MarriageLicenseCheck

Hennepin County marriage license

Issued by the Hennepin County Service Centers, Director of Licensing (County Registrar)

To marry in Hennepin County, you apply to the Hennepin County Service Centers, Director of Licensing (County Registrar). There, the applicants do not both have to appear, there is no residency requirement and the license is valid throughout the state.

Fee
$125Reduced to $50 for couples who have completed at least 12 hours of premarital education
Waiting period
NoneMarry the same day
License valid
6 monthsFrom issuance
Both must appear
NoHennepin County publishes three routes

Reviewed July 26, 202612 official sourcesSee sources

Where to apply

Hennepin County Service Centers, Director of Licensing (County Registrar)

Apply online
Yes

Two different things exist here and both are real. The online form only submits applicant information ahead of a service centre visit. Separately, the county publishes a full remote route: both applicants complete the paper application and notarised supplemental forms, mail them with proof of age and a check or money order, and nobody appears in person at all.

Official requirement

Nobody goes to the service center in person – remote option.

Apply in person
Yes

Seven service centres take marriage license applications, open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments are recommended but walk-in is offered.

Official requirement

Schedule an appointment or come into one of our locations.

When to apply

We will work out when you can apply. We never ask for names, dates of birth or any other personal detail.

Who must appear

Both applicants
No

Hennepin County publishes three routes. Both applicants may appear together; one may appear alone if the absent partner's signature on the application and on the party-not-appearing form is notarised and a copy of their proof of age is brought; or neither appears, using the mail-in remote route with notarised supplemental forms. The name on the proof-of-age document must match the name on the application.

Official requirement

If both applicants can't come in together to apply, complete and bring the party not appearing form (PDF, 1MB). The signature of the person not appearing must be notarized.

Residency
No residency requirement. Neither applicant has to live in Minnesota, but the ceremony itself must take place in Minnesota.

Residency and where the license may be used are separate rules here. The license is issued to non-residents; the wedding is still confined to Minnesota.

Official requirement

You don't have to be a Minnesota resident.

Identification and personal information

We list what the office says it may ask for. We never collect any of it.

Identification
  • Proof of age for each applicant — a driver's license, state ID, or birth certificate
  • The name on the proof-of-age document must match the name on the marriage license application
  • Remote (mail) route: a copy of a proof-of-age document for each applicant must be enclosed with the mailed application
  • One-applicant route: the appearing partner must bring a copy of a document proving the age of the partner who is not appearing

Hennepin County does not publish a complete accepted-document list on the web page. It states that the full list appears on the confirmation screen and in the confirmation email after the online applicant-information form is submitted. The paper application records only that proof of age was checked by staff.

Official requirement

Identification such as a driver's license, state ID, or birth certificate. See the confirmation screen or email for a full list.

Social Security number
Each applicant who has a Social Security number must give it on the application. An applicant without one certifies that on the application by checking a box. The number is reported to the Minnesota Department of Health and kept private.
Official requirement

For the collection of social security numbers: if you have a social security number you are required by state and federal law to provide it

Age
Both applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of the wedding.

Minnesota law makes only a person who has attained the full age of 18 capable in law of contracting a civil marriage.

Official requirement

Be at least 18 years old at the time of the wedding.

Applicants under 18
There is no route for an applicant under 18. Minnesota law grants capacity to marry only at 18, and Hennepin County requires both applicants to be at least 18 at the time of the wedding. No parental-consent or court-authorisation alternative is published.

Minnesota removed its minor-marriage provision in 2020. This differs sharply from states that still allow a 16- or 17-year-old to marry with consent.

Official requirement

A person who has attained the full age of 18 years is capable in law of contracting into a civil marriage, if otherwise competent.

Prior-marriage documents

If a marriage ended
If either applicant has been married before, the application must state how the last marriage ended (death, dissolution or annulment), the complete date it ended, the county, state and court where it ended, and the previous married name.

Hennepin County does not publish a requirement to produce a certified copy of a divorce decree. Its instructions say only to bring "any documents needed", with the full list given on the confirmation screen or email, so a decree copy may still be asked for in an individual case.

Applies in some cases

How was last marriage terminated?

Fee and payment

Fee
$125Reduced to $50 for couples who have completed at least 12 hours of premarital education. The reduced fee requires an educator's statement on the educator's letterhead, signed and dated, with the signature notarised or marked with a church seal, naming both applicants exactly as on the application, submitted at the time of application.

Fees are non-refundable. The premarital education must be provided by a licensed or ordained minister or the minister's designee, a person authorised to solemnize marriages, or a licensed marriage and family therapist, and must include a premarital inventory and the teaching of communication and conflict management skills.

Official requirement

Regular fee $125 Reduced fee $50 You may qualify if you've completed 12 hours of premarital education.

Payment methods
  • Cash — in-person transactions only
  • Check payable to Hennepin County Treasurer
  • Money order payable to Hennepin County Treasurer
  • Credit or debit card in person or over the phone: Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card, American Express

A 2.49% charge applies to card payments for non-DVS transactions. A returned or stopped check costs $30. The remote mail-in route accepts only a check or money order.

Official requirement

We accept the following types of payment for services: Cash for in-person transactions only

Waiting period and expiration

Waiting period
None

The license is issued at the counter once you pay, and the county states you can be married the same day. If you want the county's own civil ceremony, it must be booked as a separate appointment from the license appointment.

Official requirement

You can apply for your marriage license on the same day as your ceremony, but it must be a separate appointment.

