Birth Certificates
A birth certificate can be obtained from any Minnesota county vital records office for people born in Minnesota after 1935. If born prior to 1935 in Otter Tail County, a birth certificate can only be obtained from the Otter Tail County Recorder’s Office. Tangible interest and identification are required to obtain a certified birth certificate.
“Long Form” birth certificates are no longer issued by the state of Minnesota. See the Minnesota Department of Health website for information on documentation that may meet your needs.
If you were not born in Minnesota, see the National Center for Health Statistics for more information about ordering a birth certificate from another state.
Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Birth Certificate (Certified) | $26.00 with tangible interest |
| Birth Certificate (Certified) | $19.00 each additional copy of the same certificate |
| Birth Certificate (Non-Certified) | $13.00 |
Request
In Person:
Birth Certificate Application (in person version)
- Complete Birth Certificate Application indicating you have “tangible interest”. Do not sign until you are present in our office.
- Show identification.
- Pay fees by cash, check or credit card (a convenience fee will be charged for credit card transactions).
By Mail:
Birth Certificate Application (by mail version)
- Complete Birth Certificate Application indicating you have “tangible interest”.
- Sign application in front of a notary.
- Pay fees by check or credit card (a convenience fee will be charged for credit card transactions).
- Mail to:
Otter Tail County Recorder
565 Fir Avenue West
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
OR
- Email to:
[email protected]
Tangible Interest
Tangible interest is a fraud protection measure. The prevalence of fraud is on the rise and most Minnesota birth and death records are public data. Tangible interest helps protect people who are born in Minnesota and the families of people who die in Minnesota by restricting access to the certificates that are used for most legal purposes such as school registration, applying for a passport or a social security number, or settling an estate.
Minnesota Statutes, Section 144.225, Subdivision 7 restricts access to a certified birth or death certificate, which means you must have a tangible interest to obtain a certified birth or death record. This law was effective August 1, 2000. Minnesota Department of Health’s Tangible Interest webpage.
If you have questions about who is eligible to obtain birth or death certificates, contact [email protected] or 651-201-5970.
Confidential Birth Records
Some records are confidential and can only be obtained by some people. Pursuant to Minnesota Statute 144.225, Subdivision 2, data pertaining to the birth of a child, to a woman who was not married to the child’s father when the child was conceived or when the child was born, including the original certificate of birth and the certified copy, are confidential data unless the mother has designated the data as being public.
Confidential birth records are available only to:
- The individual on the birth record if the individual has reached the age of 16
- The mother named on the birth record
- The father named on the birth record
- A legal guardian presenting a certified copy of guardianship papers
- An individual presenting a certified copy of a court order releasing the record to him/her
- The Commissioner of Human Services or authorized representative
- An individual with a written and notarized authorization from any of the persons above.
Historical Record Request: Non Certified, Informational Copy
Non Certified Birth Record Application
- Public Record: Complete the form. No tangible interest is required. Your signature does not need to be notarized.
- Confidential Record: Complete the form indicating you have “tangible interest”. Sign the application in front of a notary.
- Pay fees by check or credit card (a convenience fee will be charged for credit card transactions).
- Mail to:
Otter Tail County Recorder
565 West Fir Avenue
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
OR - Email to:
[email protected]