Search Minnesota Birth Records
Minnesota birth records are vital records held by county offices and the Minnesota Department of Health across all 87 counties in the state. You can request a certified copy of a Minnesota birth certificate from the county where the birth occurred or from the MDH Office of Vital Records in St. Paul. Most county records date back to 1870, with some going back to the 1860s. Many offices offer same-day walk-in service, mail requests, and online ordering through VitalChek. This guide covers where to find Minnesota birth records, how to request copies, who qualifies, what the fees are, and what to expect from the process.
Minnesota Birth Records at a Glance
Where to Find Minnesota Birth Records
Birth records in Minnesota exist at two levels. The county where the birth happened holds the original registration. The Minnesota Department of Health Office of Vital Records in St. Paul maintains a statewide index covering all counties. Both are official sources for certified birth certificates.
Each of Minnesota's 87 counties has a designated office for vital records. In most counties that is the County Recorder. Some counties run vital records through their License Center, and a handful use the Auditor/Treasurer or a Property and Public Services department. The department name varies from place to place, but the job is the same. They hold certified copies for every birth registered in their county and can issue new copies on request. The MDH directory of county registrars lists every county office with addresses and phone numbers.
The MDH can issue certified copies of births from any Minnesota county for records from 1935 to the present. For births before 1935, you generally need to contact the county directly. Statewide mandatory registration began in 1900, with general compliance reached by around 1915. Records from before that time are incomplete in many areas and are often held only at the county level. Redwood County has the oldest known birth records in the state, dating back to 1864.
The MDH Office of Vital Records is at 85 East Seventh Place, St. Paul, MN 55101. Their main phone line is 651-201-5970. The office handles certified birth certificates, amendments, adoption-related requests, and other vital records services for the entire state.
The Minnesota Department of Health vital records page is the central online hub for ordering records and locating county offices across the state.
The MDH site covers all vital records services in the state, including ordering instructions, county office contacts, fees, and special programs for eligible applicants.
How to Get a Minnesota Birth Certificate
You can get a certified Minnesota birth certificate in person, by mail, or online. In-person service is the fastest option. Most county offices handle same-day walk-in requests during normal business hours, which are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Bring a government-issued photo ID and your payment.
Mail requests work if you can't visit in person. Fill out a birth certificate application, have it notarized, and mail it to the county office or MDH along with your payment. Some offices return certificates within a couple of days. Others take a week or more, especially during busy periods. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. The MDH birth records order page has step-by-step instructions for ordering directly from the state office, including what documentation to include and how to pay.
Online ordering is available through VitalChek for many Minnesota counties. VitalChek charges extra processing and shipping fees on top of the base certificate cost. Expedited shipping is an option if you need it fast. Counties like Kandiyohi and Swift have specifically listed VitalChek as an approved ordering method. Some counties also accept faxed or emailed applications for certain requests.
The MDH birth records order page explains what documentation and payment the state office requires for your specific request type.
Whether you are requesting your own birth certificate or one for a family member, this page lays out the steps and required documentation clearly.
Who Can Request a Minnesota Birth Record
Minnesota requires that the person making the request have a "tangible interest" in the birth record. This means a personal, family, or legal connection to the record. You cannot walk in and get a certified copy of any person's birth certificate without meeting this standard.
People who qualify include the individual named on the certificate if they are 18 or older, parents listed on the record, siblings, legal guardians, court-appointed legal representatives, authorized agents acting on someone's behalf, and spouses with proper documentation. Researchers and genealogists can access records that are more than 100 years old. After 100 years, most birth records become public data under Minnesota law. Records for living individuals are classified as private data under Minn. Stat. 144.225, which governs how vital records data is classified and who can access it.
Non-certified copies cost $13 and are available to a broader range of people. They are not accepted as legal documents for passports, Social Security applications, or formal name changes. For those purposes, only a certified copy with the official registrar's seal will work.
The MDH county office directory helps you reach the right office to ask about your specific situation.
