State Vital Records in Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Vital Records issues certified copies of death certificates for deaths that occurred in Minnesota. Executors and surviving family order certified copies to close accounts, file insurance claims, and transfer titles; the office sets the fees, eligibility rules, and processing times.
Administering agency
Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Vital Records
State Vital Records in Minnesota: key facts
- Administering office
- Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Vital Records.
- Contact
- Phone 651-201-5970; email health.vitalrecords@state.mn.us.
- Mail orders
- PO Box 64499, St. Paul, MN 55164-0499.
- Certificate fee
- $13 for the first certified copy; $6 for each additional copy ordered at the same time; expedited processing adds $20.
- Who may order
- All Minnesota death records are public; Anyone may buy a noncertified (informational only) death record; Certified copies require proof of eligibility.
- Filing deadline
- The death certificate must be filed within 5 days.
- Public record
- Death records are public immediately.
- Records available from
- 1908. Pre-1908 records only available from county where death occurred.
Steps to take when someone dies
- Confirm the death occurred in Minnesota — the record belongs to the state where the death occurred, regardless of where the deceased lived.
- Order certified copies through any of the office's channels:
- By mail: Mail request with notarized forms attesting to eligibility
- In person: Visit any county vital records office (fastest service, often same-day)
- Include what the office requires with the order:
- Photo ID
- Forms signed in front of notary for mail/fax orders, or in front of county staff for in-person
Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Vital Records
Phone: 651-201-5970
Visit the agency website →Frequently asked questions
by mail: Mail request with notarized forms attesting to eligibility. in person: Visit any county vital records office (fastest service, often same-day). Mail orders go to PO Box 64499, St. Paul, MN 55164-0499.
The death certificate must be filed within 5 days. The funeral director or person in charge of disposition files the certificate with the state; the family orders certified copies once the record is registered.
Photo ID; Forms signed in front of notary for mail/fax orders, or in front of county staff for in-person. The office also asks for the deceased's full name, date of death, and place of death to locate the record.
The record belongs to the state where the death occurred, not the state of residence. Order from the state of death, following its fees and eligibility rules.
Sources
Data sourced from State Vital Records in Minnesota primary sources (1 page reviewed). How we research.
Administering agency
Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Vital Records