Marriage Licenses

available at the License Center downtown (County Campus), the Service Center in Waite Park, or online

Marriage licenses may be applied for online. However, effective August 1, 2009 both of the contracting parties must appear in person at the License Center to sign the marriage license application. Please bring along proof of identity.

If one of the parties is unable to appear in person, the non-appearing party must complete a supplement to the marriage license application form. (The non-appearing party's signature must be notarized on this form.) This is to verify the accuracy of the information provided by the appearing party. The marriage license cannot be issued until the verification statement has been received and the five-day waiting period from when the payment was made has expired.

Note: The supplement to the marriage license application form may be turned in by the appearing party. The marriage license can then be issued the same day as long as five days have passed since the payment was made for the license.

The wedding must take place within the geographical boundaries of Minnesota.

The parties applying for the marriage license will need to know the following information for both parties:

  • Full first, middle and last name
  • Social Security Number
  • Address (street address, city, county, state and zip code)
  • Date of Birth
    State or foreign country where each person was born
  • Race (Optional)
  • If previously married, number of previous marriages, how last marriage terminated (death or divorce), date (mm/dd/yyyy), and place terminated, court terminated and the previous married name
  • If either of the parties is under 18, we must have court approval to issue the license - call our office for more information
  • If the parties are related by blood or adoption and if yes, how related
  • The full name each of the parties will take after the marriage and their  address after marriage. (This is the address where the certified marriage certificate is mailed to after the marriage.)
  • Also note that there are restrictions on name changes after the marriage for people with felony convictions on or after August 1, 2000. (Marriage License - Required Forms for Felons Requesting Name Changes - must accompany application for marriage license)
  • If you want the notice of your application for the marriage license published in the St. Cloud Times

There is a statutory five-day waiting period for the license to be issued. The license can be picked up after the five-day waiting period, or it can be mailed to the bride or groom. To waive the five-day waiting period requires the courts approval (please call our office at 320-656-6540 for more information).

The marriage license is valid for 6 months after the date of issuance. No refunds are available for unused licenses.

Apply Online for your Marriage License

Fee:

$115.00   without premarital education

$40.00  with completed and signed Statement of Premarital Education* presented at the time of application (original notarized signature on Educator's letterhead is needed. A faxed or photocopied form is not acceptable)

There are no refunds.

*The marriage license fee can be reduced for parties who have completed at least 12 hours of premarital education. Download the specific requirements for the Statement of Premarital Education here. 

Premarital education statements must follow all of the requirements outlined in the statutes.  Effective August 1, 2009, the statute requires that the Educator's statement be on the Educator's letterhead and that the Educator's signature be notarized. Certificates that do not follow statute will be rejected as proof of premarital education.  We always need original notarized signatures. A faxed or photocopied form is not acceptable.