Marriage Certificates
The person performing the marriage fills out the marriage certificate. They must file it with the Administration Center, Northern Service Center or Western Service Center within five days.
A certified copy of the marriage certificate will be mailed to the newly married couple.
Dakota County keeps marriage records only for people who got their license here. To buy extra copies in person, visit any of the following three locations during business hours. Bring the necessary fees and a completed Marriage Certificate Application.
Locations
- Administration Center - Hastings
- Northern Service Center - West St. Paul
- Western Service Center - Apple Valley
Drop box available
Paper work can be submitted via drop boxes at each location.
Walk-ins available
Service and license centers welcome walk-ins, but appointments are recommended.
Fees
Each certified copy: $9
Payment options
We accept cash, checks, money orders, and credit or debit cards (Discover, Visa, or MasterCard). A 2.49-percent convenience fee is charged for credit and debit cards on this county service.
Make checks payable to: Dakota County
Purchase additional copies by mail, drop box or email
Send or drop off the Marriage Certificate Application and fee at one of the locations listed. You can also email the form to nscservicedesk@co.dakota.mn.us.
Make a marriage certificate amendment
Per state law, you can request amendments to your marriage certificate to fix errors.
- Missing information
- Misspelled names
- Date and place of marriage
- Any change in last names that occur after marriage.
To change your last name after marriage, you must get a court order from District Court.
A single requestor is only able to request amendments to their own information.
- Complete the Affidavit to Amend a Marriage Record
- Provide all required supporting documents showing issuance dates prior to the marriage.
- Pay the $40 fee. The $40 fee is nonrefundable even if the requested amendment is unable to be fulfilled.
For a list of acceptable documents, see our Marriage Record Amendment Instructions.
Any supporting documentation in languages other than English must be translated. The person translating the documents must also complete a Certificate of Translation Form. This will be provided at the time the request is submitted.
Questions? Call 651-554-6531 or email nscservicedesk@co.dakota.mn.us.