Apply at county offices. Call the location where you will apply for more
information as each county may have specific requirements and specific hours.

Apply at least a week prior to the marriage. The license may be picked up after a five-day statutory waiting period. License is valid for six months from issue date.

State law provides a waiting period of five working days between the time of application and the actual issuance of the license. This waiting period may be waived by a count or district judge in "extraordinary" circumstances. Once the license is issued it may be used anywhere in Minnesota during the following six months.

Any unmarried man and woman age 18 or older may obtain a license. It is necessary to provide proof of age and proof of termination of any previous marriage by either death or divorce. A person between the ages of 15 and 18 must have the consent of a parent, guardian or the judge of juvenile court. 

Certain relatives may not marry each other. No direct ancestor or descendent may marry. Brothers and sisters, aunts and nephews, uncle and nieces, and first cousins may not marry each other.

Presently the fee is $110. The fee is $40 if the applicants have taken marriage preparation training and have obtained a Marriage Educators Statement. (See www.marriagetraining.org for more details.) No refunds are issued on unused licenses at any time.

Must be applied for in person by at least one of the contracting parties. If one or both parties are present, they must provide proof of identity. If one of the parties is not present, their signature must be notarized. Social Security Number for both parties is required. It is necessary to provide proof of age and proof of termination of any previous marriage by either death or divorce.

In most cases you will be required to show primary and secondary "Proof of Identity". Primary documents considered acceptable as "proof of identity" include: Prior drivers license or Identification Card, certified copy of birth certificate, original Naturalization Certificate or Alien Identification card.

Secondary documents include Social Security card, certified copy of a marriage record, a certified court order or another primary document. Please call the State of Minnesota at (651) 296-6911 if you have questions regarding acceptable proof of identity. If the applicant's current name differs from that shown on the primary document presented, a certified copy of the name change (court order or marriage certificate, for example) must also be presented

If either or both applicant(s) has/have been married previously, information regarding termination of the most recent marriage is required at time of application. If the most recent previous marriage was terminated by death, the exact date, as well as the state and county in which the death occurred, must be provided. If termination was by divorce or court annulment, the exact date, county, state, and type of court are required. If termination by divorce or legal annulment occurred within 30 days of the date of application, a certified copy of the decree must be presented for viewing.

Two witnesses are required.

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The following is intended to be general and informative in nature. It is not legal advice. Contact an attorney for specific legal advice for your situation.

General information
Establishment of the marriage relationship requires certain formalities in Minnesota. Once married, a spouse acquires certain rights. This section summarizes generally the requirements for a valid marriage and some of the legal consequences of marriage.

What legal requirements must a couple fulfill to be married in Minnesota?
The circumstances under which a man and a woman may be considered married are different in each state. Unless validly married in another state, Minnesota residents must obtain a marriage license from the district court, complete the appropriate forms, and have their marriage vows solemnized by an authorized official in the presence of at least two witnesses.

Is there a waiting period once a couple obtains a marriage license?
No. Once you obtain the actual license you are free to get married immediately.

No blood test is required in Minnesota. 
It is necessary to provide proof of age and proof of termination of any previous marriage by either death or divorce.

What about name change?
Each party may designate on the application for a license a new name effective upon the marriage. The surname need not be the same for both parties or the same as either premarriage name.

If you do choose to change your name when you marry, remember to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles, your nearest Social Security office, voter registration office, and other places which will need to correct their records and/or issue new documents to you with your new name.

Who may perform a marriage ceremony?
The officials authorized to solemnize marriages include judges, clerks of court, and licensed ministers, priests or rabbis. In some counties there is a court commissioner who is authorized to officiate at marriage ceremonies. There are also special provisions for marriage between members of the Bahai, Hindu, Quaker and American Indian religious groups.

How are the rights of a married person different from someone who is single?
Spouses have the obligation to support each other. Generally speaking, a spouse is liable for necessaries (such as food and clothing) furnished to the other spouse and for household articles and supplies furnished to the family home. Each spouse is entitled to obtain credit or borrow individually in his or her own name, or spouses may jointly incur debt. Upon getting married, however, one does not become liable for obligations that their spouse incurred prior to the marriage.
Spouses cannot contract with each other concerning their real estate. This means that a deed of real property from one spouse to another is not valid unless it is a deed to create a joint interest between them. Also, the signature of both spouses is necessary in order to effectively convey or mortgage the real property owned by either spouse.
A spouse is entitled to receive a certain amount of property from a deceased spouse. Presently, this includes a life estate in the homestead (that is, the right to use the home for life) owned by the deceased spouse, the death benefit from any employer pension and profit sharing or retirement plan, up to $6,000 in household goods, $3,000 in other personal property, and a share in other property of the deceased spouse. The amount of that share depends on whether the deceased spouse has children, the number of the children and whether the deceased made a will intentionally disinheriting the spouse.

What if we move from Minnesota to another state?
Laws concerning the rights of married persons to control their property vary from state to state. The laws of each state apply to residents of that state and to property acquired during the marriage while a resident.

Is there anything that can be done to change the effect of state law?
A couple may contract with each other concerning their marital rights by entering into an antenuptial contract prior to marriage. Such a contract should be entered into only after legal advice and full disclosure of assets. An antenuptial contract governs the right of each party in the property owned by the other. It may also vary the rights provided by other state laws. If a court finds the contract outrageous, unconscionable or deceptive, it may be disregarded.

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