Vital Statistics

The Vital Statistics provides

• Marriage, death, and birth certificates. Marriage License Application (PDF - requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
• If someone without tangible interest comes in to pick up a certified birth certificate, this form must be filled out before our office staff can issue the birth certificate: Letter of Permission (pdf)
• Passport, notary, and marriage license applications.
• Recording of notary public credentials.

Generally, Cass County vital statistics records begin around the 1900's. Some earlier records are available, but not all records were filed with the county for recording. The State of Minnesota is also the repository of some vital statistic records over the decades, spanning the years as noted.

Cass County
Births……...….……………. 1898 to present
Deaths………………………1898 to present
Marriages…………………...1897 to present *

State of Minnesota
Births………………………..1900 to present
Deaths……………………….1908 to present

*Marriage records will be filed in the county in which the license was issued. If you are not sure where the license was issued, you must contact the individual counties, as the State no longer retains this information.

A statewide vital statistics system connecting all counties allows access at any county courthouse in Minnesota to statewide records for birth and death certificates for the following years:
Births………………………..1935 to present
Deaths……………………….1997 to present

To obtain vital records from other states, go to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Fees
There are fees for applications and for certified/non-certified copies of vital records. Marriage license fees are available on this site and are due at the time the application is submitted. Please refer to the Minnesota Department of Health web site for a complete vital record fee schedule, or contact the Cass County Vital Statistics Division at 218-547-7247.

The U.S. Department of State also provides on-line passport services and information. Genealogists may wish to visit the web sites of the MN Historical Society and Cass County Cemeteries.