Marriage in Minnesota

How do I get married in Minnesota?

To be legally married in Minnesota you have to apply for a marriage license. It doesn’t matter what Minnesota county you get your license from as long as you get married in Minnesota. You have to be married by someone authorized to perform marriages. Then you get a marriage certificate that shows you are legally married.

Same sex marriage is legal in the United States.

Are you a married or undocumented immigrant? You may need to know some other things. See our fact sheets Immigrants, Marriage and Divorce in Minnesota and Can Undocumented Immigrants Marry in Minnesota?

How old do I have to be to get married in Minnesota?

What marriages are not allowed in Minnesota?

If you want to get married, you can’t be married to anyone else.

If you were married before, you must have a valid divorce from your previous spouse. A valid divorce is one that follows the divorce laws in the state or country where the divorce happened. In Minnesota, a divorce must go through the court systems and an order needs to be signed by a judge before it is a valid divorce.

Minnesota doesn’t let certain blood relatives get married. You can’t marry:
- Your biological or adopted children.
- Your biological or adopted grandchildren.
- Your nieces or nephews if there is any blood relation.
- Your first cousins. First cousins are the children of an aunt or uncle that you are related to by blood.

Where do I get a marriage license?

To get married in Minnesota you apply for a marriage license. You can apply for a license in any county. You don’t have to apply in the county where you want to get married. Because each county is different, contact your local license center about where to apply for a marriage license. Check if your county has a general information line or do an internet search for your county and “license center” to find it.

Many counties have application forms you can print out on their websites. Some also let you start the application process online. Check your county website.

You have to go together to the license center to apply for a marriage license. If for some reason you can’t both go, ask the license center what you need to do to be able to apply for the license.

How much does it cost for a marriage license?

The fee for a marriage license application is $125. If you take at least 12 hours of premarital education classes, the application fee is $50. You have to take a class from:

a licensed or ordained minister
a person authorized to perform civil marriages, or
a person authorized to practice marriage and family therapy

Talk to your minister or look online for pre-marital counselors. Make sure you ask about cost before you sign up.

You need proof that you did the classes. The person giving the classes should have the necessary forms or wording for a letter to show that you did the classes. The form or letter has to be notarized. Take it when you apply for your license.

What information do we need to apply for a marriage license?

Full names
Social Security numbers. If you do not have a valid Social Security number you must certify that you don’t have one.
Addresses / County of residence
Proof of ages / Dates of birth
Government ID (driver’s license, identification card, passport)
If you want to change your name when you get married, what that name will be
If you were married before, you need information about your most recent ex-spouse. Information like: name, when and where the marriage ended or, if your ex-spouse died, the date and place of death.
Your relationship by blood or adoption, if there is a relationship
The address where you want the certified copy of your marriage certificate sent after it is filed.

Name Changes

If either of you want to change any or all of your names, you can do that on your marriage license application. If you decide to do a name change after you are married, you have to do it through the courts.

If you have a felony conviction in any state and you want to change your name when you marry, there is another form you have to do before you can get your marriage license. Check with the county attorney about the process and how to get the form. The county attorney has 30 days to object to your name change. So, make sure you do this at least 30 days before you plan to bring your marriage license application into the county.

How long do I have to wait to get my marriage license?

There is no longer a waiting period for your marriage license. Usually, you make an appointment to go to the licensing office, and you’ll get your license after you complete an oath. The oath may be in person, by telephone, or over the computer. It can also be by a verified statement signed by both parties swearing the marriage is legal. Civil marriage license applications signed by both parties can be sent in by mail, fax, or electronic filing.

Once I have my license, how soon do I need to get married?

Who can marry us?

After you get your marriage license, you can be married by a person who is at least 21 years old and registered as a civil marriage officiant with a local registrar in any county in Minnesota. The certificate must include the officiant’s county endorsement at recording.

If you want to get married by a court official, contact the county where you want to get married for information. You can find contact information for each county’s court at www.mncourts.gov. Click on “Find Courts” then “District (Trial) Courts” and choose your county.

Where can the ceremony take place?

Are there rules about what needs to happen at the ceremony?

At the ceremony, you and the person you are marrying must say that you are taking each other as spouses. This needs to be done in the presence of the officiant and 2 witnesses. The witnesses need to be at least 16 years old. They sign your marriage certificate to prove they were there.

If your ceremony is being performed by a religious official, the ceremony must follow the traditions of your religion.

What happens after the ceremony?

After your ceremony, the person who performed your ceremony has 5 days to send a certificate to the county where you applied for your license. The county records your marriage and sends you a certified copy of your marriage certificate.

If you changed your name, you have to update all records with your name on them. This includes applying for a new social security card, telling your banks, employers, and getting a new driver’s license or state ID card. You need to contact each of those offices to find out what to do.