Vital Statistics Services
Birth Certificates | Death Certificates |Filing of Ministerial Credentials | Genealogy |
Certified Copies of Birth Records
available at both downtown and west locations (West: ISSUE ONLY, 1935-present) and online
All corrections and/or changes to birth certificates are handled by the downtown license center only
New Law Regarding Certified Birth and Death Certificates: Tangible Interest Law and when it is Effective
Minnesota Statues, section 144.225, subdivision 7, as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2000, Chapter 267, restricts access to a certified birth or death certificate to a person who has a tangible interest in the requested certificate. This is a new law that is effective August 1, 2000.
Who Has Tangible Interest?
You have tangible interest in a certificate:
- if you are the subject of the certificate;
- if you are the child, grandchild, spouse, parent, grandparent, legal custodian, or guardian of the subject;
- if you are a personal representative of the estate of the subject; or
- if you are the person who filed or a representative of the organization that filed the birth or death information with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) or a local registrar.
You may also be issued a certificate if a person who has tangible interest authorized you to receive the certificate or if you can demonstrate to the state registrar that the certificate is necessary for the determination or protection of a personal or property right.
A local, state, or federal governmental agency may be issued a certificate if it is necessary for the governmental agency to perform its authorized duties.
If you request the certificate in person, you will be asked to complete and sign an application stating that you have tangible interest in the certificate. You will be asked to show identification.
Fees:
Birth Records: $16.00 for first certified certificate; $9.00 for each additional copy of the same record, purchased at the same time.
Apply Online for a Birth Certificate (Certified or Non-certified)
Certified Copies of Death Records
available at both downtown and west locations (West: ISSUE ONLY, 1997-present) and online
All corrections and/or changes to birth certificates are handled by the downtown license center only
New Law Regarding Certified Birth and Death Certificates:
Tangible Interest Law and when it is Effective
Minnesota Statues, section 144.225, subdivision 7, as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2000, Chapter 267, restricts access to a certified birth or death certificate to a person who has a tangible interest in the requested certificate. This is a new law that is effective August 1, 2000.
Who Has Tangible Interest?
You have tangible interest in a certificate:
- if you are the subject of the certificate;
- if you are the child, grandchild, spouse, parent, grandparent, legal custodian, or guardian of the subject;
- if you are a personal representative of the estate of the subject; or
- if you are the person who filed or a representative of the organization that filed the birth or death information with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) or a local registrar.
You may also be issued a certificate if a person who has tangible interest authorized you to receive the certificate or if you can demonstrate to the state registrar that the certificate is necessary for the determination or protection of a personal or property right.
A local, state, or federal governmental agency may be issued a certificate if it is necessary for the governmental agency to perform its authorized duties.
If you request the certificate in person, you will be asked to complete and sign an application stating that you have tangible interest in the certificate. You will be asked to show identification.
Fees:
Death Records: $13.00 for first certified certificate; $6.00 for each additional copy of the same record, purchased at the same time
Apply Online for a Death Certificate (Certified or Non-certified)
Filing of Ministerial Credentials
available at downtown location only
Each applicant must complete the Certificate of Ordination Filing form. The Certificate of Ordination Filing form must be accompanied by the original Ordination Certificate or a letter on church letterhead authorizing the minister to solemnize marriages, signed by three other church officials; or, if the church has no letterhead, the same letter with the three signatures notarized.
information available at downtown location only
Effective immediately, genealogists and researchers will no longer be allowed behind our counter to do research. We have made this decision due to the protection of our fragile documents and to office safety concerns.
If you appear in person at our office, our staff will gladly locate records for you. We have a request form for you to fill out to specify which record(s) you would like to view. We will use this to look up the record(s) for you. If we are busy and you have several requests, we may ask you to leave your request and we will get back to you in a timely manner.
If you choose to, you may also send your information request to our office by:
E-mail: vital.stats@co.stearns.mn.us
Fax: 320-656-3932
Mail: Stearns County License Center
Administration Center Room 125
705 Courthouse Square
St. Cloud MN 56303
We do not require that you use the Researchers/Genealogists Request Form (70Kb PDF); however, please take a look at it and see what type of information we need to make your request for information successful.
Fees will be due if you are requesting a copy of a certificate; and you will need tangible interest to request a certified copy of a birth or death certificate.
Note: Minnesota death data is available on the Minnesota Historical Society’s web site at www.mnhs.org/. The Minnesota Historical Society’s web site has tips for doing family history research. The site also has a list of helpful resources such as addresses to send information requests to and other genealogical web site links to help you in your research. The Stearns County History Museum also has a web site at www.stearns-museum.org/ and research materials on file.