Marriage License

Congratulations on your contemplated marriage! 

You can now begin your marriage application while in the comfort of your own home. Simply go to the MOMS marriage application page. Fill out all the information, print the confirmation page and bring it with you when you come to the office.  We will print out your application, have you insert your social security numbers, take the oath, pay the fee and you're done. Effective August 1, 2009 applications for a marriage license shall be made by BOTH parties. Depending on workflow & staffing, we may be able to issue your marriage license at the time you apply. During busy times we will offer to have you come back later to pick up the license or we can mail it. Our office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00am to 4:30 pm, and applicants should arrive prior to 4:00 pm.

The Marriage License is valid for a period of 6 months. If the Marriage License is not used within that time, your license will expire. If your Marriage License is not used within the period of six months due to illness or other extenuating circumstances you may contact our office to see what arrangements if any can be made. You must contact our office before the license expires.

The marriage license is valid only in the State of Minnesota. If you are being married in another State or Country you will need to contact that State or Country for a license to marry.

You do not need to be married in the Minnesota County from which you obtained your license.

The person performing the marriage ceremony is responsible for submitting and filing the official fact of marriage with our office within 5 days of the marriage. After we receive the official fact of marriage we will place the fact of marriage into our permanent records. You will receive from the County Recorder’s Office one free certified copy of Marriage.  You will also receive a form and envelope with instructions on changing your last name on your Social Security card. Disregard any letters you receive in the mail from any company requesting money and offering to change your name on your social security card. Social Security provides this service for FREE!

You do not need to be a Citizen of the United States to receive a Minnesota Marriage License. If you need an interpreter, you may provide your own if they are over the age of 18 and satisfy our needs. If you cannot provide an interpreter, you will need to call to make arrangements. All interpreter fees are to be paid by the Marriage Applicants not the County.

The following is a list of information you will be asked at the time of application for your license.

• Full names
• Social Security Number
• Age
• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth
• Sex
• Race
• Number of Previous Marriages
• How, When and where Previous Marriage Terminated
• Previous Married Name
• Names Parties will have after Marriage
• Address
• Resident County
• Felonies Committed

To Schedule a Civil Marriage Ceremony you will need to contact the Court Administrator’s Office at (507)526-6273. Either the Court Administrator or the Judge are able to perform a marriage ceremony.

The current Marriage License fee is $115.  The Marriage License fee for parties who have completed at least 12 hours of premarital education is $40. The educator statement must be submitted at the time of application to receive the reduced fee. No refunds are given. 

The statement of premarital education must appear on the Educator’s letterhead, be signed and notarized, or marked with a church seal, and use the couple’s full legal names.

Pursuant to Minnesota Statute 517.08 subd 1 (c): The marriage license fee for parties who have completed at least 12 hours of premarital education is $40. In order to qualify for the reduced license fee, the parties must submit at the time of applying for the marriage license a signed, dated, and notarized or marked with a church seal, from the person who provided the premarital education on their letterhead confirming that it was received. The premarital education must be provided by a licensed or ordained minister or the minister's designee, a person authorized to solemnize marriages 6 under section 517.18, or a person authorized to practice marriage and family therapy under section 148B.33. The education must include the use of a premarital inventory and the teaching of communication and conflict management skills. Notwithstanding section 138.17, the educator's statement must be retained for seven years, after which time it may be destroyed.
517.18 Marriage solemnization.
Subdivision 1. All marriages solemnized among the people called Friends or Quakers, in the form heretofore practiced and in use in their meetings, shall be valid and not affected by any of the foregoing provisions. The clerk of the meeting in which such marriage is solemnized, within one month after any such marriage, shall deliver a certificate of the same to the court administrator of the district court of the county where the marriage took place, under penalty of not more than $100. Such certificate shall be filed and recorded by the court administrator under a like penalty. If such marriage does not take place in such meeting, such certificate shall be signed by the parties and at least six witnesses present, and shall be filed and recorded as above provided under a like penalty.
Subd. 2. Marriages may be solemnized among members of the Baha'i faith by the chair of an incorporated local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is, according to the form and usage of such society.
Subd. 3. Marriages may be solemnized among Hindus or Muslims by the person chosen by a local Hindu or Muslim association, according to the form and usage of their respective religions.
Subd. 4. Marriages may be solemnized among American Indians according to the form and usage of their religion by an Indian Mide' or holy person chosen by the parties to the marriage.
Subd. 5. Nothing in subdivisions 2 to 4 shall be construed to alter the requirements of section 517.01, 517.09 or 517.10.
HIST: (8578) RL s 3567; 1947 c 66 s 1; 1967 c 247 s 1; 1976 c 11 s 1; 1979 c 243 s 12; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82
148B.33 Requirements for licensure.
Subdivision 1. Documentary evidence of qualifications. An applicant for a license shall furnish evidence that the applicant: (1) has attained the age of majority; (2) is of good moral character; (3) is a citizen of the United States, or is lawfully entitled to remain and work in the United States; (4) has at least two years of supervised postgraduate experience in marriage and family therapy satisfactory to the board; (5)(i) has completed a master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program in a regionally accredited educational institution or from a program accredited by the commissioner on accreditations for marriage and family therapy education of the American association for marriage and family therapy; or (ii) has completed a master's or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited educational institution in a related field for which the course work is considered by the board to be equivalent to that provided in clause (5)(i); (6) will agree to conduct all professional activities as a licensed marriage and family therapist in accordance with a code of ethics for marriage and family therapists to be adopted by the board; and (7) has passed an examination approved by the board by rule.
Subd. 2. Fee.  Each applicant shall pay a nonrefundable application fee set by the board.
HIST: 1987 c 347 art 3 s 5; 1991 c 292 art 2 s 48