Why Tangible Interest?

Tangible interest is a fraud protection measure. The prevalence of fraud is on the rise and most Minnesota birth and death records are public data. Tangible interest helps protect people who are born in Minnesota and the families of people who die in Minnesota by restricting access to the certificates that are used for most legal purposes such as school registration, applying for a passport or a social security number, or settling an estate. Tangible interest does not change the classification of the data. Public data is still public. Access to private or confidential data is still restricted.

Who has Tangible Interest?
You have tangible interest in a certificate:

• if you are the subject of the certificate;
• if you are the child, grandchild, spouse, parent, grandparent, legal custodian, or guardian of the subject;
• if you are a personal representative of the estate of the subject;
• or if you are the person who filed or a representative of the organization that filed the birth or death information with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) or a local registrar.

You may also be issued a certificate if a person who has tangible interest authorized you to receive the certificate or if you can demonstrate to the registrar that the certificate is necessary for the determination or protection of a personal or property right.

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

Tangible Interest Law and when it is Effective
Minnesota Statutes, section 144.225, subdivision 7 restricts access to a certified birth or death certificate to a person who has a tangible interest in the requested certificate. This is a new law that is effective August 1, 2000. As of August 1, 2000 Minnesota's Tangible Interest law requires a Birth and Death Certificate Application to be filled out by the person requesting the certificate.

Currently we are able to process birth certificate requests for nearly anyone born in Minnesota. Adopted persons may apply through the Minnesota Dept. of Health for their amended birth certificate, although original records are usually sealed.

For vital statistics in other Minnesota Counties, please contact that county. For vital statistics in other states,  please contact that state.

For information on disclosure or nondisclosure pertaining to birth or adoption records, call the Minnesota Department of Health at 651-201-5970.