Dakota County Marriage License: Requirements, Fees, and Process

A Dakota County marriage license costs $115, drops to $40 if you complete premarital education, and is issued the same day you apply in person at one of three county service centers after submitting an online form. Both applicants generally need to appear together with proof of age. Minnesota has no waiting period, and once issued the license is valid for six months and good for a ceremony anywhere in the state.¹

What You Need to Bring

Both applicants must present proof of age to the county registrar, who will examine you under oath about whether anything would legally prevent the marriage.² A valid driver’s license or passport works. Both parties must be at least 18. Minnesota completely prohibits marriage for anyone under 18, with no exceptions for parental consent or judicial approval.

The application itself asks for both parties’ full legal names and the names you intend to use after marriage, your post office addresses and county and state of residence, your ages, and your Social Security numbers. The SSNs go on the application but do not appear on the license; if you don’t have one, you’ll sign a statement confirming that. You’ll also be asked whether you are related and, if so, how, and about any prior marriages, including the date, location, and court where a previous marriage was dissolved or annulled, or the date and place of a former spouse’s death.

One boundary worth knowing: if either party has a felony conviction under Minnesota or federal law, that person cannot change their name through the marriage application and must instead use Minnesota’s separate legal name-change process.² Using a new name without following that process is a gross misdemeanor.

How to Apply

Dakota County uses a two-step process. First, fill out the electronic application on the county’s online portal. You’ll receive a confirmation number after submitting. Then book an in-person appointment at one of the three service centers; when you arrive, give the clerk your confirmation number or let them know you completed the form online, and they’ll pull up your application.¹

In most cases both parties appear together, but there is an exception. If one person cannot be present, the other can fill in the absent party’s information. The person who didn’t appear must then verify everything in a notarized statement and send a copy of their proof of age before the county will release the license.² If this applies to you, call Dakota County at 651-554-6531 or email nscservicedesk@co.dakota.mn.us ahead of your appointment to confirm what the county will need.¹

Where to Go

Three Dakota County locations issue marriage licenses, all open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed weekends:³

Administration Center in Hastings
Northern Service Center in West St. Paul
Western Service Center in Apple Valley

The Burnsville License Center does not handle marriage licenses, so skip that one. Your online application is available to sign at any of the three locations immediately after you submit it.¹

Fees and Payment

The standard license fee is $115. Dakota County accepts cash, checks, money orders, and Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit or debit cards. Card payments carry a 2.49 percent convenience fee on top of the license cost.¹

Premarital Education Discount

Couples who complete at least 12 hours of premarital education pay $40 instead of $115, a $75 savings.² To claim it, you must bring a signed, dated statement from the person who provided the education, printed on their letterhead and either notarized or marked with a church seal. The education must come from one of the following:

A licensed or ordained minister, or someone the minister designates
A person authorized to solemnize marriages under Minnesota law
A licensed marriage and family therapist

Have the paperwork ready at your appointment. The clerk reviews it on the spot, and if the letterhead, notarization or seal, and signature aren’t all in order, you’ll pay the full $115 that day.²

How Long the License Lasts and Where You Can Marry

The license is valid for six months after it is issued.¹ If you don’t marry within that window, the license expires and you’ll need to start over with a new application and fee. There is no waiting period, so you can legally marry the same day the license is issued.

The ceremony must take place within Minnesota, but it does not have to happen in Dakota County. A license from any Minnesota county is valid for a wedding held in any other county.⁴ No blood tests or medical examinations are required.

After the Ceremony

Your officiant is responsible for completing and signing the marriage certificate included in the packet you receive from the registrar, and then filing it with the county office that issued the license.⁵ Follow up to confirm the filing happened. Until the certificate is on record, your marriage may not appear in public records, which creates problems if you need proof of marriage for insurance, taxes, or a name change.

After filing, Dakota County mails a certified copy of the marriage certificate to the address on the application. You can request additional certified copies from the county later; fees for extra copies vary, so contact Dakota County directly for current pricing. If you expect to update a driver’s license, Social Security record, passport, bank accounts, or insurance, order a few extra certified copies at the start so you’re not making repeat requests.⁶

1
Dakota County. Marriage Licenses
2
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 517.08 – Application for License
3
Dakota County. Service and License Centers
4
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 517.07 – License Prerequisite to Marriage
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Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517.10 – Certificate; Witnesses
6
Dakota County. Marriage Certificates