What you need to legally marry in Minnesota: a $125 fee, no waiting period, 2 witnesses and a license that is valid 6 months. You apply at the County Court Administrator or Local Registrar.
The eight things the County Court Administrator or Local Registrar will ask about or check. County rules can add small extras, so confirm with your local office before you go.
Put one QR code on the tables. Guests scan it and upload their photos and videos to one shared album, no app or account.
Live gallery
Maya & Leo's Wedding
Reception, example
A marriage license in Minnesota costs $125. You pay it at the County Court Administrator or Local Registrar when you apply. Extra certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you will want for a name change, a passport or insurance updates, often cost more.
That puts Minnesota above the roughly $30 to $100 range most states charge. Accepted payment methods differ from office to office, so check before the visit.
Both partners need a valid government photo ID. If either of you was married before, bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate. Minnesota does not require proof of residency.
In most counties both of you go in person, and some offices ask you to fill in the form online or book an appointment first. Check which offices can issue your license before you drive anywhere.
Fill in the application and pay the $125 fee. Have both Social Security numbers ready (non-citizens can usually give a passport or visa number), plus your parents' full names and your places of birth.
Minnesota has no waiting period, so you can marry as soon as the license is in your hands. Most couples still apply a few days ahead.
The license is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. Minnesota allows self-uniting marriage, so an officiant is optional. See who can officiate below.
The signed license goes back to the County Court Administrator or Local Registrar within the time Minnesota law allows. Because Minnesota allows self-uniting marriage, the couple usually files it instead of an officiant. The county then records your marriage.
A short walkthrough of the documents and the clerk visit. Fees and offices differ by state, so match the details to the Minnesota facts above.
Forever Newlywed on YouTube
First dance
You guys!!
Guests scan one QR code and upload from their phone browser, no app or account. Start free with 20 guest uploads, one-time plans from $44.
From Mom
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
UPLOADING
THE ALBUM
Example album
647 photos · 95 guests
SCAN TO TRY
pix.wedding/
your-wedding
At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
No one under 18 can marry in Minnesota, even with parental consent or court approval. The ban has been in place since 2020.
Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate to the first visit. Ask the County Court Administrator or Local Registrar whether it needs a certified copy.
Minnesota has no residency requirement, so couples from other states can apply at the County Court Administrator or Local Registrar with valid ID. The license only works for a ceremony inside Minnesota.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Minnesota, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in Minnesota with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
Minnesota allows self-uniting marriage, so the two of you can solemnize the marriage without an officiant. The officiant card below has the details.
Start with 20 guest uploads free, no card. Paid plans run from $44 to $84 once, with unlimited guests.
For collecting every original
Most couples pick this
One-time payment, no subscription
For big guest lists
One payment. Yours to keep. No subscription. No renewals. No surprise charges.
Secure checkout. Polar, Apple Pay, Google Pay.
Money-back guarantee: if your guests never upload a single photo, you get 100% back. See how it works
Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and authorized clergy. Judges and court administrators. Minnesota also allows anyone authorized by a recognized religious denomination to solemnize marriages.
Officiant rules in every stateMinnesota eliminated its 5-day marriage license waiting period effective August 1, 2016; licenses are now issued the same day. The standard license fee rose from $115 to $125 on July 1, 2025, or $50 with a state-approved premarital education course (up from $40). Minnesota banned marriage under 18 in all circumstances effective August 1, 2020, so there is no parental-consent pathway for minors. Minnesota allows a narrow self-uniting exception for marriages performed according to the customs of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) (Minn. Stat. § 517.18).
Everything you need to make your wedding day stress-free and unforgettable.
Plan your reception seating visually.
Track RSVPs and dietary needs.
Turn your total into a category-by-category plan.
Plan your entire wedding day.
Count down the days to your big day.
Month-by-month planning checklist.
15+ games with rules, supplies, and timing.
Pick one by budget, guest count and keepsake.
Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Minnesota.
A Minnesota marriage license costs $125. You pay it at the County Court Administrator or Local Registrar. Certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you need for a name change, can cost extra. Payment methods differ by office, so call ahead to check whether it takes cash, card or check.
No. Minnesota has no waiting period, so you can apply for and use your marriage license on the same day. Many couples still apply a few days ahead to avoid last-minute stress.
A Minnesota marriage license is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. The ceremony has to happen inside this window, or you reapply and pay the fee again.
Each partner needs a valid government photo ID, such as a US passport, a driver's license or state ID card, a US military ID, a permanent resident card or a foreign passport. Bring it to the County Court Administrator or Local Registrar, and check the office's own list before you go.
Yes. Minnesota's rule: 2 witnesses. Witnesses usually need to be adults who can sign the license. Most couples ask the maid of honor and the best man.
No. Minnesota does not require residency. Out-of-state couples can apply at the County Court Administrator or Local Registrar with the required ID, and the license works for a ceremony anywhere in Minnesota.
