About the Office of Vital Records

The Office of Vital Records maintains birth and death records for the state of Minnesota. Births have been registered electronically since 2001 and deaths since 1997.

State birth records start in 1900 and death records in 1908. For a copy of a pre-1900 birth or pre-1908 death, contact the county where the subject was born or died. County Vital Records Office Contacts has phone numbers, location addresses, and webpage links for Minnesota counties.

For information about vital events records in other states, see Where to Write for Vital Records on the CDC website.

Services and Certificates

The Office of Vital Records issues certificates and makes changes to records.

We also register

• Births and deaths not recorded within the first year after the event (delayed registrations)
• Home births
• Deaths, if a funeral home did not make final arrangements for the body of the deceased

The Office of Vital Records accepts requests by fax or mail; we do not have a service window. Fees for services and certificates are due with your application. Fees are not refundable. Minnesota Statutes, section 144.226.

You can buy most vital records documents from a county vital records office in person or by mail. Some counties offer online ordering. See our County Vital Records Office Contacts webpage.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline to May 7, 2025. When you apply for your REAL ID, you must provide documents required by federal law. One document you can use is a certified copy of your birth certificate. If you were born in Minnesota, request your birth certificate now, and avoid the rush. See Where to Write for Vital Records on the CDC website if you were not born in Minnesota.

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