Find Marriage Records in Grant County

Grant County marriage records are on file at the County Recorder's office in Elbow Lake. The Recorder handles new license applications and issues certified copies of marriage certificates. Records go back to 1869. The MOMS statewide database indexes Grant County marriages from that same year, giving you a free online search option before you make a trip to the courthouse. This page covers how to access Grant County marriage records and what the process looks like from start to finish.

Grant County Recorder

The Grant County Recorder is located at 10 2nd Street NE in Elbow Lake. The Recorder manages marriage license applications and keeps the official record of all marriages in the county. Grant County is one of the smaller counties in western Minnesota, and the Recorder's office handles a tight range of vital records services. Birth and death records are handled by a different office, the County Treasurer, which is an unusual arrangement worth knowing about if you need both types of records.

For marriage records specifically, you go to the Recorder. Staff process new license applications, take fees, and keep the filed certificates. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $9 each. The Recorder also has records going back to 1869. The county website at co.grant.mn.us lists department contacts, and the Recorder page is at co.grant.mn.us/departments/recorder.

Two phone numbers are relevant here depending on what you need. The Recorder's line is (218) 685-8255 and handles marriage records. The Treasurer's line is (218) 685-8251 and handles birth and death records. Calling the wrong office can waste time, so know which one you need before you call.

The Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS) at moms.mn.gov is administered by the Minnesota Association of County Officers and covers Grant County marriage records in its statewide index.

MOMS is the primary tool for free online searches of Minnesota marriage records, with Grant County participating in the statewide index for records from 1869 to the present.

Getting a Marriage License in Grant County

Both parties must visit the Recorder's office in Elbow Lake together. You each need a valid photo ID. The standard fee is $115. If you have completed at least 12 hours of premarital education, you pay $40 instead. Bring the certificate from the program when you apply. Payment is by cash, check, or money order.

The application asks for full legal names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and parents' full maiden names. If either person was previously married, bring a certified divorce decree or a death certificate as proof. The Recorder reviews the paperwork and issues the license the same visit. Under Minn. Stat. section 517.08, the license is valid for six months from the date of issuance and can be used anywhere in Minnesota. There is no waiting period.

Two witnesses at least 16 years old must be at the ceremony. The officiant signs the certificate along with the witnesses. Under section 517.10, the officiant must return the signed certificate to the Grant County Recorder within five days. After the Recorder records it, certified copies can be requested at $9 each.

Note: Grant County birth and death records are with the Treasurer's office, not the Recorder. Marriage records are with the Recorder only.

Searching Grant County Marriage Records Online

MOMS, the Minnesota Official Marriage System, has Grant County marriage records indexed from 1869. The search is free at moms.mn.gov. You search by the name of either party. Results show the names of both parties, the county, and the marriage date. It is a quick way to confirm a marriage happened and to locate the right record before requesting a certified copy.

The MOMS system does not provide certified copies. It is only a search index. Once you find the record you need, contact the Grant County Recorder by phone or visit in person. The office can issue a certified copy for $9. For mail requests, call ahead to ask what is needed and where to send payment.

The Minnesota Historical Society maintains additional resources for older records and genealogy research. Their guide at libguides.mnhs.org/vital/marriage covers what historical materials are available for Grant County and how to access them. Grant County has birth and death records from 1869, though those are at the Treasurer's office rather than the Recorder's.

Marriage Law in Grant County, Minnesota

Grant County follows Minnesota Statutes Chapter 517 for all marriage licenses. The state law is the same in every county. Both parties must be at least 18 years old. Under section 517.01, close relatives cannot marry, and neither party can be currently married to someone else at the time of the application.

Officiants who perform ceremonies in Grant County must be legally authorized under section 517.04. That includes judges, licensed religious leaders, and others with authority recognized by state law. After the ceremony, the officiant has five days to file the signed certificate with the county. Late filings can delay the official recording and create problems for couples who need proof of marriage quickly.

Minnesota removed the five-day waiting period in August 2016. The license is good right away. The six-month validity window is the only time constraint. If you get the license and the wedding falls through or gets postponed past six months, the license expires and you have to apply again. The fee applies again as well. Grant County has no local exceptions to the statewide rules.

Grant County Marriage Certificate Details

A certified copy of a Grant County marriage certificate includes the full legal names of both spouses, the date of the marriage, the county where the license was issued, the officiant's name and capacity, and the names of the two witnesses. The date the Recorder recorded the certificate is also on the document. This is what courts, government agencies, and most institutions accept as proof of marriage.

The original application at the Recorder's office has more details. It includes birth dates, parents' maiden names, Social Security numbers, and prior marriage information. That data is not included in what you get in a certified copy, but it stays in the Recorder's files. Genealogy researchers may find this useful when trying to trace family connections in Grant County going back to the 1800s.

Records in the Grant County Recorder's office go back to 1869. That covers more than 150 years of local marriages. Elbow Lake is a small community, and the county itself has a modest population, so the Recorder's office can often give more individual attention to records searches than a busy urban office would. If you are researching Grant County family history, that personal service can be helpful when dealing with older or harder-to-read records.

Nearby Counties

Grant County is in western Minnesota. These neighboring counties each have their own Recorder's office for marriage records.