St. Louis County Marriage License Records

St. Louis County marriage licenses are issued through the Auditor-Treasurer-Recorder office, which operates five service locations across the county to serve residents spread over a large geographic area. Whether you live near Duluth, Hibbing, Virginia, Ely, or Cook, you can apply for a St. Louis County marriage license close to home. The MOMS index holds county records going back to 1870, making it one of the deeper historical archives in Minnesota.

St. Louis County Auditor-Treasurer-Recorder Office

St. Louis County is the largest county in Minnesota by area, covering more than 6,000 square miles of northeastern Minnesota. To handle that geography, the county runs its marriage license services through the St. Louis County Auditor-Treasurer-Recorder, which maintains multiple service locations rather than forcing everyone to travel to Duluth. That is a real convenience for people who live in the northern or western parts of the county.

The main office is at 1001 E Highway 2, Duluth, MN 55805. The general phone number is 218-726-2000. Beyond Duluth, the county also processes marriage license applications at service centers in Hibbing, Virginia, Ely, and Cook. If you are not sure which location is closest to you, the county's service center listing has addresses and contact details for all sites.

Call your preferred location before you go. Hours can vary across service centers, and some rural offices may have limited days. You do not want to drive a long distance only to find the office closed for the day.

How to Apply for a Marriage License in St. Louis County

Both people who plan to marry must show up together at whichever St. Louis County service location you choose. One person cannot apply on behalf of the other. You each must present a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, or passport all work. If either of you was married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or a death certificate for a former spouse. A regular photocopy is not enough; it must be a certified document.

Minnesota has no waiting period for marriage licenses. The state dropped that requirement in September 2016, so you can pick up your license and use it the same day if your wedding is happening right away. The license stays valid for six months from the date it is issued. There is also no residency requirement. You do not have to live in Minnesota or in St. Louis County to apply here, though you must apply in a Minnesota county to marry in Minnesota.

Under Minn. Stat. § 517.04, both applicants must be at least 18. A 16 or 17 year old can apply with written consent from a parent or legal guardian. No one under age 16 may marry in Minnesota. There is no blood test required.

The fee for a St. Louis County marriage license runs between $115 and $125. Couples who complete a 12-hour premarital education course can qualify for a reduced fee in the $40 to $50 range. Ask the recorder's office what documentation they need to confirm your course completion.

Note: Under Minn. Stat. § 517.08, both applicants must complete the application in person before the county recorder or a deputy recorder.

Vital Records Services in St. Louis County

Beyond marriage licenses, the Auditor-Treasurer-Recorder also handles St. Louis County vital records including birth and death certificates. If you need a certified copy of a marriage record that was registered in St. Louis County, you can request it directly from the county office or through the Minnesota Department of Health.

The Minnesota Department of Health Vital Records office issues certified copies of marriage records statewide for $9 each. MDH is a good option if you are not near a St. Louis County service center or prefer to order by mail. Processing times vary, so if you need a copy quickly, the county office is often faster.

If you need an apostille to use a Minnesota marriage record abroad, the Minnesota Secretary of State issues apostilles for $5 per document. You will need a certified copy of the marriage record first before applying for an apostille. The Secretary of State's office handles this statewide, not the county.

Search St. Louis County Marriage Records on MOMS

The Minnesota Official Marriage System, or MOMS, holds St. Louis County marriage records from 1870 to the present. That is a long stretch of history, covering more than 150 years of marriages in the county. The database is free to search and is run by the Minnesota Department of Health. You can look up records by name and filter by county and date range.

MOMS works well for finding index information: names, dates, and general record details. For older entries, the database may show index data without full document images. If you need a full certified copy of an older marriage record, reach out to the St. Louis County office directly at 218-726-2000 or contact MDH Vital Records. The MDH county directory also lists current contact details for the St. Louis County office.

The Minnesota Department of Health's vital records page provides a starting point for researching St. Louis County marriage records through official state channels.

The MDH vital records site lets you order certified copies of St. Louis County marriage records and access the statewide MOMS index.

Historical Marriage Records in St. Louis County

St. Louis County's history goes back well into the 19th century, and so do its marriage records. The MOMS index starts at 1870, which covers most of the county's formal recorded history. For records that predate the MOMS index or for genealogy research that needs original documents, the Minnesota Historical Society marriage records guide is a helpful resource. MNHS holds older county records on microfilm and can help researchers find documents not yet in digital form.

St. Louis County's size means that historical records may be scattered across the county's various service locations and older county offices. If you are researching a family from a specific part of the county, such as the Iron Range around Hibbing and Virginia, it may be worth contacting the nearest service center to ask what older local records they hold.

MOMS gives you access to the Minnesota Official Marriage System, which indexes St. Louis County marriages from 1870 through the present day.

MOMS is a free, searchable database covering St. Louis County marriage records from 1870 to current.

After the Ceremony: Filing the License

Once your ceremony is complete, your officiant is responsible for returning the signed marriage license to the county. Under Minn. Stat. § 517.13, the officiant must file the completed license within five days of the wedding. This is not something you handle yourself. The officiant takes care of it. St. Louis County then forwards the record to the Minnesota Department of Health for statewide registration.

If your officiant is new to Minnesota or unfamiliar with state requirements, they can review the MDH marriage reporting page for guidance on their obligations. Making sure they know what to do before the ceremony saves headaches afterward. A marriage license that does not get returned on time can cause complications if you need a certified copy later.

Under Minn. Stat. § 517.03, certain marriages are prohibited in Minnesota. If you have questions about eligibility, contact the county recorder's office or speak with an attorney before applying.

Cities in St. Louis County

St. Louis County is home to several communities across northeastern Minnesota. Duluth is the county seat and the largest city, and it has its own dedicated page with more detail on local marriage license resources. Other communities in the county include Hibbing, Virginia, Ely, Cook, and Chisholm. These cities do not have separate pages here, but all St. Louis County residents apply through the same Auditor-Treasurer-Recorder network regardless of which city they live in.

Nearby Counties

Marriage licenses are issued at the county level in Minnesota. Apply in the county where you choose to get your license, not necessarily where you live.