Marriage License

Marriage licenses can be obtained from the Recorder's office located on the 1st floor at the Wright County Government Center. Appointments are available from 8:15 am - 4:00 pm. Appointments are required - please contact as at Phone:  763.682.7357 (press 4)

Email the Recorders Office to schedule your appointment.

Applying for a Marriage License

You may apply for a marriage license in Wright County regardless of residence or where the ceremony is taking place as long as you are married within the geographical boundaries of Minnesota. 
  
If you would like to start the process ahead of time, you may begin by completing an eMarriage Application at home or you can use the public terminals located  in our office.      We will print the application when you arrive to apply for the license. Both parties must appear in person to complete the application process.

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Application Requirements

You will be asked to provide the following information for each applicant on the Marriage License Application:          

  • Full name, current address, and county of residence
  • Social security number if you have one
  • Date and place of birth
  • Information regarding any previous marriage(s)    
  • Full name you wish to have after marriage

Both applicants must be at least 18 years of age

Both applicants must appear in person to complete the application process

Provide Identification (driver's license, identification card or passport)              

Applicants that have a felony conviction will not be able to able to change their name through the marriage application process. If a name change is desired, it must go through the court name change process.  Minnesota Statute 259.10 lays out the requirements for a MN resident to apply for a name change through the district court. Minnesota Statute 259.13, subd. 5 allows a person with a felony conviction to apply for a name change through the district court for no fee if the person files the action within 180 days after the marriage and a certified copy of the marriage certificate is submitted to the court..  For non-Minnesota residents, contact the district court for your county of residence for further guidance.

The license is valid for a period of 6 months and valid only in the State of Minnesota. There is no refund if the license is not used within the 6 months. 

If you were previously married and your last spouse is deceased, we will need the date and county of death.  If your last marriage ended in divorce we will need the dissolution date, county/state, and the type of court that it occurred.


  Fees 
      Regular Application      $115.00
      Reduced Application    $40.00 

Reduced Marriage License

Minnesota law provides for a reduced marriage application/license fee when a couple completes 12 hours of premarital education.  "The premarital education must be provided by a licensed or ordained minister or the minister's designee, a person authorized to solemnize marriages under section 517.18, or a person authorized to practice marriage and family therapy under section 148B.33"  Minn. Stat. 517.08 subd. 1b(c).  
  
To obtain the reduced fee, applicants must provide a statement from the educator at the time of application.

  The educator's statement must meet the following requirements:

  1. Statement must be on the educator's letterhead 
  2. Statement must be signed & dated by the educator, with the educator's signature notarized or "marked" with a church seal
  3. Statement must include legal names of both applicants and these names must be identical to the names on the marriage application(no nicknames)
  4. Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. 517.08 subd. 1b(d)) specifically requires the following language be use in the Educator's Statement:"I, .......................... (name of educator), confirm that .......................... (names of both parties) received at least 12 hours of premarital education that included the use of a premarital inventory and the teaching of communication and conflict management skills.  I am a licensed or ordained minister, a person authorized to solemnize civil marriages under Minnesota Statutes, section 517.18, or a person licensed to practice marriage and family therapy under Minnesota Statutes, section 148B.33. 
  5. Original signed educator's statement required  

 Fees 
      Regular Application      $115.00
      Reduced Application    $40.00