Minneapolis Death Records

Death records for Minneapolis are filed through Hennepin County and the Minnesota Department of Health. Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota, with a population of around 430,000, and deaths that occur here are registered at the county level. Whether you need a certified death certificate for legal or financial purposes, or you are searching historical records for genealogy research, this page explains who holds the records, how to request them, and where to look for older documents that may not be in the state database.

How to Get Minneapolis Death Records

Death records for deaths in Minneapolis are maintained by Hennepin County. The county holds records from 1997 to the present. For deaths before 1997, requests go to the Minnesota Department of Health, which holds statewide records from 1908 forward. Minneapolis is the county seat of Hennepin County, so the county offices are located right in the city.

Hennepin County Vital Records is your first stop for certified or noncertified death certificates for deaths in Minneapolis. The county office is at 300 S 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487. You can learn about county vital records services at hennepin.us/residents/vital-records. In-person requests are typically processed the same day. Bring a valid photo ID and be ready to show that you qualify under state law to receive a certified copy. The county handles deaths that occurred anywhere in Minnesota from 1997 forward, so even if the person did not die in Minneapolis itself, Hennepin County can help with records from that period.

Minneapolis also maintains a death records guidance page through the city at minneapolismn.gov/assistance/death-records. The city does not issue death certificates itself, but the page explains where to go, who to call, and links to the county and state offices. It is a good starting point if you are not sure which agency to contact. The city's main website at minneapolismn.gov also has contact details and links to local government services.

The screenshot below was taken from the City of Minneapolis website, which directs residents to the right agencies for death record requests.

The city's guidance page is a practical first resource for families dealing with a recent death in Minneapolis.

Ordering Options for Minneapolis Death Certificates

There are three ways to order a death certificate. In person is fastest. Mail takes longer but works for most situations.

In person at Hennepin County, you can walk in to the Hennepin County Government Center at 300 S 6th Street during regular business hours. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and payment. The county can often process your request the same day. You will need to know the full name of the person who died, the approximate date of death, and the county or city where the death occurred. The fee is $13 for the first certified copy and $6 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Noncertified copies are also $13 each and are available to anyone without proof of eligibility.

By mail through MDH, download the death certificate application form at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/docs/dcappia.pdf. Fill it out and have it notarized before sending. Mail the completed form with a check or money order made out to MDH, plus a copy of your photo ID, to: Minnesota Department of Health, P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164-0882. Call MDH at 651-201-5970 with questions. Mail orders take longer than in-person visits, so plan ahead if you have a deadline to meet.

Online through VitalChek at vitalchek.com, you can order Hennepin County death certificates with a credit card. VitalChek adds a $7 service fee for standard orders or $17.50 for rush processing. The certificate is mailed to you after processing. It is a convenient option if you prefer to handle things online or are not near the county office, but it is not instant.

Who Can Request Certified Copies

Minnesota law controls who can get a certified death certificate. Under Minnesota Statute 144.225, certified copies go to the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or legal representative of the deceased. Attorneys handling a legal matter and government agencies with a legal need can also request certified copies.

If you do not fall into one of those groups, you can still get a noncertified copy. It carries the same information but does not have the official state seal. It works for genealogy and personal research. It is not accepted by courts, banks, or insurance companies in place of a certified copy. The cost is the same at $13 per copy, and no eligibility proof is needed.

The MDH eligibility page at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/tangible.html explains the full list of who qualifies and what documents to include with your request. Review that page before you apply if you are unsure whether you are eligible for a certified copy.

Historical Death Records for Minneapolis

For deaths before 1908, the state has no records. MDH did not begin collecting death certificates statewide until 1908. For deaths in those older years, you need to use other sources.

The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) holds a large collection of historical vital records from across the state. Their research library, the Gale Family Library, is at 345 W Kellogg Blvd in St. Paul. It is open Thursday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 651-259-3300 for help. Their death records guide at libguides.mnhs.org/vital/death explains what they hold and how to search it. Because Minneapolis is the state's largest city and has been since the late 1800s, MNHS holds a particularly deep set of Minneapolis-area records. This includes death registers, newspaper death notices, church burial records, and city directories going back to the mid-1800s. If you are researching a death that occurred in Minneapolis before the state registry started, MNHS is the best place to look.

The Hennepin County Library system also has strong genealogy resources for Minneapolis research. The Minneapolis Central Library at hclib.org/genealogy holds local history materials, city directories, newspaper archives, and microfilm collections. Staff at the genealogy desk can help you work through those collections and find what you need. For deaths from 1908 to 1996, MDH holds the records, but you must request them by mail or through VitalChek since online ordering does not cover that older range for direct lookups.

Nearby Qualifying Cities

These nearby cities also have dedicated death records pages. All file records through their respective county offices.