Waiver

This does not apply here.

There is no waiting period to waive.

Not applicable here
License expires
6 months

If the license is not used within the six months because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, it may be surrendered to the local registrar for cancellation and a new license issued on request without a further fee.

Official requirement

Is valid for 6 months.

Where it is valid
Valid anywhere in Minnesota, and only in Minnesota. The ceremony does not have to take place in Hennepin County, but it must take place inside Minnesota's borders.

Unlike Illinois, Minnesota does not confine the license to the issuing county. It does confine it to the state.

Official requirement

Can only be used to get married in Minnesota.

Witness and ceremony notes

Witnesses
At least two witnesses aged 16 or older must be present at the ceremony and sign the marriage certificate.

For a civil ceremony at a Hennepin County service centre, the couple must bring their own two witnesses.

Official requirement

Arrange for 2 witnesses 16 years or older to come to the ceremony with you.

Officiant
An officiant must file license or ordination credentials with Hennepin County before performing a ceremony, must be at least 21 years old, and pays a $45 filing fee; the signature on that form must be notarised. Officiants need not be Minnesota residents. Couples without an officiant may book a brief non-religious, gender-neutral civil ceremony at a county service centre for $45, performed at the counter by staff in about 10 minutes from a fixed script published in English and Spanish.

Officiant credential filing is a separate transaction with its own fee and is not covered by the license fee. No personal vows or changes to the civil ceremony script are allowed.

Official requirement

To be able to perform marriage ceremonies in Minnesota, file your credentials with us.

Returning and recording the license

After the ceremony
The officiant must file the completed marriage certificate with Hennepin County within 5 days of the ceremony, using the pre-addressed envelope supplied with the license. The applicants, the witnesses and the officiant must all sign it. The county returns a certified marriage certificate once the record has been filed.
Official requirement

The officiant must file the marriage certificate with us within 5 days of the ceremony.

Processing
The license is issued at the service centre at the moment you pay. On the remote mail-in route the county emails a copy of the license after processing, and applicants must reply within 48 hours to report any error.

Certified copies of a marriage record cost $9. Mail and drop-off orders are ready within 3 weeks, within 1 week with an extra $20 and "Expedite" written on the envelope, or usually the same day in person.

Official requirement

Will be issued when you pay.

Ordering the certified record afterwards is a separate request: official certified copy page

Access and language

Published notes
  • Hennepin County states it works to meet WCAG 2.1 levels A and AA, and level AAA where possible
  • Accessibility issues, complaints and requests for help with physical access go through the county's ADA grievance form
  • A digital accessibility policy covering public and internal products has been in place since January 2022
  • Site translation is offered through the browser's own translate feature; the county warns that Google Translate may not produce accurate or complete translations
  • Translation services can be requested for a county civil ceremony, and family members are not allowed to translate
  • The civil ceremony script is published in English and Spanish
Official requirement

Hennepin County is committed to providing digital information that is accessible to everyone, regardless of ability.

Common questions

How much does a marriage license cost in Hennepin County?
The fee is $125, set by the Hennepin County Service Centers, Director of Licensing (County Registrar). Reduced to $50 for couples who have completed at least 12 hours of premarital education.
Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Hennepin County?
No. There is no waiting period — the license can be used as soon as it is issued.
How long is a Hennepin County marriage license valid?
The license is valid for 6 months from issuance. A ceremony after that date requires a new license.
Do both partners have to appear in person in Hennepin County?
No. Hennepin County publishes three routes.
Do we have to be residents to marry in Hennepin County?
No residency requirement. Neither applicant has to live in Minnesota, but the ceremony itself must take place in Minnesota.

Each answer restates the verified rule above; the official wording and sources are in the numbered sections.

Sources and reviewed date

Every fact above is quoted from one of these pages. Reviewed July 26, 2026.

  1. Marriage licenseHennepin County · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  2. Marriage ceremonyHennepin County · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  3. Marriage officiantsHennepin County · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  4. Marriage recordsHennepin County · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  5. Marriage license application (form HC 2910)Hennepin County, Director of Licensing · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  6. Educator's statement (reduced marriage license fee)Hennepin County · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  7. Service centersHennepin County · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  8. AccessibilityHennepin County · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  9. Minnesota Statutes section 517.02, Persons capable of contractingMinnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26
  10. Minnesota Statutes section 517.07, LicenseMinnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26
  11. Minnesota Statutes section 517.08, Application for licenseMinnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26
  12. Minnesota Statutes section 517.10, Certificate; witnessesMinnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26

Recorded conflicts

  • The page metadata Hennepin County still serves for its marriage section reads "For license, must apply in person", which contradicts the marriage license page itself. That page publishes three application routes, one of which requires no in-person appearance by either applicant. The current page is recorded and the metadata is treated as stale.
  • Minnesota Statutes section 517.08 subdivision 1b(b) sets the reduced premarital-education fee at $50, but subdivision 1c(b), which divides that fee between the county and the state, still refers to a "$40 fee under subdivision 1b, paragraph (b)". Hennepin County publishes $50, which matches the operative fee provision, so $50 is recorded.
  • Hennepin County moved from hennepin.us to hennepincounty.gov in a 2026 site redesign. The old addresses redirect. The county's online applicant-information form and its appointment booking system are still served from the legacy hennepin.us domain and a vendor booking host respectively; both are used for navigation only and no fact in this record is sourced from either.

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