Big Stone County Death Index

Big Stone County death records are available at the County Courthouse in Ortonville, where the local vital records office processes death certificate requests and maintains the Big Stone County death index. Records go back to approximately 1870. Deaths from 1997 forward are also searchable through the statewide online death index maintained by the Minnesota Department of Health. This page explains how to request Big Stone County death records, what to pay, and who can receive certified copies.

Big Stone County Vital Records Office

The vital records office is at the Big Stone County Courthouse, 20 2nd St SE, Ortonville, MN 56278. Call (320) 839-2555 for hours and questions. The Big Stone County website has current contact information and any changes to service availability. Big Stone County is a small rural county in western Minnesota on the South Dakota border. Ortonville is the county seat and the only in-person location for death certificate requests.

The courthouse vital records office can issue death certificates for deaths that occurred in Big Stone County. For post-1997 deaths, they can also access records statewide through Minnesota's electronic death registration system. If you're requesting a death record from another county, you'll need to contact that county or go through MDH.

MDH is at P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164, and can be reached at 651-201-5970 or health.vitalrecords@state.mn.us. MDH handles mail requests for deaths from across Minnesota and is a good option if visiting Ortonville isn't practical. The MDH vital records page explains the full process.

The MDH Verify a Death search tool covers Minnesota deaths from 1997 forward, including those from Big Stone County, and is free to use online.

Requesting Big Stone County Death Certificates

In-person requests are accepted at the Big Stone County Courthouse in Ortonville. Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID. No notarization is needed when applying face to face. The office can often process the request the same day. Payment is by cash or check made out to Big Stone County.

Mail requests must be notarized. Fill out your application, have it notarized, and send it to the courthouse with a copy of your ID and the correct payment. Allow extra time for mail processing and return shipping. If you want to send your request directly to the state, MDH accepts notarized mail requests too. The MDH death records page has a downloadable application form and instructions. For MDH requests, make out payment to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Death Certificate Fees in Big Stone County

Fees match the Minnesota statewide schedule. A certified death certificate costs $13 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Non-certified copies are $13 each and don't require proof of relationship. They are not valid for legal use but are fine for genealogical research or personal reference.

Veterans and their surviving family members may be eligible for free certified copies when requesting for VA benefit purposes. Ask the Big Stone County office or MDH about this when you apply. The courthouse accepts cash or check. Mail requests require a check or money order.

Who Can Obtain Big Stone County Death Records

Certified death certificates require a tangible interest under Minnesota Statute 144.225. Qualifying parties include the decedent's spouse or domestic partner, parents and grandparents, children and grandchildren, and siblings. Estate representatives, attorneys working for qualified family members, government agencies with a lawful purpose, and individuals with a court order may also request certified copies.

Non-certified copies are open to anyone. Minnesota Statute 13.10 provides broader public access to data on deceased persons compared to data on living individuals. Non-certified Big Stone County death records can be requested without proving a family connection. If you're not sure which type of copy you need, non-certified is usually sufficient for genealogy, while legal matters typically require certified copies.

Online Search for Big Stone County Deaths

MDH's free Verify a Death search tool covers Minnesota deaths from 1997 forward. You can search by name to see if a Big Stone County death record exists and get basic facts like the date and county of death. This is a quick first step before making a formal certificate request.

For older Big Stone County deaths, the Minnesota Historical Society People Records Search is useful. It covers roughly 1904 to 2001, drawing from digitized state death records. The MNHS death records help page explains the scope of that database and how to navigate it. Neither the MDH tool nor the MNHS tool provides certified copies; those must come from the county office or MDH through a formal request.

Historical Big Stone County Death Records

Big Stone County has maintained death records going back to approximately 1870. Early records from the last three decades of the 1800s can be incomplete, particularly in small, rural counties where registration was inconsistently enforced. Coverage generally improves after 1900 as state vital records laws became more standardized. Those requirements are now codified in Minnesota Statute 144.221.

Minnesota's statewide electronic registration system launched in 1997. Deaths before that date were recorded on paper, and many have been scanned and indexed. The MNHS search tool is the best starting point for pre-1997 Big Stone County deaths. For records not found online, the courthouse at 20 2nd St SE in Ortonville or the Minnesota State Archives in St. Paul may have physical files.