Search St. Paul Death Records

Death records for St. Paul, Minnesota's state capital, are maintained by Ramsey County -- not the city itself. When you need a certified death certificate for a St. Paul resident, or you are searching historical death index records for genealogy, Ramsey County Public Health Vital Records is the office to contact. The City of St. Paul's City Clerk office formally directs all birth and death record requests to Ramsey County. St. Paul has a particularly rich historical record base, including death entries from city directories dating to the 1880s and newspaper morgue clippings through the mid-twentieth century. This page explains how to find and request those records.

Which County Handles St. Paul Death Records

St. Paul falls entirely within Ramsey County. All death records for the city -- from the most recent certificate to historical records going back to around 1870 -- are held or accessible through Ramsey County. The county is the official keeper of death records for all municipalities within its borders, including St. Paul, Roseville, Maplewood, and others.

People sometimes contact the St. Paul City Clerk's office looking for death certificates. The City Clerk's office does have a birth and death records page, but it simply redirects to Ramsey County. You can see that page at https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/city-clerk/birth-death-records. Going directly to Ramsey County saves a step. The county's death records page is at https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/residents/licenses-permits-records/death-records.

For deaths that occurred in 1997 or later, any Minnesota county can issue the certificate. If you live in Dakota County but need a St. Paul death certificate from 2010, you can request it locally. For deaths before 1997, Ramsey County or the Minnesota Department of Health are your options.

The screenshot below is from the St. Paul City Clerk's birth and death records page, which redirects residents to Ramsey County for all vital records:

The City Clerk's page confirms that St. Paul does not issue death certificates and that all requests should go through Ramsey County Public Health.

Ramsey County Vital Records Office -- St. Paul Location

The Ramsey County Vital Records office is located at the Plato Building, 90 Plato Blvd. West, Saint Paul, MN 55107. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The phone number is 651-266-1333. You can also reach the office by email at AskVitalRecords@co.ramsey.mn.us.

This office handles requests for death certificates for all deaths that occurred in Ramsey County, including St. Paul. Staff can answer questions about record availability, explain what documentation you need, and help you complete the request process. If you are not sure whether a record exists or what timeframe it covers, calling ahead is a good idea.

The county's main website is https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/. The vital records section has downloadable forms and full instructions for each request method.

How to Request a St. Paul Death Certificate

Ramsey County accepts death certificate requests by several methods. You can go in person to the Plato Building during business hours. Bring a valid photo ID. The clerk will verify your identity and relationship to the deceased before issuing a certified copy. Payment is accepted in person, though you should confirm accepted payment types when you call ahead.

Mail requests are also accepted. Your written request must be notarized before mailing. Include the full name of the deceased, date and place of death, date of birth if known, and the reason you need the certificate. Include a check or money order for the fee, made payable to Ramsey County. Mail your completed, notarized request to the Plato Building address. Processing by mail takes longer than in-person -- allow at least one to two weeks plus delivery time.

For fees, a certified copy costs $13. Each additional certified copy ordered at the same time costs $6. Non-certified informational copies are $13 each. Veterans may receive copies related to their own benefit claims at no charge, as required by state policy.

Who Can Get a Certified St. Paul Death Certificate

Minnesota law sets limits on who qualifies for a certified death certificate. Under Minnesota Statute 144.225, you need a tangible interest in the record. This means you must be a spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the deceased. It also covers legal representatives of those people, anyone who needs the record for a court proceeding, and government agencies requesting records in an official capacity.

Non-certified copies are open to anyone. They carry a stamp indicating they cannot be used for legal purposes, but they show the same basic facts: name, date of death, and place of death. If your only need is genealogy research, a non-certified copy is usually sufficient and is simpler to obtain since you don't need to prove a family connection.

Minnesota Statute 13.10 governs data practices for death records, including what information can be released and to whom. Certain details within a death certificate may be restricted. The cause of death, for example, becomes more accessible over time. Ramsey County staff can tell you exactly what you qualify to receive based on your relationship to the deceased.

