First Name: Last Name: Minnesota Wedding Officiants Background Screening Services!

Marriage Laws U.S. Minnesota MN Wedding Officiants

How to Apply for a Marriage License in Minnesota

Marriage license Laws in the state of Minnesota, here's what you need to know and what documents to bring with you before you apply for a marriage license. We recommend getting this legal aspect of your wedding out of the way about a month before your ceremony date.

Requirements vary from county to county, so please call the Minnesota Marriage License Dept. at your issuing county recorder courthouse or vital statistics office for fees and hours of operation.

Aitkin     Anoka     Becker     Beltrami     Benton     Big Stone     Blue Earth     Brown     Carlton     Carver     Cass     Chippewa     Chisago     Clay     Clearwater  Cook     Cottonwood     Crow Wing     Dakota     Dodge     Douglas     Faribault     Fillmore     Freeborn     Goodhue     Grant     Hennepin     Houston     Hubbard

Isanti  Itasca  Jackson  Kanabec  Kandiyohi  Kittson  Koochiching  Lac Qui Parle  Lake  Lake of the Woods  Le Sueur  Lincoln  Lyon  Mahnomen  Marshall  Martin  McLeod  Meeker  Mille Lacs  Morrison  Mower  Murray  Nicollet  Nobles  Norman  Olmsted  Otter Tail  Pennington  Pine

Pipestone  Polk  Pope  Ramsey  Red Lake  Redwood  Renville  Rice  Rock  Roseau  Saint Louis  Scott  Sherburne  Sibley  Stearns  Steele  Stevens  Swift  Todd  Traverse  Wabasha  Wadena  Waseca  Washington  Watonwan  Wilkin  Winona  Wright  Yellow Medicine

Ask a Lawyer Online Now! 24 Lawyers Are Online. Ask a Question, Get an Answer ASAP.

In order to get married, you need to apply and receive a marriage license. This is the document in your state that allows you to officially tie the knot under the law. The rules for acquiring your marriage license varies from state to state, so you should check with your city's marriage bureau at your clerk of court's office to find out what your local rules are.

You'll typically need to apply for your marriage license at least one month before your wedding ceremony. You'll traditionally need to send in your birth certificates, tax information, and other official documents. You don't, however, want to apply for your marriage license too early. In some states, the licenses do expire, if you don't get married within a few months.

When you apply for your license, you'll not only need a proof of identification and age, will need to provide any information about previous marriages, and will need to pay a nominal fee. You will also need to have a witness when you sign the application, so plan on bringing your maid of honor or best man with you. The bride will need to know what her married name will be before she signs the marriage certificate. You'll have to write that name on the application.

And, believe it or not, just because you have your marriage license sent to you in the mail does not mean you are officially married. You need to have a justice of the peace or a religious clergyman sign the document. On your wedding day, you'll give your chaplain your marriage license, then after the ceremony, he'll sign it and send it to the proper government agency for validation.

Order Vital Records Online!

Requirements
The following is required to apply for a marriage license. 

• Must be purchased before getting married 
  
  
• A license purchased in Minnesota is only valid in Minnesota and can not be used in any other state. 
  
  
• Must be used within six months or it expires. 
  
  
• Effective August 1, 2009, (MN Statute 517.00) State of Minnesota requires both applicants to appear in person for the processing of the marriage license application. Although it is preferred to have the couple apply together, applicants may appear at different times on the same day. The 5 day waiting period begins after both signatures are secured and filed with Vital Records and Licensing.
  
  
• No blood test or physical is required. 
  
  
• In the State of Minnesota there is a five day waiting period (after you apply for your license) before you can come back to pick up your license. 
  
  
• Applicants must be 18 years of age to obtain a license (without parental consent). 
  
  Be prepared to present valid identification. 
  
  
• One applicant must be a man and the other applicant a woman. 
  
  
• Each applicant must provide: full legal name, address, date and place of birth, telephone numbers and social security numbers (if they have one). U.S Social Security Administration 
  
  
• Must provide after-marriage names and address. 
  
  
• If previously married and now divorced, you must bring your divorce decree with you. 
  
  
• Fees: The marriage license fee is $40.00 for parties who have completed at least 12 hours of premarital education (see requirements below). The fee for the license is $115.00 if you have not met the premarital education requirements. 
  
  
• Reduced Fee Requirements: In order to qualify for the reduced fee, the parties must submit a signed and dated statement from the person who provided the premarital education confirming that it was received. The premarital education must be provided by a licensed or ordained minister or the minister's designee, a person authorized to solemnize marriages under Minnesota Statutes, section 517.18, or a person authorized to practice marriage and family therapy under Minnesota Statutes, section 148B.33. The education must include the use of premarital inventory and the teaching of communication and conflict management skills.

  The statement from the person who provided the premarital education must have the the following wording on their business letterhead stationery, signed and notarized or under church seal or follow the format found in Minnesota Statutes, section 517.08 subd 1b:

  I, (name of educator), confirm that (full legal name of both parties) received at least 12 hours of premarital education that included the use of a premarital inventory and the teaching of communication and conflict management skills. I am a licensed or ordained minister, a person authorized to solemnize marriages under Minnesota Statutes, section 517.18, or a person authorized to practice marriage and family therapy under Minnesota Statutes, section 148B.33.

  The names of the parties in the educator's statement must be identical to the legal names of the parties as they appear in the marriage license application. This document must be clear and legible and on 8 1/2 X 11 paper.

• Same Sex Marriages: No.
  
  
• Common Law Marriage: No. However, the State does recognize common law marriages that are valid in other states.
  
