The Pope County Recorder has marriage records from 1866 to present. Marriage records are filed in the County where the original license was obtained. Marriage records are open to the public for searching.

Marriage License Information

Applicants are asked to arrive prior to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday

Marriage applicants must complete and submit their application online at https://moms.mn.gov/application. If you do not have access to a computer, you may use the public computer at the Pope County Recorder’s Office. Staff will be available to assist you if needed.

Both parties must apply and sign for the license. Identification is required.

To complete the application process, applicants will need to supply the following information:

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of the wedding.
• List full legal names.
• List address and state of residence.
• List date of birth for both applicants.
• If convicted of a felony on or after August 1, 2000 and you wish to change your name, there can be up to a 30-day waiting period. Additional forms must be competed and signed by the prosecuting authority. Contact our office for additional information.
• If previously married, you will need to list how the last marriage was terminated, the date terminated, the place terminated and the court in which it was terminated.
• List full names of both the parties after marriage. A name change through the marriage process is a LEGAL CHANGE of name. Therefore, make sure you identify the name you want after marriage and accurately enter the information.
• List the permanent mailing address where the marriage certificate will be sent after the ceremony.
• The marriage license is valid for a period of 6 months and only valid in the State of Minnesota.
• You do not need to be married in the Minnesota County from which you obtained your license.
• Your marriage certificate needs to be recorded in the same county in which the marriage application was issued.
• The application does NOT need to be printed by the applicants. Signatures will be done in person at the time of completion and payment in the Recorder’s Office.
•  Both applicants shall appear at the Pope County Recorder’s Office to complete the application for the marriage license and to pay the appropriate fee. If one of the applicants cannot appear in person, a Supplemental Marriage License Application will be given to the party appearing before us to be completed by the non-appearing marriage applicant.
• Inform the Recorder’s Office staff if you had applied online or if you need to use the public computer.
• Provide a valid picture ID to the Recorder’s Office staff.
• Inform staff of your social security number.
• Bring the signed and notarized Premarital Education Statement on church letterhead or a signed and notarized Educator’s Statement.

Upon receipt of your marriage license, please be sure to read it carefully to check for any spelling error of names, addresses, etc. Changes requested after the marriage might require a court order to change.

Fee:

Cash, check or credit card accepted. Application fees are non-refundable

Regular fee $115.00
 Reduced fee $ 40.00

In order to qualify for the reduced fee, the parties must submit a signed and dated Educator’s Statement from the person who provided the premarital education confirming that a minimum of 12 hours were completed. The premarital education must be provided by a licensed or ordained minister or the minister’s designee, a person authorized to solemnize marriages under MN Statute 517.18, or a person authorized to practice marriage and family therapy under MN Statute 148B.33. The education must include the use of premarital inventory and the teaching of communication and conflict management skills.

COPY OF CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE

To obtain a certified copy of a marriage certificate, please complete the Marriage Record Request form listed below and enclose appropriate fees.

SEARCH MARRIAGE RECORDS STATEWIDE

Minnesota Local Vital Statistic Registrars collaborated without state or federal resources to design a statewide marriage index system that received a commitment from all 87 counties to enter all marriage data. From the MOMS Minnesota Official Marriage System website you can search, and order marriage records statewide. MOMS includes information from each county to inform users what years of records are available as some counties are still working to add historical data.

Send to:
 Pope County Recorder
 130 East Minnesota Ave, Suite 206
 Glenwood, MN 56334
Email: pub.recorder@co.pope.mn.us

If you have questions, please feel free to contact the Pope County Recorder’s Office or you may search https://moms.mn.gov/ which is a website for the statewide marriage index.

Forms:

Educator’s Statement
Marriage Record Request
Statement of Identify