Online Death Record Search for St. Paul

Two primary online databases exist for searching St. Paul death records without visiting the county office. The Minnesota Department of Health provides the Verify a Death tool at https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/deathsearch/dthSearch.html. This free tool covers deaths statewide from 1997 to the present. It doesn't give you a certificate, but it confirms whether a death is on file in the state system, which county handled it, and the basic identifying information. It's a good first step if you're not sure of the exact date.

For historical records, the Minnesota Historical Society search at https://www.mnhs.org/search/people covers death records from 1904 through 2001. St. Paul is well-represented in this database. The MNHS also holds St. Paul-specific historical materials that go beyond the statewide microfilm collection. Deaths recorded in St. Paul city directories from 1888 to 1910 are one such resource. Minnesota and St. Paul Biography Clippings from 1910 to 1945, an index to biography file clippings known as "the morgue," and clippings from the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch are also part of the MNHS holdings. These materials are especially useful for deaths in St. Paul's early years.

The full MDH death records page is at https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/death.html for current records and ordering information.

The screenshot below is from the Ramsey County death records page:

The Ramsey County death records page outlines the request process, fees, and what documentation requesters need to provide for St. Paul death certificates.

St. Paul Public Library Vital Records Research

The Saint Paul Public Library offers research help for people searching historical vital records, including death records. The library's main research page on vital records is at https://sppl.org/vital-records/. Library staff can point researchers to local collections, newspaper archives, and indexes that may help fill gaps in the official death record system.

This is particularly useful for deaths that predate the statewide registration system, or for cases where an official record was lost or never filed. City directories, church records, and local newspaper death notices can often fill in the gaps. The library's collection includes St. Paul-area newspaper archives that go back to the 1800s. A death notice in the St. Paul Pioneer Press or Dispatch can provide family names, age, cause of death, and funeral arrangements that may not appear in official records.

The screenshot below shows the Saint Paul Public Library vital records research page:

The library's vital records page provides guidance for researchers and links to databases and finding aids useful for tracing St. Paul death records across many decades.

Historical St. Paul Death Records

St. Paul has been Minnesota's capital since statehood in 1858, and its death records reflect the city's long history. Ramsey County deaths going back to approximately 1870 are accessible through the MNHS microfilm collection and the statewide death index. Before 1870, church records and early city directories are often the only sources available.

Minnesota began statewide death registration in 1870, making it one of the earlier states to implement a formal system. St. Paul, as the largest city in the state at the time, has strong representation in early records. The completeness of coverage improves significantly after 1900, when registration was more consistently enforced under Minnesota's vital records statutes.

For researchers tracing St. Paul ancestors, the combination of MNHS records, the public library's newspaper collections, and the Ramsey County official records creates a layered archive that covers most deaths from the late 1800s forward. For deaths from 2001 onward, the MDH statewide database is the primary tool. Between 1904 and 2001, the MNHS search covers most of the gap. Below 1904, city directories and church records are the most reliable alternatives.

The full MDH guidance on Minnesota death records, including what each source covers and how to access it, is available at https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/death.html.

More St. Paul and Ramsey County Death Record Resources

For the full picture of what Ramsey County holds, what request methods are available, and how fees work across all vital records, see the Ramsey County Death Index page. That page covers all municipalities in Ramsey County, not just St. Paul, and includes additional details on historical records and research tools.

Other cities near St. Paul that are in Ramsey County include Roseville, Maplewood, Shoreview, Little Canada, and Arden Hills. None of those maintain their own vital records offices -- all records go through the same Ramsey County Vital Records office at the Plato Building. If you are searching for a death that occurred anywhere in Ramsey County, the process and office are the same regardless of city.

For questions about statewide resources or if you need help locating a record that may have gone to MDH rather than the county, call the Minnesota Department of Health Vital Records at 651-201-5970 or write to P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul MN 55164.