Tangible Interest

Minnesota Statute, Section 144.225, Subdivision 7 restricts access to a certified birth or death certificate to a person who has a tangible interest in a requested certificate.

Who has Tangible Interest?

• The subject, child, spouse, parent, grandchild, or grandparent of the subject;
• The legal custodian or guardian of the subject (must present legal documentation);
• A personal representative of the estate of the subject (must present legal documentation);
• A licensed attorney (with license number);
• The person who filed, or a representative of the organization that filed, the death information with the Minnesota Department of Health or a local registrar;
• If you are presenting the registrar with a court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.

You may also be issued a certificate if a person who has tangible interest authorizes you to receive the certificate (must submit a notarized Authorization Form). A person may be issued a certificate if they demonstrate to the State Registrar that the certificate is necessary for determination/protection of a personal or property right.

A representative of a local, state or federal governmental agency may be issued a certificate if it is necessary for the governmental agency to perform authorized agency duties. 

Siblings have tangible interest in Death records only. 

Acceptable Documents of Identity include:

1. An unexpired picture driver’s license issued according to Minnesota Statutes, Section 171.07, or according to the laws of another state or territory of the United States.  A temporary driver’s license or learner’s permit is not acceptable;
2. An unexpired state picture identification card issued according to Minnesota Statutes, Section 171.07 or according to the laws of another state or territory of the United States;
3. An unexpired federal, state, or local government employee picture identification card issued by a government entity located in the United States; ID must have a signature;
4. An unexpired Aircraft Pilot’s License issued by the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration;
5. An unexpired United States Military Identification Card;
6. An unexpired United States Passport;
7. For an applicant who is not a registrant, an unexpired Canadian Passport;
8. For an applicant who is not the registrant, an unexpired passport from another jurisdiction with:

         a)  A United States Department of Justice, Immigration and
              Naturalization Service, Arrival and Departure Form I-94 attached,
              bearing the same name as that on the passport and containing an
              unexpired endorsement of the alien’s nonimmigrant status, or
         b)  An unexpired I-551 stamp; or

    9.  For an applicant who is not a registrant, one of the following documents
         issued by the United States Department of Justice, Immigration and
         Naturalization Service, or a subsequent form or version of a document
         specified in this item;

        a)  A Naturalization Certificate (Form N-550 or N-570);
        b)  A Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561);
        c)  A United States Citizen Identification Card (Form I-179 or I-197);
        d)  A valid Permanent Resident or Resident Alien Card (Form I-551 or I-151);
        e)  A Northern Mariana Card (Form I-873 with “Northern Mariana” imprinted
             instead of Resident Alien);
        f)   An American Indian Card (Form I-872 with “American Indian” imprinted
             instead of Resident Alien);
        g)  An unexpired employment authorization document with a photograph
             (Form I-688, I-688A, I-688B, or I-766); or
        h)  An unexpired reentry permit/refugee travel document (Form I-571).