Marriage licenses in Minnesota are handled locally, and the details that matter — the fee, the wait, how long the license lasts — are set by state law. This page collects the statewide rules from Minnesota’s own official sources, then links every county guide we have verified so far.
The statewide rules
- Who issues the license: Local registrar of any county (official designated by the county board; typically the county recorder/license center) (Minn. Stat. 517.001, 517.07, 517.08)
- License fee (statewide): 125 (50 with premarital education)
- Waiting period: None – no waiting period in Minn. Stat. ch. 517; the license may be used the same day
- License validity: 6 months from issuance (Minn. Stat. 517.08 subd. 1b); an unused license may be surrendered for cancellation and reissued without fee for illness or extenuating circumstances
- Witnesses: 2 witnesses who are at least 16 years old (Minn. Stat. 517.01, 517.10)
- Minimum age: 18 – both parties must have reached the full age of 18; no exceptions (Minn. Stat. 517.02, 517.03)
- Residency / where to apply: No residency or county-of-residence rule: the license may be obtained from the local registrar of ANY Minnesota county, but the ceremony must take place within Minnesota (Minn. Stat. 517.07)
- Who can officiate: Per Minn. Stat. 517.04 (as amended by 2025 c. 35): any individual age 21 or older who registers as a civil marriage officiant with a local registrar in a Minnesota county may solemnize marriages statewide; Third Judicial District court commissioners (Fillmore/Olmsted counties) are also appointed to solemnize civil marriages (Minn. Stat. 517.041)
- Courthouse ceremonies: Local registrars issue licenses but do not officiate by virtue of that office; court ceremonies are available via Third Judicial District court commissioners whose sole duty is solemnizing civil marriages
Minnesota counties in this directory
We have published 18 verified county guides for Minnesota so far. License fees on the verified county pages currently run from $125 to $125. 3 of them publish a separate ceremony fee. Browse them all: Browse all Minnesota county guides — and use the search on the homepage to jump straight to your county.
Source for the statewide rules: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/517/full (checked 2026-11-09). County figures are checked separately against each county’s own official page and carry their own verified dates. Always confirm with your county clerk before you go — this is not a government site.