Ramsey County Marriage and Divorce Channels
Ramsey County keeps marriage and divorce records in different government offices because the records come from different legal acts. A marriage license is issued through Ramsey County Vital Records, and a marriage certificate copy is requested through the county marriage-record process. Divorce is different. Divorce is a family court case in Ramsey County District Court, so the divorce file, decree, register of actions, and certified court copies are handled by the District Court Records Center.
The county's licenses, permits, and records pages point residents to marriage licenses, marriage records, and divorce records as separate topics. That split matters when a person needs proof for a name change, benefits, remarriage, passport work, or a court matter. Marriage proof comes from the vital records side. Divorce proof comes from the court file. The statewide court search can help locate a divorce case, but the official certified copy still comes through court administration rather than the marriage certificate counter.
The Ramsey County licenses, permits, and records page shows the broader vital records menu used for marriage-related services.
Use that county menu for marriage licenses and certificates, but use District Court records for divorce decrees and family case documents.
Ramsey County Marriage License Requirements
Ramsey County marriage licenses are issued by Vital Records at the Plato Building. The county page states that marriage licenses must be requested in person, that a license must be purchased before the wedding, and that a Minnesota marriage license may be used only in Minnesota. A license expires if it is not used within six months. Applicants should treat the license appointment as an official record transaction, since both applicants must provide identity and name information that will be used for the certificate.
Both applicants must appear unless the county's absent-party rule applies. When one person cannot appear, the absent person must provide notarized supplemental marriage license paperwork and a completed notarized marriage license application. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and should be ready to show valid identification. The county also asks for full legal names, addresses, telephone numbers, Social Security numbers if the applicant has one, after-marriage names, and the after-marriage address.
The county's marriage license page identifies the Plato Building as the local license office.
That office is the correct source for new licenses, while prior marriage certificates use the record-copy process.
| Requirement or field | Type | Required | Ramsey County note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both applicants present | Appearance | Yes, unless exception applies | Both parties normally appear in person to apply. |
| One party absent | Notarized forms | Conditional | Absent party must provide notarized supplemental and marriage license applications. |
| Age | Eligibility | Yes | Applicants must be at least 18 years old. |
| Valid identification | ID | Yes | Applicants should be ready to present valid ID. |
| Full legal name | Text | Yes | Required for each applicant. |
| Address and telephone | Contact data | Yes | Required for each applicant. |
| Social Security number | Identifier | Conditional | Provide it if the applicant has one. |
| After-marriage names and address | Certificate data | Yes | Each applicant gives after-marriage name information. |
Apply for Ramsey County Marriage Records
A marriage license is not the same thing as a certified copy of a later marriage certificate. The license process comes before the ceremony. The certificate copy process comes after the completed marriage record has been filed. Ramsey County's license channel should be used when the couple is preparing to marry in Minnesota. The record-copy channel should be used when a person needs proof of a marriage that has already been recorded.
- Confirm that the marriage will take place in Minnesota, since a Ramsey County license is valid only in Minnesota.
- Gather valid identification and the personal information required for both applicants, including legal names, contact information, and after-marriage names.
- Make sure both applicants can appear in person, or prepare the notarized absent-party paperwork if one applicant cannot appear.
- Apply at Ramsey County Vital Records in the Plato Building during county business hours.
- Use the license within six months, then make sure the completed marriage record is filed so future certified copies can be issued.
Note: Ramsey County research confirms the license expiration period and in-person requirement, but not a reduced-fee education option.
Ramsey County Marriage and Divorce Fees
The research file captured one local fixed amount for this topic: Ramsey County marriage record copies cost $10 per copy. Court copy fees for divorce decrees and other District Court documents were not captured as a local dollar amount in the Ramsey records page. The court page says required copy fees must be paid before copies are provided and that current fees are controlled by the Minnesota Judicial Branch court-fee process. For that reason, divorce copy costs should be confirmed with Room 72 before mailing a request or ordering by phone.
