Ordering From the State Instead
You can also order from the state office. Ordering methods, fees and wait times are on our Minnesota death certificate guide.
Who Can Order a Certified Copy
Minnesota limits certified copies to people with a "tangible interest." Under state law and the MDH eligibility page, these people can order:
- A child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild of the person who died
- The spouse named on the death record
- The personal representative (executor or administrator), a successor, or a trustee who needs the certificate to administer the estate or trust
- A legal custodian, guardian, conservator, or health care agent of the person who died. State law includes this group, but MDH's eligibility table labels the row for birth certificates, so expect to show a court order or health care directive
- An attorney for the person who died or for an eligible requester
- Someone with a valid U.S. court order (not a subpoena)
- A government agency that needs it for official duties
- An authorized representative of an eligible person, with a signed statement from that person
- A person or entity that documents a certified copy is needed to protect a personal or property right
- Funeral home staff, for eligible family members, within 180 days of the death
Close family and personal representatives do not send relationship documents. You check the box that describes you on the form and sign it under oath. Attorneys need a Minnesota license number (or a copy of an out-of-state license), and court-order holders need a copy of the order.
What to Bring or Send
- The completed Death Certificate Request (a Spanish version is also posted)
- Identification. Every requester must show ID. MDH does not list accepted IDs on its pages; Hennepin County asks for ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport. Contact the office to confirm what it accepts
- A sworn signature. By mail or fax, sign the form in front of a notary. In person, sign in front of county staff instead. Notaries are often available at banks, some libraries, and shipping or copy stores
- Payment. MDH takes MasterCard, Visa, Discover, check, or money order payable to "Minnesota Department of Health." Do not send cash. Returned checks carry a $30 charge
If you have no acceptable ID, a witness can complete MDH's Statement to Identify form, swearing to who you are. MDH sends back forms that are incomplete, not notarized, or not fully paid. Fees are non-refundable, even if no record is found.
Certified vs. Informational Copies
A certified death certificate is an official legal document printed on security paper. Only eligible requesters can get one, and it is what banks, insurers, and courts usually ask for when settling an estate.
A noncertified death record is printed on plain paper, is for information only, and cannot be used for legal purposes. Because all Minnesota death records are public, anyone can buy one for $13 using a separate request form.
When ordering a certified copy, you can choose the version with cause of death or, for deaths from 1997 on, the version without it. Both cost $13. MDH does not say which institutions need which version, so ask the bank, insurer, or agency if you are unsure. A free VA death certificate is also available, but it is stamped for Veterans Affairs use only. For use in another country, an Apostille comes from the Minnesota Secretary of State, not MDH.
When Certificates Are Available
State law requires the death record to be filed with the state within five days after death and before burial, cremation, or other final disposition. The funeral home registers the death electronically, and a doctor, medical examiner, or coroner adds the cause of death. MDH does not publish a typical number of days until certificates can be issued, and it may take longer if the cause of death is still being investigated.
For the first 180 days, the funeral home can order certificates for eligible family members, which is how most families get their first copies. After 180 days, families order from a county office or MDH. If no funeral home is used, the family must contact the Office of Vital Records to register the death.
How Many Copies You Need
Settling an estate, closing accounts, and claiming insurance each call for a certified copy. In Minnesota, extra copies of the same record ordered at the same time cost $6 each, while a new order later starts again at $13. See our guide on how many copies to estimate what you need.
Fixing an Error
How you fix a mistake (other than cause of death) depends on how long ago the death happened. Details are on the MDH amendment page.
- Less than a year, no certificate issued yet: the informant listed on the record asks the funeral home to correct it, free.
- Less than a year, certificate already issued: the informant can ask the funeral home or use the Death Record Amendment Packet at any vital records office ($40, no supporting document needed).
- One to five years: use the Death Record Amendment Packet at any vital records office ($40, supporting document required).
- More than five years: submit the packet to MDH ($40, supporting document required).
Changing the all-capital-letters format is not a valid reason. To change the cause or manner of death, contact the medical certifier named on the certificate. After the change is made, you must buy a new certificate to get one that shows it.
Only Order From Official Sources
The official places to order are your county vital records office and the Minnesota Department of Health by mail or fax. If you order online, start from your county's official website so you reach the vendor it links to.
Third-party ordering sites are not government offices and may charge more than the official fee. While researching this page we saw sites such as everplans.com and simplytrust.com come up for Minnesota death certificates. These are not official government offices.