Each county has its own office, hours, and procedures, so this directory is the best starting point when you are not sure which county to contact.
Fees for Minnesota Birth Certificates
The standard fee for a certified Minnesota birth certificate is $26 for the first copy. Each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $19. Non-certified copies cost $13 for the first copy. These rates apply at most county offices and at the MDH. Fees are set by the state and are fairly consistent across all 87 counties, though a few counties have minor variations for certain services.
Most offices accept cash, check, money order, and credit or debit cards. A small number of counties have restrictions. Benton County accepts only cash or check, with an ATM available inside the courthouse. Dakota County adds a 2.49% card convenience fee. Olmsted County charges 2.15% for card payments. Call your county office before visiting to confirm accepted payment types. When paying by mail, most offices prefer a check or money order made out to the county office.
If no record can be found after a thorough search, county offices can issue a No Record Found document for $26. This certified document serves as legal proof that the search was conducted and no matching birth record exists. It is accepted for the same purposes as a certified copy when proving the absence of a record.
Note: VitalChek adds its own processing and shipping fees on top of the $26 county fee, so expect a higher total when ordering online through that service.
Special Programs for Minnesota Birth Certificates
Minnesota has programs that make birth certificates available at no cost or reduced cost for people with specific needs. These cover homeless youth, veterans, and adopted persons under recent law changes.
Under Minn. Stat. 144.2255, youth age 24 or younger who are experiencing homelessness can get a free certified birth certificate. This took effect January 1, 2022. To qualify, applicants must provide documentation of their homeless status from a designated service provider. Youth under 16 can receive a certificate even if the birth record is classified as confidential. All county offices and the MDH can process these requests using the standard birth certificate application with the homeless documentation attached. Details are at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/homelessyouth.html.
Adopted persons gained expanded access to original birth records starting July 1, 2024. Adopted people who are 18 or older can now request a noncertified copy of their original birth record from the MDH. The fee is $40. Birth parents can file a contact preference form. County offices do not process these requests. All requests go through the MDH adoption records page.
The MDH adoption page explains the full process and eligibility for original birth record access under the 2024 law.
Birth parents can review the contact preference form options on this page and indicate whether they are open to contact from the adopted person.
Historical Minnesota Birth Records and Genealogy
Minnesota's vital records history stretches back further than most states in the region. Redwood County started registering births in 1864. Most counties began in 1870. Statewide mandatory registration was established in 1900, with general compliance reached around 1915. Records before that period are incomplete in many areas, though county-level records often exist even where statewide systems fell short.
The Minnesota Historical Society holds vital records indexes for births statewide from 1900 to 1934. You can search these through the MNHS People Records Search. Their vital records guide at libguides.mnhs.org/vital/birth covers what records exist, where they are held, and how to search them. Call MNHS at 651-259-3300 for research assistance. FamilySearch.org has digitized many Minnesota birth records from 1840 to 1980. Ancestry.com holds the Minnesota Birth Index from 1935 to 2004. Both are widely used tools for genealogical research in the state.
Public viewing stations are available at county recorder offices in many counties, including Carlton, Clay, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Itasca, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Mower, Nicollet, Norman, Olmsted, Polk, Rice, Steele, and Wadena, among others. These let researchers search the database without ordering a certified copy. Many county historical societies maintain their own independent record sets that go back decades before official registration started.
The MNHS Vital Records Guide is one of the best tools for tracing Minnesota family history using birth and death records from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
MNHS holds indexes for Minnesota births from 1900 to 1934 and can point researchers to the right archive for pre-registration records that predate the statewide system.
Browse Minnesota Birth Records by County
Each of Minnesota's 87 counties has its own vital records office for birth certificates. Select a county to find the local office address, phone number, hours, and request options for that area.
View All 87 Minnesota Counties
Minnesota Birth Records by City
Cities in Minnesota do not issue birth certificates directly. Records are held by the county vital records office that covers each city. Pick a city to find the right county office for birth records in that area.