Minnesota Records Access Information

Adoptee access to original birth records

​A law passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2023 modified access to original birth records and adoption records for people adopted in Minnesota. Adopted people born in Minnesota who are 18 or older will be able to request a non-certified copy of their original birth records from the Minnesota Department of Health beginning July 1, 2024. Also beginning July 1, adopted people 18 and older born outside Minnesota, but adopted in Minnesota, will be able to request information from the agency responsible for supervising their adoption.

For parents whose child was placed for adoption any time

• You are strongly encouraged to complete a Birth Parent Contact Preference form (PDF) by July 1, 2024, to indicate whether you’d like to be contacted by the adoption person and to provide additional information. The form will be released to the adopted person if they request their original birth records.
• Any affidavit you completed in the past to provide or restrict access to the birth records will expire on June 30, 2024.
• Be aware you may be contacted by the adopted person, even if you indicate a preference not to be contacted.

For adopted people

• As of July 1, 2024, adopted people 18 and older may request a copy of their original birth certificate through the Minnesota Department of Health by completing the original birth record form.
• Additionally, adopted people 18 and older may now initiate search and connective services from the adoption placing agency.  Prior to July 1, 2024, an adopted person needed to be 19 to receive these services.
• More information may be found Minnesota Department of Health (state.mn.us) Birth Records and Adoption.

For adoptive parents

• It is important for you to know about the changes in the law, so you are aware of the potential impact for your child and family.

For genetic siblings of an adopted person

• July 1, 2024, the age changed from 19 to age 18 for genetic siblings who were adopted or, because of a termination of parental rights, were committed to the guardianship of the commissioner of human services, whether adopted or not, may request information from the responsible child placing agency about other siblings who were adopted or who were committed to the guardianship of the commissioner of human services and not adopted. Genetic siblings age 18 and older may also request identifying information and contact. These services may only be provided with mutual consent of both people,

For Relatives of Adoption Person (if deceased)

• Beginning July 1, 2024, an adopted person’s original birth record may also be requested by people related to the adoptee, if the adoptee is deceased. These individuals include: the adoptee’s spouse, child, grandchild, great-grandchild of the adoptee.
• More information may be found at Minnesota Department of Health Birth Records and Adoption.

Funding Assistance

• The Department of Human Services and Foster Adopt Minnesota may be able to provide funding assistance to eligible requestors. This assistance is available to cover fees for a variety of post adoption services and is funded through the Minnesota Department of Human Services. For information on how to apply for funding please email search@fosteradoptmn.org.

Resources to request post adoption services from other states

Please contact the following the following organizations if your adoption was facilitated or finalized in a DIFFERENT state from Minnesota

Please note: each state has their own statutes and rules regarding original birth record and adoption information disclosure. Please contact the state that facilitated your adoption/where your adoption was finalized to learn more about the state statutes and rules.

• Wisconsin—Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
  • Adoption Records Search Program
• Iowa—Iowa Health and Human Services and Iowa Department of Public Health
  • Accessing Adoption Records  (Iowa Health and Human Services)
  • Access to Original Birth Certificates (Iowa Department of Public Health)
• North Dakota—
• South Dakota—South Dakota Department of Social Services and South Dakota Department of Health
  • Adoption Records (South Dakota Department of Social Services)
  • Application for Adoption Information (requesting original birth certificate) (South Dakota Department of Health)

Resources

• Minnesota Department of Health
  Information about accessing original birth records, and the new Birth Parent Contact preference form, is available on the Minnesota Department Health website
• PODCAST – Adoptee Access to Original Birth Records (June 5, 2024)
• Preparing for Search and Reunion | C.A.S.E (adoptionsupport.org)
• Foster Adopt Minnesota Post Search Form
• Foster Adopt Minnesota Therapist Search
  Foster Adopt Minnesota’s HELP Program screens Minnesota therapists who show competence with adoptive/foster/kinship families. Our HELP Therapist Network search tool can reduce some of the ‘guess-work’ out of choosing the right provider for your family.
• HELP Program ; help@fosteradoptmn.org; 1-855-670-HELP; 612-746-5137
  HELP Program services are free and available to any Minnesota adoptive, kinship, or foster family; adopted persons; birth/first family members and community professionals.
  Services include:
   – Phone and email-based support from a team of HELP Specialists with advanced training in supporting adoptive, foster and kinship families;
  – Connecting families with adoption/trauma/attachment-competent therapists, appropriate community resources, as well as educational offerings;
  – Assisting eligible families with funding to help with the cost of therapy with HELP Program vetted therapists, Foster Adopt Minnesota educational offerings and eligible supports.

MN Statutes

• Sec. 144.2252 MN Statutes – Access to Original Birth Record After Adoption
• Sec. 144.2253 MN Statutes – Birth Parent Contact Preference Form
• Sec. 144.2254 MN Statutes – Previously Filed Consents to Disclosure and Affidavits of Nondisclosure
• Statute 259.83 –Post Adoption Services
• Statute 259.79 – Adoption Records

Public Awareness Events:

The following are some public awareness events, funded by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, offered by a variety of community organizations, county and private agencies, to increase awareness about the change to original birth records. This is not an all-encompassing list:

Additional Questions? Please Contact Us: