View Free Minnesota Divorce Records & Dissolution Information

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Free Minnesota Divorce Record Search

Find out if someone in Minnesota is divorced, free of charge.

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Find free Minnesota divorce records, both online and offline, using this streamlined resource.

Divorce records can be used to trace family lineage, study genealogy, prove legal separation, or other purposes. Some people may just want to satisfy their curiosity about a particular person.

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) guarantees access to free public divorce records searches for anyone interested.

This resource walks you through the process of searching divorce records throughout the state and provides you with the necessary tools and record custodian contact information to assist in your search.

Who Is Able To Access Divorce Information in Minnesota?

Generally, all divorce records in Minnesota are considered public information, according to the Minnesota Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).¹

As a matter of fact, divorce proceedings are considered a public matter in the state, and any person has the right to access these records. These documents are accessible to any interested person, both online, in person, or by mail.

In Minnesota, the records are typically available from the county that issued the divorce.

While access to most public divorce records is open to anyone, several restrictions exist. For instance, some divorce records are sealed by court orders because they contain very sensitive information about the individuals. These records are not accessible to the public.

Also, access to some divorce records may be restricted by the Minnesota Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch.² In this case, access to the divorce records will be denied if the information includes:

• Details and information about child adoptions (including any information about minor children, such as child custody or child support)
• Alimony or intimate financial information
• Information about victims of domestic violence or abuse
• Psychological reports and/or mental health evaluations of the individuals mentioned in the divorce record

Minnesota has one of the lowest divorce rates in the country. In the North Star State, about 10.91 out of 1,000 married women divorce every year, according to a 2022 report published by Bowling Green State University.³ Only Alaska, Vermont, and New Jersey have lower divorce rates.

On the other hand, Arkansas sits at the top of the list, with almost 23.27 per 1,000 married women. Meanwhile, the national average is 14 divorces per 1,000 married women (in 2021).

How To Obtain Minnesota Divorce Records

All record seekers in Minnesota are forwarded to the local county district courts. Requesters should contact the courthouse where the divorce was granted.

There are three types of divorce records available in Minnesota:

• Divorce certificates – include the spouses’ names, the divorce agreement, and the date and location of the divorce; these certificates are usually available only to the involved parties, their legal representatives, their attorneys, or the authorities.
• Divorce decrees – are more detailed records that provide the same information as described previously, together with all the agreements and decisions ruled during the divorce process; decrees are available to the public.⁴
• Complete divorce records – are documents that hold all the information mentioned above and every other document, transcript, or any related piece of information; only the involved parties, their legal representatives, or their attorneys can ask for complete records.

Please keep in mind that divorce records in Minnesota are available to the public as divorce records or decrees (as described above), both as certified or uncertified copies.

While most states handle divorce records and other documents at their respective Office of Vital Records, Minnesota is an exception. In the North Star State, divorce records are managed by the district courts in each county. Divorce records have been managed by the local courthouses since 1849 and the Minnesota Judicial Branch.⁶

Requesters are forwarded to the district court in the county where the divorce was granted. Interested persons are advised to consult the county district courts to begin their search.

To obtain a divorce record in Minnesota, record seekers should follow these steps:

• Look for the district court in the county where the divorce was granted
• Keep in mind that some district courts have special Records Offices, which manage divorce records
• Prepare the documents you need to ask for divorce records
• Submit the documents online, in person, or by mail

Note that you will need the following information to ask for divorce records in Minnesota:

• Case Number
• Requester’s Full Name
• Divorce Date
• Requester’s Contact Information & Valid Identification Documents.

Minnesota offers multiple ways to obtain the divorce records you need; these are outlined briefly below.

By mail: Contact the district court in the county where the divorce was granted; use this list of district courts to find the district court you need. Find the contact information for the district court you need, and call the Records Office for more information. Some district courts have detailed websites, which offer the information you need. Fill in the Copy Request Form before filing your documents.⁷

In person: Find the district court you need on this list; check if the district court has a website, and check the address. Call the Records Office and ask for an appointment with the custodian (some district courts require an appointment, but others don’t); visit the district court, and submit the copy request form.

Online: The Judicial Branch of Minnesota provides a Court Records Search Tool that can be utilized to access these records.⁸ Here, users can find the documents they want and ask for a copy.

Furthermore, requesters are advised to head to the county district court where the divorce was granted. Keep in mind that not all district courts can provide divorce records via online tools.

The cost of obtaining a divorce record in Minnesota depends on the type of copy you want. Certified copies cost $14 per copy, while uncertified copies cost $8 per copy. Additional costs apply if you choose to pay by credit or debit card.

Searching County & City Agencies in MN for Divorce Records

Local offices at the county or municipal levels can also serve as sources of dissolution information or divorce records. Some particular examples can be found below.

Hennepin County: Find divorce records in Hennepin County through the Fourth District Court, which can be contacted at the following address:

Hennepin Combined Court
300 South 6th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487

Interested persons should visit the courthouse, fill in the request form, provide a valid photo ID, and pay the fee to request a divorce record.⁷

Ramsey County: Divorce records in Ramsey County are managed by the Saint Paul City Hall – County Courthouse. Here is the contact information:

Ramsey County Courthouse
Saint Paul City Hall
Records Center
15 W. Kellogg Blvd., Rm. 72
Saint Paul, MN 55102-1682 

Phone: 651.266.8237

The Second District Court provides an online contact form if you’d like to ask for more information or find specific documents.

