LICENSES & CERTIFICATES

Marriages may be solemnized throughout the state by any individual who has attained the age of 21 years, and registers with a county in Minnesota. MS 517.04

An individual who wants to perform civil marriage ceremonies may register in any county of the state. They are allowed to officiate ceremonies anywhere in Minnesota.

A licensed or ordained minister of any religious denomination must also register their credentials of license or ordination in any county in the state. They are allowed to officiate ceremonies anywhere in Minnesota. MS 517.05

A Certificate of Filing Credentials must be completed and signed in our office. Specific registering procedures and fees may vary across the state.

Fees

• There is no fee to register a Certificate of Filing Credentials in Lake of the Woods County

The Minnesota Department of Health has created a statewide database of birth records. You may obtain a Minnesota birth certificate at any courthouse in Minnesota for births beginning 1935 to present. Records for Lake of the Woods County births from 1923 to 1934 can only be obtained from Lake of the Woods County. Certified copies of birth certificates can only be issued to parties demonstrating a tangible interest in the record. The most common examples include self, spouse, parent, or child. 

Apply 

• In-person – a birth certificate application must be completed and a current photo ID must be presented. 
• By mail – a birth certificate application must be completed and signed in front of a Notary. Mail the application along with the appropriate fees. 

Please call ahead to assure the availability of staff to process your in-person request.  

View or Download Birth Certificate Application (PDF) 

Fees 

• $26 for the first certified copy  
• $19 for each additional certificate for the same record ordered at the same time 
• Payment methods include cash, checks or money orders made payable to “County Recorder” 

The Minnesota Department of Health created a statewide database for death records. You may obtain a Minnesota death certificate at any courthouse in Minnesota for a death occurring after 1996. For deaths occurring prior to 1997, the death record must be obtained from the appropriate county. Records for Lake of the Woods County deaths occurring from 1923 to 1996 may only be obtained through this office. Certified copies of death records can only be issued to parties demonstrating a tangible interest in the record. Common examples include spouse, child, or parent. 

Apply 

• In-person – a death certificate application must be completed and a current photo ID presented. 
• By mail – a death certificate application must be completed and signed in front of a Notary. Mail the application along with the appropriate fees. 

Please call ahead to assure availability of staff to process your in-person request. 

View or Download Death Certificate Application (PDF) 

Fees 

• $13 for the first certified copy 
• $6 for each additional certificate for the same record ordered at the same time
• Payment methods include cash, checks or money orders made payable to “County Recorder” 

Certified copies of Marriage Certificate are available from the county in which the marriage license was applied for.  The Lake of the Woods County Recorder’s Office can issue certified copies of the custodial record for those who applied for their license in Lake of the Woods County from 1923 to present.   

If applying by phone, in person, or by mail, please provide the name of the parties, the date of the marriage and the appropriate fees. 

Fees 

• $9 for each certified copy
• Payment methods include cash, checks or money orders made payable to “County Recorder” 

For Genealogists  

The Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS®) is an online service designed for the general public to search and locate official marriage information and to be directed to the county which holds the custodial marriage record. 

MOMS® was created to benefit county offices and licensing centers by using a central system in unifying all county offices in the preservation of the record, for internal searching capabilities, and the creation of the marriage record. 

The Minnesota Official Marriage System® is funded and supported by Minnesota county government. 

Find more information on Marriage Certificates at: https://moms.mn.gov/ 

An application for a Marriage License is begun online and then finished in person at our office. We issue the necessary two-part document after the application is completed and signed. The Marriage License grants permission to an individual to perform the ceremony. The Marriage Certificate is the when and where of the ceremony and gets filed in our permanent vital statistic records.

Please note the following:

• Both parties must appear in person in order to sign the application form. If this is not possible, a supplemental form must be completed by the non-appearing party and signed in front of a notary;
• Photo id is required at the time the application is signed because we Notarize your signatures;
• The fee is $40.00 with proof of pre-marital education. The fee is $115.00 without proof of pre-marital education. Cash, check, or money order only; debit/credit cards are not accepted;
• The fee is due at the time the application is signed. Refunds will not be issued after the fee has been paid;
• The License must be used within six months of the date of issue;
• It will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete the paperwork;
• Your Officiant must have their credentials registered somewhere in the state of Minnesota. If you or your Officiant has any questions, please call us at 218/634-1902.
• Once we receive the Certificate back from the Officiant who conducted the ceremony, we file it in our vital records. This office will then mail you a certified copy of the Marriage Certificate. Additional certified copies of your marriage certificate are available for $9.00 each.

After you have separated from military service, it is highly recommended that you present your DD 214 (military separation form) to the County Recorder’s Office in the county where you live. By recording your DD 214 form, it remains a permanent record and ensures the availability to obtain a certified copy if your original were to become lost or destroyed.  

Fees 

• No fee to record a DD 214, or to obtain a certified copy. 

Additional Assistance for Veterans and Families of Veterans 

Please be certain to visit your local Veterans Service Office for more information and access to your benefits.  Also, see the Minnesota Association County Veterans Service Officers  webpage. 

The Discharge Access Database System, DADS, was designed in collaboration with MOMS, Minnesota Department of Veteran Administration, Minnesota IT, and Olmsted County ITS to provide a statewide military discharge index for the County Veteran Service Offices to search and request a veteran’s discharge document from the county where it was recorded. DADS is a private index and used only by the VSO’s. The Recorder’s Office provides the index data from their county. DADS is the first database of county recorded military discharge records in the United States and an impressive example of government agencies working together to support veterans. 

For more information on Military Discharges, go to: https://dads.mn.gov