| Item | Amount or payment note | Source caution |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage record copy | $10 per copy | Ramsey County marriage records page. |
| Historical marriage record search | Copy price applies if issued | Historical records are not digitized and may require manual staff search. |
| Divorce decree certified copy | Confirm with District Court Records Center | Local research did not capture the current court copy dollar amount. |
| Mail payment for court copies | Check or money order | Payment is due before court copies are provided. |
| Phone payment for court copies | Credit or debit card | Use the District Court Records Center phone channel. |
| In-person court copy payment | Cash, check, money order, credit or debit card | Applies at the court records counter. |
Ramsey County MOMS Marriage Search
The Minnesota Official Marriage System, often called MOMS, is the statewide marriage certificate index. It can be used to search for a Ramsey County marriage certificate by county, party name, and date range. The system is useful when the requester does not know the exact certificate date or wants to confirm whether a marriage certificate is indexed in Ramsey County before requesting a paid copy from the county.
The MOMS search form is not a court records system, and it does not replace a certified certificate from Ramsey County. It is best used as an index and lead source. Select Ramsey County when the local county is known. If the county is not known, broader searching may locate the county that filed the certificate. Older wording in MOMS explains that Applicant 1 and Applicant 2 replaced older gendered labels used before August 1, 2013.
The MOMS search image comes from the official Minnesota Official Marriage System search page.
The fields shown there help narrow a certificate search before a paid Ramsey County marriage record copy is requested.
| Field label | Type | Required | Options or format notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| County | Dropdown | Optional or unspecified | Select Ramsey for local marriage certificates. |
| Search By | Dropdown | Optional or unspecified | Both Applicants, Applicant 1, or Applicant 2. |
| Last Name | Text | Optional or unspecified | Use a current or known certificate name. |
| First Name | Text | Optional or unspecified | Helps reduce false matches. |
| Middle Name | Text | Optional or unspecified | Useful for common names. |
| Date Range From and To | Date | Optional | Narrows by certificate date range. |
| Search Option | Dropdown | Optional or unspecified | Name Starts With, Name Sounds Like, or Name Exact Match. |
Order Ramsey County Marriage Records
Ramsey County marriage records may be requested by mail or in person. The county page states that Ramsey County marriage records are available from approximately 1850 to present. That long date span makes the county record channel important for family history, estate work, name-change proof, and replacement certificates. The same page also explains that historical marriage records are not digitized, so staff may need to complete a manual search before a record can be issued.
Manual historical searches can take more time than a modern certificate request. The county states that historical requests cannot be processed the same day because a thorough staff search is needed. Those requests may be mailed or dropped off, then processed as soon as possible. A requester who needs a certificate for a deadline should avoid assuming that an older certificate can be found and printed while they wait.
Ramsey County's marriage records page is the source for the copy price and historical search notice.
That local copy process is separate from the MOMS index and separate from divorce court records.
Find Ramsey County Divorce Records
Divorce records in Ramsey County are maintained by the District Court Records Center at Saint Paul City Hall - Ramsey County Courthouse, Room 72. The county's divorce records page sends requesters to that court records channel and gives the Records Center phone number, 651-266-8237. Divorce files are family court records, not marriage records. A divorce decree, parenting order, or other filed document may be part of the court case record, while the marriage certificate remains with the county vital records side.
Start with Minnesota Court Records Online when a case number or party name is available. Use the Family case category and Ramsey County location filters where possible. MCRO can show case details and public register entries, but it is not the official certified record and does not certify documents. Some public documents may be available only at courthouse terminals. For a certified divorce decree, use the District Court Records Center rather than relying on a downloaded online view.
The county's divorce records page points directly to the Room 72 court record channel.
Use that court channel for certified decrees, older files, and documents not available through remote MCRO access.
Ramsey County Divorce Record Limits
Family records can include sensitive information. MCRO restrictions also affect some related case types. Domestic Abuse Order for Protection and Harassment Restraining Order case types do not display on the internet under remote access limits. Party street addresses and some comment fields are not displayed in all case types. A public register entry may exist even when a document is not available online, and a courthouse terminal or a court-order process may be needed for certain material.
The Minnesota domestic abuse statute image comes from Minnesota Statutes section 518B.01.
That source is relevant because order-for-protection records are one of the family-related categories limited from remote MCRO display.
Certified copy point: MCRO can help locate a Ramsey County divorce case, but certified divorce decrees must come from local court administration.
Note: Nonpublic family documents may require identity verification, party status, statutory authority, or a judge's order.