Access Lake County Birth Records

Lake County birth records are maintained by the Registrar of Vital Statistics at the Lake County Courthouse in Two Harbors, Minnesota. The county has kept birth records since 1877, making it one of the longer-running local record collections in northern Minnesota. You can request certified birth certificates in person at the courthouse or by sending a written request to the vital statistics office. The registrar handles both current certificate requests and older historical records going back over a century.

Lake County Registrar of Vital Statistics

The Registrar of Vital Statistics is the official name for the vital records office in Lake County. This office is housed at the Lake County Courthouse on Third Avenue in Two Harbors. The registrar handles birth and death certificates, with birth records going back to 1877 and death records from 1891. The courthouse location makes it easy to access when you are already dealing with other county business.

The Lake County vital records office is distinct from what many other Minnesota counties call the "Recorder" office. The function is the same, but the official title used in Lake County is Registrar of Vital Statistics. When contacting the office, this distinction helps you reach the right person quickly. The office can be reached by phone at 218-834-8301 or by email at the address below.

How to Get a Lake County Birth Certificate

Lake County issues two types of certified birth certificates. The embossed version with a raised seal costs $26 and is required for most official uses like passport applications, Social Security changes, and court proceedings. A non-embossed certified copy costs $19. Both are valid official records issued by the county registrar.

You can pay by cash, check, money order, or credit card. In-person requests are processed at the courthouse on Third Avenue. Mail requests should be sent to the Registrar of Vital Statistics at 601 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, MN 55616. Include a signed request, a copy of your government-issued ID, and your payment. The office will mail the certificate once the request is verified and processed.

Access restrictions apply under Minn. Stat. Section 144.225. Only certain people can receive a certified birth certificate: the registrant, their parents, adult children, legal guardian, spouse, or someone holding a court order. If you do not fall into one of these groups, the registrar cannot issue you a certified copy.

Lake County Vital Records Page

The screenshot below is from the Lake County vital records page, which explains the request process for birth and death certificates in Two Harbors.

The vital records page lists current fees, required documents, and options for submitting your request in person or by mail.

State Resources for Lake County Birth Records

The Minnesota Department of Health at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/ holds statewide vital records and can issue certified birth certificates for Lake County births. If you prefer to order through the state, MDH accepts mail requests and online orders through VitalChek. Both the county and state can issue the same certified document, so either route works depending on your needs.

Detailed birth certificate ordering instructions from the state are at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/birthnc.html. The page covers what forms to complete, what ID to send, and how fees are paid. It also explains what to do if the birth was never registered, which can happen with older rural records.

For genealogy work involving Lake County records from the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Minnesota Historical Society maintains a research guide at libguides.mnhs.org/vital/birth. Lake County's records from 1877 onward are among the longer-running county collections in northern Minnesota, which makes it a relatively rich source for historical vital statistics research.

Under Minn. Stat. Section 144.2255, both the state and county registrars are bound by the same rules for maintaining and providing access to birth records statewide.

Nearby Counties

Lake County is on the north shore of Lake Superior. These bordering counties each maintain their own vital records offices.