How to Get a Minnesota Marriage License
Minnesota marriage licenses come from the county. Here is the whole process, and the one step that takes the fee from $125 down to $50.
Reviewed by Kristen Franzen, LPCC. Facts checked against Minnesota Statutes 517.07 and 517.08 and county marriage license pages. Last updated .
The short answer
Apply with the local registrar in any Minnesota county. Most counties let you fill out the application online and then sign it in person, together, with proof of age. There is no waiting period, and the license is good for six months anywhere in Minnesota. The fee is $125, or $50 if you bring an educator's statement for at least 12 hours of premarital education: $75 saved.
Step by step
- Take premarital education first (optional, but it pays). 12 hours, with a premarital inventory and communication and conflict skills. Our online Minnesota premarital course is $29.97 per couple. Allow time for the mailed statement.
- Pick your county. Any of Minnesota's 87 counties can issue your license, whichever is easiest to get to.
- Start the application online. Most counties have an online form that gives you an order or package number; some then ask you to book an appointment.
- Sign in person. Usually both of you, with proof of age. Hand in your original educator's statement and pay $50.
- Get married within six months. Anywhere in Minnesota. Your officiant files the marriage certificate with the county, and the county sends you a certified copy.
The reduced fee, in plain English
Minn. Stat. 517.08 sets one marriage license fee for the whole state: $125, or $50 for couples who completed at least 12 hours of premarital education. You prove it with a statement from your educator on their letterhead, signed, dated and notarized (or church-sealed), using wording the law spells out. Your names on it must match the application exactly.
Who may teach it, what it must cover and the exact statement wording: Minn. Stat. 517.08 explained.
County guides: Hennepin County · Ramsey County · Dakota County · Anoka County · Scott County
The course pays for itself: Minnesota drops the marriage license fee from $125 to $50 for couples who finish 12 hours of premarital education. That is $75 back, in every county.
Start the course – $29.97 per coupleOne price covers both of you. Signed, notarized Educator's Statement mailed to your door. Standard, Faith-Friendly or Inclusive version.
Minnesota marriage license FAQ
Where do you get a marriage license in Minnesota?
From the local registrar in any of Minnesota's 87 counties, usually the county Vital Records office or a county service center. The license works for a ceremony anywhere in Minnesota, so you do not have to apply in the county where you marry.
How much is a marriage license in Minnesota?
$125. It drops to $50 if you completed at least 12 hours of premarital education and hand in the educator's statement when you apply. The state sets these amounts, so they are the same in every county.
Do both of us have to be there?
Usually, yes. State law also allows one partner to apply while the other sends a notarized verification, and some counties (Hennepin, for example) take fully remote applications by mail. Check your county's page for which options it offers.
Is there a waiting period?
No. Minnesota has no waiting period, so you can marry as soon as you have the license. The license is valid for six months.
What does the premarital education have to include?
At least 12 hours, including a premarital inventory and the teaching of communication and conflict management skills, from a licensed or ordained minister (or their designee), a person authorized to perform marriages in Minnesota, or a licensed marriage and family therapist.
What do we bring?
Proof of age and ID for each of you (you must both be 18 or older), the details the application asks for, such as Social Security numbers if you have them, and your original educator's statement for the reduced fee.
Official source: Minnesota Statutes 517.08 (Office of the Revisor of Statutes).