Office of Vital Records
Birth Records
- Birth certificates
- Noncertified birth records
- Change a birth record
- Birth records and adoption
- Birth records and paternity
- Stillbirth
Death Records
For Professionals
- Medical certifiers
- Funeral directors
- Hospital birth registrars
- County vital records offices
- Child support workers
- Training for Vital Records Professionals
Related Information
Noncertified Copies of Birth Records
Vital records offices print noncertified copies of birth records. A noncertified copy prints on plain paper, costs $13, and may meet your needs. Noncertified copies are only for informational use. You cannot use a noncertified copy for legal purposes. If you need a certificate for legal use, please go to Birth Certificates.
For information about vital events records in other states, see Where to Write for Vital Records on the CDC website.
Office of Vital Records processing times
As of March 17, 2023, the Office of Vital Records is mailing noncertified birth records from applications received on or before:- January 17, 2023 - regular processing
- March 15, 2023 - rush processing
The Office of Vital Records deposits fees the day it receives them; this is before we review and process your request.
Who can buy a noncertified copy of a birth record?
- If the birth record is public, anyone may buy a noncertified copy of a birth record.
- If the birth record is confidential, the law specifies who may buy a noncertified copy of a birth record. The requester must sign the application in front of a notary public.
- The mother named on the birth record may buy a noncertified copy that includes health information. Health information is available for births in 2001 to the present. The mother must the application in front of a notary public.
How do I buy a noncertified copy of a birth record?
- Fill in a Noncertified Birth Record Application (PDF).
- Sign the application in front of a notary public if
- The record is confidential
- You are the mother and want health information on the noncertified copy
- If you do not know whether the record is public or confidential
- Pay the fee.
If a Minnesota vital records office cannot find the birth record, you will receive a “Statement of No Birth Record Found.”
Where do I buy a noncertified copy of a birth record?
From a Minnesota county vital records office
You may buy a noncertified copy of a birth record from any Minnesota county vital records office. Pre-1900 records are available only in the county of birth. Check with a county vital records office to learn about their services during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
From the Office of Vital Records
You may order a noncertified copy of a birth record from the Office of Vital Records. Send your application by mail or fax for records 1900-present. The Office of Vital Records at the Minnesota Department of Health does not have walk-in service.
The Office of Vital Records returns applications that are incomplete or not paid in full. We also return applications for confidential records or records with health information that lack a notary signature.