  
• Solemnization Authority: Marriages may be solemnized by any of the following:
  • The officials authorized to solemnize marriages include judges, clerks of court, and licensed ministers, priests or rabbis. In some counties there is a court commissioner who is authorized to officiate at marriage ceremonies. There are also special provisions for marriage between members of the Bahai, Hindu, Quaker and American Indian religious groups.

Copy of Certificate of Marriage:

Minnesota Department of Health
Attention: Office of the State Registrar
717 Delaware St SE
P.O. Box 9441
Minneapolis, MN 55440-9441
Phone: (612) 676-5120
Fax: (612) 331-5776

It is important that you verify all information with your local marriage license office or county clerk before making any wedding or travel plans.

Please Note: State and county marriage license requirements often change. The above information is for guidance only and should not be regarded as legal advice.

To notify us of corrections or additions send an email to update@usmarriagelaws.com.  Please include the state and county information.

Order Vital Records Online!

Ask a Lawyer Online Now! 24 Lawyers Are Online. Ask a Question, Get an Answer ASAP.

Minnesota County Clerk's Office

Aitkin County Aitkin, MN 218.927.7350	Anoka County Anoka, MN 612.422.7399	Becker County Detroit Lakes, 218.846.7304
Beltrami County Bemidji, MN 218.759.4170	Blue Earth County Mankato, MN 507.389.8222	Brown County New Ulm, MN 507.233.6653
Carlton County Carlton, MN 218.384.4281	Carver County Chaska, MN 612.361.1930	Chippewa County Montevideo, MN 320.269.9431
Chisago County Senter City, MN 651.257.0438	Clay County Moorhead, MN 218.299.5031	Clearwater County Bagley, MN 218.694.6129
Cook County Grand Marais, MN 218.387.3000	Cottonwood County Windom, MN 507.831.1458	Crow Wing County Brainerd, MN 218.828.3965
Dakota County Hastings, MN 651.438.4355	Dodge County Mantorville, MN 507.635.6250	Douglas County Alexandria, MN 320.762.3877
Faribault County Blue Earth, MN 507.526.6252	Fillmore County Preston, MN 507.765.4701	Freeborn County Albert Lea, MN 507.377.5130
Goodhue County Redwing, MN 651.385.3149	Grant County Elbow Lake, MN 218.685.4133	Hennepin County Minneapolis, MN 612.348.8240
Houston County Caledonia, MN 507.724.5813	Hubbard County Park Rapids, MN 218.732.3552	Isanti County Cambridge, MN 612.689.1191
Itasca County Cambridge, MN 763.689.1191	Jackson County Jackson, MN 507.847.2580	Kanabec County Mora, MN 320.679.6466
Kandiyohi County Willmar, MN 320.231.6223	Kittson County Hallock, MN 218.843.2842	Koochiching County Falls, MN 218.283.6290
Lac Qui Parle County Madison, MN 320.598.3724	Lake County Two Harbors, MN 218.834.8347	Lake Of The Woods County Baudette, MN 218.634.1902
Le Suer County Le Center, MN 507.357.2251	Lincoln County Ivanhoe, MN 507.694.1360	Lyon County Marshall, MN 507.537.6722
Mahnomen County Mahnomen, MN 218.935.2251	Martin County Fairmont, MN 507.238.3213	Mc Leod County Glencoe, MN 320.864.1327
Meeker County Litchfield, MN 320.693.5440	Mille Lacs County Milaca, MN 320.983.8308	Morrison County Little Falls, MN 320.632.0146
Mower County Austin, MN 507.437.9446	Murray County Slayton, MN 507.836.6148	Nicollet County St Peter, MN 507.931.6800
Nobles County Worthington, MN 507.372.8236	Norman County Ada, MN 218.784.4422	Olmsted County Rochester, MN 507.328.7629
Otter Tail County Fergus Falls, MN 218.739.2271	Pennington County Thief River Fall, MN 218.683.7027	Pine County Pine City, MN 612.629.6781
Pipestone County Pipestone, MN 507.825.6755	Pope County Glenwood, MN 320.634.5723	Ramsey County St Paul, MN 651.266.2050
Redwood County Redwood Falls, MN 507.637.8330	Renville County Olivia, MN 320.523.3669	Rice County Faribault, MN 507.332.6114
Rock County Luverne, MN 507.283.5014	Roseaw County Roseau, MN 218.463.2061	Scott County Shakopee, MN 612.496.8143
Sherburn County Elk River, MN 612.241.2915	Sibley County Gaylord, MN 507.237.4079	St Louis County Duluth, MN 218.726.2677
Stearns County St Cloud, MN 320.656.3855	Steele County Owatonna, MN 507.444.7700	Stevens County Morris, MN 320.589.7414
Swift County Benson, MN 320.843.3377	Todd County Long Prairie, MN 320.732.4428	Traverse County Wheaton, MN 320.563.4622
Wabasha County Wabasha, MN 651.565.3623	Wadena County Wadena, MN 218.631.7622	Waseca County Waseca, MN 507.835.0670
Washington County Stillwater, MN 651.430.6755	Watonwan County St James, MN 507.375.3341	Wilkin County Breckenridge, MN 218.643.4012
Winona County Winona, MN 507.457.6340	Wright County Buffalo, MN 612.682.7357	Yellow Medicine County Granite Falls, MN 320.564.2529

Ask Questions, Get Answers from Experts ASAP | JustAnswer Ask questions and get answers from verified Experts online. Get an answer when you ask a lawyer, wedding planner, or other Expert on JustAnswer.com.