Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses can be obtained in the Nicollet County Public Services Office. A marriage license must be applied for in person. Applicants do not have to be Nicollet County residents. Licenses are valid for 6 months.

Application Requirements

  • Please use our online link to the Moms marriage application page. Fill out all the information, print the confirmation page and bring it with you when you come to the office.  We will print out your application, have you insert your social security numbers, take the oath and  pay the fee. Effective August 1, 2009 applications for a marriage license shall be made by BOTH parties. Depending on workflow & staffing, we may be able to issue your marriage license at the time you apply. During busy times we will offer to have you come back later to pick up the license. We do request that you are here by 4:00 pm.
  • Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
  • Applicants must provide proof of identify.

Marriage License Fees

  • The marriage license fee for couples who have completed at least 12 hours of premarital education is $40
  • The fee for the license is $115 if you have not met the premarital education requirements
  • A certified copy of the marriage certificate can be obtained for $9

Premarital Education Certificate

In order to qualify for the reduced license fee, the parties must submit at the time of applying for the marriage license a statement that is signed, dated, and notarized or marked with a church seal, from the person who provided the premarital education on their letterhead confirming that it was received. The premarital education must be provided by a licensed or ordained minister or the minister's designee, a person authorized to solemnize marriages under Section 517.18, or a person authorized to practice marriage and family therapy under Section 148B.33.

Education Confirmation Statement

The education must include the use of premarital inventory and the teaching of communication and conflict management skills. The statement from the person who provided the premarital education must be in the following form.

"I, (name of educator), confirm that (names of both parties) received at least 12 hours of premarital education that included the use of a premarital inventory and the teaching of communication and conflict management skills. I am a licensed or ordained minister, a person authorized to solemnize marriages under Minnesota Statutes, Section 517.18, or a person licensed to practice marriage and family therapy under Minnesota Statutes, Section 148B.33."

The names of the parties in the educator's statement must be identical to the legal names of the parties as they appear in the marriage license application.

Premarital Education Certificate (PDF)

Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS)

A new statewide marriage index has been created called Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS). Frequently, customers are unsure in which county their marriage certificate was filed which generates a statewide search for the custodial county of record. MOMS will enable individual customers to search this index and order a certificate from the custodial county. This index will show the bride and groom's name, the year of the marriage and the county that maintains the record. All 87 Minnesota counties are participating in this voluntary system.

Online Transaction Partnership Policy

For your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that Nicollet County has partnered with to provide you this service, VitalChek Network, Inc. VitalChek can be reached through their website. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®.