Access Benton County Death Records

Benton County death records are maintained by the county recorder in Foley and by the Minnesota Department of Health. If you need to obtain a death certificate for a death that occurred in Benton County or anywhere in Minnesota, this guide covers your options. You will find information on in-person visits, mail requests, and online ordering, along with what types of copies are available, the fees, who can get a certified copy, and where to find older historical records from before the state began keeping them.

Benton County Vital Records Office

The Benton County Recorder's Office is the local source for death records in the county. The office is at the Benton County Courthouse, 531 Dewey St, Foley, MN 56329. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can find the county online at co.benton.mn.us. The recorder handles death certificates, birth records, and marriage records for the county.

Benton County holds death records from 1997 forward for all deaths in Minnesota, not only those that occurred within the county. For deaths in Benton County specifically that happened before 1997, the county retains those records back to 1908. Deaths before 1908 were not tracked by the state, so older records live at the county or in historical collections. The Minnesota Department of Health holds a statewide set of records from 1908 onward and is reachable at health.state.mn.us, 651-201-5970, or P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164-0882.

The screenshot below was captured from the Benton County website. It shows the county's online presence, which you can use to confirm current office information and services.

Visit the Benton County website to find current contact information for the recorder's office.

The county site can help you confirm hours, find the phone number, and get directions to the courthouse in Foley before your visit.

How to Request Death Records in Benton County

Benton County death records can be requested three ways: in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek.

In person at the Benton County Courthouse in Foley is the quickest option. Bring a photo ID and payment. You will need the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and where the death occurred. If you need a certified copy, you must show you are eligible under Minnesota Statute 144.225. That statute limits certified copies to the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or legal representative of the person named in the record. Attorneys and government agencies with a lawful interest also qualify. Most in-person requests are filled the same day.

By mail, send your request to MDH. Use the application form at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/docs/dcappia.pdf. Fill it out completely, then sign it before a notary. Mail the notarized form, a copy of your photo ID, and payment to the Minnesota Department of Health, P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164-0882. Use a check or money order. MDH handles requests for Benton County deaths from 1908 forward.

Online orders go through VitalChek. You complete the order online, pay by credit card, and VitalChek mails the certificate. Standard service adds $7 to the base fee; rush service adds $17.50. Rush orders still take several business days. In-person is faster if the record is urgent.

Certified and Noncertified Death Records in Benton County

Two types of death record copies are available in Minnesota. The type you need depends on how you plan to use it.

A certified copy carries the official state seal. This is the version accepted by courts, banks, insurance companies, and government agencies. It is what you need to settle an estate, collect life insurance, or transfer a title. The first certified copy costs $13. Each additional copy of the same record, requested at the same time, is $6. Access to certified copies is limited by law. Under Minn. Stat. 144.225, only qualifying family members and legal representatives can get a certified copy. You may be asked to provide a government-issued ID and documents showing your relationship to the deceased. If you do not qualify directly, a court order can allow access.

A noncertified copy looks like the original record but carries no state seal. It is open to anyone with no eligibility requirement. The cost is also $13. Noncertified copies are used for genealogy, personal records, and family research. They are not accepted as legal proof of death by most institutions.

Under Minn. Stat. 13.10, death records are classified as private for 10 years after the date of death. After that, they become part of the public record with broader access. More details on eligibility are at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/tangible.html.

Historical Death Records for Benton County

For deaths that occurred in Benton County before 1908, the state of Minnesota does not hold records. Pre-1908 research leads to the county itself and to the Minnesota Historical Society.

The MNHS Gale Family Library at 345 W Kellogg Blvd in St. Paul is open Thursday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Phone: 651-259-3300. MNHS holds microfilm, county death registers, church records, probate materials, and other historical sources. The death records guide at libguides.mnhs.org/vital/death shows what they have for Minnesota counties and how to access it. For Benton County, contact MNHS to ask what county-specific materials are in the collection.

The county recorder in Foley may also have older death registers that predate the state registry. Call the recorder before you visit to ask what older records they hold. Church records, burial records from local cemeteries, and probate files from the Foley area are also sources worth checking for very early deaths.

Online Death Record Search for Benton County

Online tools are available to search for and order Benton County death records from home.

MDH has an online verification tool that covers deaths from 1997 to the present in Minnesota. It can confirm whether a record is in the state system and provide basic details, but it does not give you a copy. Use it to verify a date of death or check whether a record exists before ordering a full certificate. See the MDH services page at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/services.html for details.

For actual copies online, VitalChek at vitalchek.com is the state-authorized vendor. You complete the request online, pay by credit card, and the certificate arrives by mail. Records from before 1997 are not available online. For those, you need a mail-in request or an in-person visit to the county. Reach MDH at 651-201-5970 or through health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/contact.html for older record requests or questions.

Cities in Benton County

All death records for communities in Benton County are processed through the county recorder in Foley.

No cities in Benton County meet the 100,000 population threshold for a dedicated city page. Communities in the county include Foley, Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud (partially), Rice, and Gilman. Death records for all of these communities are handled at the county level.

Nearby Counties

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