minnesota reject?
The state does not hold marriage or divorce records. Marriage comes from the local registrar in the county that issued the licence; divorce from the county court administrator.
Can I have it apostilled straight away?
Yes, and that is the right order. Order the certified copy first, then send it for authentication. Do not sign, stamp or laminate it in between, and do not open a sealed envelope.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