Requesters should visit the court, complete the request form, provide a valid photo ID, and pay the fee to obtain a divorce record.⁹

Dakota County: Divorce records are handled by the First District Court, which has 3 locations in the county. Requesters are advised to contact the offices at any of these locations to get more information:

Dakota County Judicial Center
1560 Hwy 55
Hastings, Minnesota – 55033

Phone: 651.438.8100

Dakota County Northern Service Center
1 West Mendota Road, Suite 140
West Saint Paul, Minnesota – 55118

Phone: 651.554.6200
Fax: 651.554.6226

Dakota County Western Service Center
14955 Galaxie Avenue, W
Apple Valley, Minnesota – 55124

Requesters are advised to contact their respective courthouse and make an appointment for the in-person visit. For mail requests, requesters should call and ask for more information. Fill in the request form, and provide a photo ID and proof of payment with your application.

Anoka County: Divorce records are managed by the Tenth District Court, which can be found at the following address:

Anoka County Courthouse
Court Administration
2100 3rd Ave.
Anoka, MN 55303–2489

Main Line: (763)760–6700
Fax: (763)712–3247

All interested persons should visit the courthouse, fill in the record request form, provide a valid photo ID, and pay the fee to request a divorce record.

More information can be found for archived marriage records, especially for genealogy purposes.

Researching Family Genealogy & Lineage for Free via the Minnesota Divorce Archives

Many people in Minnesota want to find older divorce records to learn more about their family or perform genealogy research. In order to find these archived documents, people can search in the local divorce index, and find information at local libraries, historical societies, or other institutions.

The Minnesota Genealogical Society has multiple online resources to find information about older, archived divorce records and information. Contact the society at the following address:

Minnesota Genealogical Society
1385 Mendota Heights Rd., Ste. 100
Mendota Heights, Minnesota – 55120-1367

Phone: 651.330.9312
Email: info@mngs.org

The Minnesota Historical Society also has multiple online tools, databases, and files that can help you find the information you need.¹⁰ Contact them here:

Minnesota Historical Society
345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102

Phone: (800)657-3773 or (651)259-3000

Please call 651-259-3300 to make an appointment before visiting the society. You will have to explain what you are looking for and ask whether society can help you. Also, you can send an email to reference@mnhs.org to ask for more information, ask for references or get help with your research.

Common law divorce and marriage have not been recognized in Minnesota since 1941. However, state officials recognize common law marriages finalized in other states if the individuals are not closely related or underage. Couples who move to Minnesota must apply for a marriage license and follow the legal steps to be recognized as legally married.

How To Verify if Someone Dissolved Their Marriage in Minnesota

Under Minnesota state law, marriage dissolution is the same as a divorce. Marriage dissolution is the legal process of dissolving the civil union between two individual parties.

According to state law, the marriage dissolution is the termination of the marital relationship between the two parties. Moreover, the decree of dissolution terminates the marital status of the couple.

Because in the state, the civil union dissolution is the same as a divorce, finding marriage dissolution records is not applicable. People looking for marriage dissolution records have to follow the exact steps as people looking for divorce records in Minnesota. Interested persons are directed to the district courts in the county where the divorce papers were issued.

How To Apply for a Divorce or Respond to Divorce Papers in MN

In Minnesota, the legal term for divorce is “dissolution of marriage”. In order to dissolve your marriage, you have to undergo several steps.

You can file for an uncontested divorce at the local courthouse (where both parties have an agreement on the ground for divorce, or in the case of no-fault divorce) or contested divorce (where parties are not in agreement).

Firstly, you can apply for a divorce in Minnesota only if you have been residing in the state for the past 180 days. Exceptions apply if you or your spouse serve in the Armed Forces, but keep their official residence in Minnesota.

Filing for divorce in Minnesota:

• You will have to file and serve the court forms with the district court in the county where you live; you can find the forms.⁶
• If your spouse files the court forms and you receive them, you will have to respond to the court within 30 days; if you do not respond within the 30 days, the divorce will be considered a default; in this case, the unresponsive party forfeits their rights.

In Minnesota, you don’t need an attorney during divorce proceedings. You can represent yourself, but it’s advisable to get an attorney if the divorce is contested.

The fee to file a divorce in Minnesota is $365. An additional fee of $10 will be required if you need forms for your spouse. The papers have to be served by a third party, typically the sheriff’s office in the respective county.

The serving fee is $70 to $80, depending on the county. The papers can also be served by a professional process server. Fees hover around $50 to $80, depending on the server. Keep in mind that finding a professional process server is very important when filing for a divorce.

You now have all the tools and information you need to find Minnesota divorce records; if you’re seeking more details on residents, you can refer to the Minnesota marriage search instructions or the tutorial for accessing all free MN public information (see warrants, court documents, property records, and more).