Marriage Licenses
Marriage applicants must complete and submit their application online. If you do not have access to a computer, you may use the public computer at the Otter Tail County Recorder’s office. Staff will be available to assist you if needed.
Upon receipt of your marriage license, please be sure to read it carefully to check for any errors. If an error is found, please contact our office to make the correction prior to the marriage ceremony. Changes requested after the marriage may require a court order to change.
Applicants are asked to arrive between 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. No appointment is necessary.
Filing Requirements and Instructions
- 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 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.
- If an applicant has a felony conviction, a name change can not be requested through the marriage application processes. If a name change is desired after the marriage, the applicant will need to go through the court name change process described in Minnesota Statute 259.10. Minnesota Statute 259.13, subd. 5 allows a person with a felony to apply for a name change with no fees as long as the person applies within 180 days of the marriage and submits a certified copy of the marriage certificate. This applies to Minnesota residents. For non-Minnesota residents, please consult with the district court of your county of residence.
- 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 Otter Tail County Recorder’s office to finish applying 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.
Fees
Cash, check or credit card accepted. Application fees are non-refundable
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Marriage License Full Fee | $125.00 |
| Marriage License Reduced Fee | $50.00 |
| Marriage Ceremony | $100.00 |
| Certified Copy of Certificate of Marriage | $9.00 |
| Marriage Officiant Certificate of Filing | $40.00 |
| Notary Filing | $20.00 |
In order to qualify for the reduced fee, the parties must submit a signed and dated Educator’s Statement on official letterhead 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
Requests can be made in person or by mail. To obtain a certified copy of a marriage certificate by mail, please complete the Marriage Record Request Form and enclose appropriate fees. Marriage certificates are county specific so a certified copy can only be provided if the original marriage application was submitted in Otter Tail County.
Marriage Record Amendment
If your marriage certificate record needs to be amended and your record is filed with Otter Tail County, you may apply for an Otter Tail County Marriage Record Amendment. Your record is filed in the county where you obtained your marriage license and may be different than the county where your marriage ceremony took place.
Marriage Record Amendment Application
Marriage Record Amendment Info Letter
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 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:
Otter Tail County Recorder
565 Fir Avenue West
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Email: [email protected]
If you have questions, please feel free to contact the Otter Tail County Recorder’s Office or you may search https://moms.mn.gov which is a website for the statewide marriage index.
Marriage Ceremony
COST: $100.00
The Otter Tail County Recorder’s Office will perform civil marriage ceremonies at the Otter Tail County Government Services Center in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. The ceremony will last less than 5 minutes and will use a standard script that is not able to be customized.
Marriage ceremonies are by appointment only. Appointments can only be made up to 3 months in advance of the date of the ceremony. To make a reservation please contact the Otter Tail County Recorder’s Office at 218-998-8140 or email [email protected]. Currently appointments are being accepted on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Appointments are on a first come first served basis; dates and times are subject to staff availability. Ceremonies are only performed during the Government Services Center business hours.
Once an appointment is made, you may reschedule only one time. Call the Recorder’s Office at 218-998-8140 to reschedule. Payment will be collected at the time of the ceremony. Once payment is collected, refunds will not be issued upon cancellation of your ceremony.
On the day of the ceremony
- You must bring a Minnesota marriage license. The license can be applied for at the Recorder’s Office. If applying the same day as the ceremony, allow for at least an additional 30 minutes before your scheduled ceremony for the application process.
- Both parties must bring their valid, government issued photo ID to the ceremony.
- You must bring two witnesses, age 16 or older, that have a valid ID. The witnesses will sign the marriage certificate.
- Only 6 guests in total will be allowed, including witnesses.
- None of the individuals in the wedding party, including guests, may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The Recorder’s Office reserves the right to cancel the ceremony if parties appear to be under the influence. No refund will be given for the cancellation.
- You should arrive at the Government Services Center at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled ceremony time.
- You must be present at your scheduled time, or the ceremony will be cancelled.
- A certified copy of the marriage certificate will be provided after the completion of the ceremony if the license was obtained in Otter Tail County. One certified copy is included with the cost of the marriage license. Additional copies may be purchased for a fee of $9.00 each.
Payment for the ceremony and additional certificates can be made by cash, check or credit card. Credit card payments have a minimum convenience fee of $2.00.
Policy is subject to change.