Search Anoka County Death Records

Anoka County death records are kept by the county's vital statistics office and by the Minnesota Department of Health. Deaths that occurred in Anoka County, or anywhere in Minnesota, can be found through the county recorder in Anoka or through MDH in St. Paul. Whether you need a certified copy for legal purposes or a noncertified copy for family research, this guide explains your options, the steps to follow, and where to look for records going back more than a century.

Anoka County Vital Records Office

The Anoka County Government Center is where you go to get death records in person. The office sits at 2100 3rd Ave in Anoka, which is the county seat. The vital statistics division handles death, birth, and marriage records for the county. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The county's vital statistics page is at anokacountymn.gov/2105/Vital-Statistics, and the main county site is at anokacountymn.gov.

Anoka County holds death records from 1997 forward for any death that took place anywhere in Minnesota. If the death happened in Anoka County before 1997, the county still holds those records going back to 1908. Deaths before 1908 were not collected statewide, so pre-1908 records exist only at the county level or in historical archives. The state's MDH vital records office at health.state.mn.us is a parallel source for deaths from 1908 to the present.

The county also has a historical society that may hold supplemental materials. The Anoka County Historical Society at anokacountyhistory.org keeps local records, obituaries, and other materials that can support death record research.

The screenshot below was captured from the Anoka County main website, showing the county's online presence for residents looking for vital records services.

You can view current county services and contact details by visiting the Anoka County website directly.

The county site is a useful starting point to confirm office hours, find the right phone number, and download any local request forms.

Getting a Death Certificate in Anoka County

You have three ways to get a copy of a death certificate in Anoka County. In person is the fastest. Mail and online take longer but work well if you are not local.

In person: bring a valid photo ID and payment to the Anoka County vital statistics office. Staff can typically process your request the same day. You will need the full name of the person who died, the date of death, and the city or county where the death occurred. If you need a certified copy, you must be able to show you qualify under state law. Minnesota Statute 144.225 limits who can get a certified copy to the spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or legal representative of the deceased. Attorneys and government agencies with a lawful purpose also qualify.

By mail: download the MDH application form at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/docs/dcappia.pdf. Fill it out completely. Before mailing, you must sign it in front of a notary. Send the notarized form, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order payable to the Minnesota Department of Health to P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164-0882. The state office can fill most requests for Anoka County deaths from 1908 forward.

Online: order through VitalChek, the authorized state vendor. VitalChek accepts credit cards and charges $7 above the state fee for standard service, or $17.50 above for rush orders. Certificates are mailed to your address. Plan for several business days of processing time even with rush service.

Certified vs. Noncertified Anoka County Death Records

Minnesota produces two types of death record copies. Each has a different use and a different access rule.

Certified copies carry the official state seal. They are the ones banks, courts, insurance companies, and government agencies will accept. You need a certified copy to close an estate, transfer a vehicle title, collect life insurance, or handle most legal matters after a death. The cost is $13 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Eligibility is controlled by Minn. Stat. 144.225. The statute names the people who can request a certified copy, and you may be asked to show ID or documentation proving your relationship to the deceased. If you do not qualify directly, you can still request the record if you have a court order or a demonstrated legal need.

Noncertified copies do not carry the state seal. They are open to anyone, no eligibility check required. The cost is also $13. Noncertified copies are useful for family history research, genealogy projects, or keeping a personal file. They are not accepted in place of certified copies for legal or financial purposes.

The MDH eligibility page at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/tangible.html explains the rules in plain terms and lists what documents to include with a mail-in request.

Also worth knowing: under Minn. Stat. 13.10, death records are classified as private for the first 10 years after the date of death. After that period, they become part of the public record.

Historical Death Records in Anoka County

Anoka County has a notable collection of historical death records available through the Minnesota Historical Society. The MNHS holds Anoka County death records on microfilm dating from 1870 through 1945. This is one of the more complete early collections for any Minnesota county. If you are researching a death that happened between 1870 and 1945, MNHS is your best starting point.

The Gale Family Library at MNHS is at 345 W Kellogg Blvd in St. Paul. It is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can call 651-259-3300 for help before you visit. The MNHS death records guide at libguides.mnhs.org/vital/death lists what collections are available, how they are organized, and what you can search online versus in person at the library.

For deaths before 1870, options are limited. Church records, cemetery records, and probate files are sometimes the only surviving sources. The Anoka County Historical Society at anokacountyhistory.org may hold local materials that fill some of these gaps. Their collection includes obituaries, newspapers, and other local historical documents.

For deaths from 1908 forward, the county recorder and MDH are both reliable sources. County records go back to 1908 for in-county deaths, while the state holds a complete set for all Minnesota deaths from that year on.

Online Access to Anoka County Death Records

Several online tools make it easier to search for or request Anoka County death records without a trip to the courthouse.

MDH provides an online verification tool that lets you confirm whether a death record exists in the state system. This covers deaths registered in Minnesota from 1997 to the present. You can check the MDH services page at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/services.html to see what is available online. The tool is useful when you need to confirm dates or basic facts without ordering a full copy.

For certified or noncertified copies ordered online, VitalChek at vitalchek.com is the authorized vendor. You enter the details of the record you need, pay by credit card, and VitalChek mails the certificate to you. The process is simple, but it is not instant. Even with rush service, plan for several days. If you need the record right away, the in-person option at the Anoka County Government Center is faster.

Historical records from before 1997 are not available online. For those, you need to submit a mail-in request to MDH or visit the county recorder or MNHS in person. MDH can be reached at 651-201-5970, or through their contact page at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/contact.html.

Cities in Anoka County

Death records for all cities in Anoka County are filed through the Anoka County vital statistics office. Two cities in Anoka County have populations large enough to qualify for their own pages.

Other communities in Anoka County include Andover, Anoka, Columbia Heights, Fridley, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, and Spring Lake Park. Death records for all of these are handled at the county recorder's office in Anoka.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Anoka County. If you are not sure which county holds the death record you need, check where the death occurred.