Office of Vital Records Guidance to County Vital Records Offices

County Vital Records Office colleagues:

The Office of Vital Records (OVR) is here to support you as you continue to provide essential vital records services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Together, OVR and local offices serve the needs and requests of the public as they relate to Minnesota vital records. We, OVR and local offices, are responsible for issuing birth and death certificates, noncertified copies, and providing other services related to vital records. Authority: Minnesota Vital Records Act, Minnesota Statutes, sections 144.211 to 144.227 and Minnesota Rules, part 4601.0300.

An efficient statewide system for vital records takes all of us working together, especially in these times of uncertainty. MDH and the Office of Vital Records (OVR) are here to support you and assure that operations continue. Vital records are important; we are following the Governor’s orders and MDH’s plan.

OVR is open and MR&C is available

• Support and service is available to you and our customers. Contact the OVR Help Desk at 651-201-5970 or health.vitalrecords@state.mn.us.
• OVR is processing and fulfilling requests. We process applications that specify rush processing before other requests and post processing times on our MDH webpages. Tell customers to allow extra time for us to fulfill their requests.
• Minnesota Registration and Certification (MR&C) is a priority IT system; it is available and operational.

• OVR will adjust MR&C user access to temporarily accommodate non-traditional work schedules. Contact the OVR Help Desk if you need to work outside of your usual hours.

Expectations for local offices

• Accept requests for vital records documents and services by mail and fax.
• Send Parent Notices.
• Accept and process funeral home orders for death certificates placed through MR&C.
• Accept electronic notarizations on applications and other forms. See Remote Online Notarization Authorization on the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State website for information.
• Print and mail vital records documents from the county office. Keep security paper locked up and in the office. 
• Make sure to have your security paper order delivered to a secure location. Your county may have changed mail and package receiving locations.
• Consider reduced hours, or limit days of operation before closing the vital records office during the pandemic.

• Alert OVR when your office can no longer perform a vital records service. For example, printing and mailing parent notices.
• Notify OVR if your office stops all vital records operations. 
• Update vital records information on your website if you make changes; direct customers appropriately.
• Refer customers, including funeral directors, to OVR if you are unable to meet their needs.

Please protect yourselves and stay healthy. Information about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is on the Minnesota Department of Health website.