To get married at the courthouse in Minnesota, apply for a marriage license at any county registrar’s office in the state, then schedule a ceremony with a district court judge in the county where you want to marry. There is no waiting period and no residency requirement, so if a judge is available, you can get the license and marry the same day. Budget about $125 for the license (or $50 if you have completed premarital education), plus whatever the officiating judge charges.
Who Can Marry in Minnesota
Both people must be at least 18. Minnesota prohibits all marriages involving anyone under 18, with no exceptions for parental consent or judicial approval.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517 – Civil Marriage Neither person can still be legally married to someone else. Marriages between close relatives are barred: ancestors and descendants, siblings (full or half), aunts or uncles and nieces or nephews, and first cousins, with a narrow exception for first-cousin marriages permitted by the established customs of aboriginal cultures.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517.03 – Prohibited Civil Marriages
You do not need to live in Minnesota. Visitors from other states or countries can legally marry here, as long as the ceremony itself takes place within Minnesota.
Step 1: Apply for Your Marriage License
Apply at any county registrar’s office in Minnesota. It does not have to be the county you live in or the county where you plan to hold the ceremony. Many counties let you start the application online, but you will still need to finalize and pay in person.3Hennepin County. Marriage License
Both of you provide full legal names, addresses, county and state of residence, ages, and dates of birth. Social Security numbers are required on the application but do not appear on the license itself; if you don’t have one, you certify that. If either person was married before, you give the name used in that marriage and the date, place, and court where it was dissolved, or the date and place of a former spouse’s death. You must disclose any felony conviction on or after August 1, 2000. A person with such a conviction cannot change their name through the marriage application and has to use a separate court process instead. The application also asks for your names after marriage and the mailing address for your certificate.4Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517.08 – Application for License
Bring proof of age. A driver’s license, state ID, or birth certificate works.
Fees and the Premarital Education Discount
As of July 1, 2025, the standard license fee is $125. Couples who complete at least 12 hours of premarital education pay $50.5Anoka County, MN. Marriage License Applications To claim the discount, bring a signed and dated statement from your educator, printed on the educator’s letterhead, confirming both of you attended. The statement must be notarized or bear the church seal, and the curriculum should cover topics like communication and conflict management.
No Waiting Period, Six-Month Validity
Minnesota has no waiting period between the license and the ceremony. Some counties issue the marriage packet immediately, so a same-day wedding is possible if a judge can see you.5Anoka County, MN. Marriage License Applications The license is valid for six months from the issue date, and the ceremony must happen inside Minnesota.3Hennepin County. Marriage License
If One of You Cannot Appear
You don’t both have to show up at the county office. One person can fill out the absent applicant’s information, and the registrar will send the absent party a copy of the application to verify in a notarized statement, with proof of age attached.4Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517.08 – Application for License The reason doesn’t matter: military service, work, distance. The local registrar can also take the oath by telephone or web conferencing instead of in person.
Step 2: Schedule a Judge for the Ceremony
Courthouse weddings are by appointment, not walk-in. Call the court administrator’s office in the county where you want to marry. In larger counties such as Hennepin, the court publishes a weekly list of judges available for ceremonies along with a scheduling phone number.6Minnesota Judicial Branch. Marriage Ceremonies – Hennepin County District Court Smaller counties have fewer judges available, so plan further out, especially around Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve.
What a judge charges is between you and the judge. Payment to the officiant is voluntary under the statute,7Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517 – Civil Marriage and many judges charge a modest fee or nothing at all.
If you would rather have a friend officiate instead of a judge, Minnesota allows anyone at least 21 who registers as a civil marriage officiant with a local registrar in any county to perform weddings anywhere in the state. No ordination is required.8Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517.04 – Persons Authorized to Perform Civil Marriages For a courthouse ceremony, though, you want the judge.
What to Bring to the Ceremony
- Your marriage license, from any Minnesota county
- A photo ID for each of you
- Two witnesses who are at least 16 years old9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517.10 – Certificate; Witnesses
Some courthouses require witnesses to be 18 or older and to carry photo ID, so confirm with the specific court when you book. If you don’t have two people to bring, some judges’ staff can provide witnesses for an additional charge. Ask about that when you schedule.6Minnesota Judicial Branch. Marriage Ceremonies – Hennepin County District Court
The Ceremony and the Certificate
Courthouse ceremonies are short. You and your witnesses check in at your appointment time, and the judge leads the exchange of vows in a courtroom or in private chambers. Rings are optional. What the law requires is the verbal commitment to marry in front of the officiant and your witnesses.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517 – Civil Marriage
Right after, everyone signs the marriage certificate: both spouses (using your new legal names), the two witnesses, and the officiant. The officiant then files the completed certificate with the local registrar in the county that issued the license, within five days. An officiant who misses that deadline can be fined up to $100.9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517.10 – Certificate; Witnesses10Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 517.13 – Penalty for Failure to File Certificate
Getting Your Certified Certificate
Once the county records the certificate, a certified copy is mailed to the address you listed on the application. That certified copy is the official legal proof of your marriage, and almost every name change or account update you make afterward will ask to see it. Additional certified copies are available from the county for a small fee, typically around $9 per copy. If you expect to need several, for example for immigration filings or multiple name-change requests, order the extras up front rather than reordering one at a time.