Scott County Obituary Records
Scott County obituary records and death certificates are available through the county recorder's office in Shakopee, with records generally going back to the 1870s. Scott County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Minnesota, and its death records reflect a mix of long-established rural families and newer suburban residents from communities just southwest of the Twin Cities metro area. Records can be found through the county recorder, the MDH statewide index, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the Scott County Historical Society.
Scott County Overview
Scott County Recorder - Vital Records Office
The Scott County Recorder in Shakopee is the local office for death certificates and other vital records. It serves as a county-level registrar for the Minnesota Department of Health. You can request certified copies of death certificates in person or by mail. The office is open during regular weekday business hours.
| Office | Scott County Recorder |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 - 4th Ave. W., Shakopee, MN 55379 |
| Phone | 952-496-8432 |
| Website | scottcountymn.gov/departments/recorder |
| Records Available | Death certificates, birth records, marriage and divorce records |
| Death Records Start | General 1870s |
| Certified Copy Fee | $13 first copy, $6 each additional |
To request a death certificate from the Scott County Recorder, provide the full name of the deceased, the date of death, and your relationship to the person. For certified copies, you must be a close relative or authorized legal representative. Call 952-496-8432 to ask about what documents are required and what years of records the office holds. In-person requests during office hours are the fastest way to get a record.
Mail requests are accepted. Send your completed request form, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order payable to the Scott County Recorder. Processing times vary. If you are not sure a record exists, use the free MDH online death index to check before mailing in a request.
Scott County's proximity to the Twin Cities means it has strong connections to Hennepin and Dakota county records, particularly for suburban communities that grew after the mid-20th century. If you cannot find a record in Scott County, try the neighboring county offices as a next step.
Minnesota Death Search Index - Free Online Search
The Minnesota Department of Health offers a free online death index covering all Minnesota counties, including Scott County. The index covers deaths registered from 1908 onward. It shows name, date, and county of death but does not include the full certificate.
Search the index at health.state.mn.us - death search index. Once you find a record, you can order a certified copy from the Scott County Recorder or from the MDH. Full ordering instructions are at health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/death.html. For deaths before 1908, the county office, MNHS, and FamilySearch are better starting points.
The index is free and does not require you to create an account or prove a relationship. It is the fastest way to confirm a death was registered in Minnesota and to get the county and date before you submit a request for a certified copy.
The MDH death index is a free public tool covering Scott County and all other Minnesota counties, making it a practical first step before ordering a certified certificate.
Minnesota Historical Society Records
The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) holds historical records that go beyond what the county recorder maintains. For Scott County, their collections include newspaper obituaries, church records, and early death registers. MNHS is especially useful for research on Scott County families going back to the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Search the MNHS People database at mnhs.org/search/people. Their guide to death records at mnhs.org - about death records explains what is available and how to access it. Some records can be searched online; others require a visit to their St. Paul research center.
The MNHS Digital Newspaper Hub at mnhs.org/newspapers/hub is one of the most useful tools for finding published obituaries from Scott County papers. The Shakopee area has a long newspaper tradition, and local weeklies and dailies ran detailed obituary notices going back many decades. A name search in the newspaper hub can turn up death notices with survivor information, church details, and burial sites not found in official records.
The MNHS newspaper hub gives you searchable access to Scott County papers, where published obituaries often include family details that go beyond what appears in the official death certificate.
Scott County Historical Society
The Scott County Historical Society maintains local collections focused on county history and family records. Their holdings include photographs, local newspapers, family files, and cemetery records from communities throughout the county. For genealogy research on Scott County families, the historical society is a resource that can fill gaps left by official records.
Visit the Scott County Historical Society at scottcountyhistory.org to learn about their collections and how to access them. Researchers working on 19th-century Scott County families often find that the historical society holds sources not available through public databases. Their staff and volunteers can guide you to the most relevant local materials.
The Scott County Historical Society maintains local collections including cemetery records, family files, and newspaper archives that complement the official county and state vital records systems.
MNGenWeb Genealogy Resources
The Scott County MNGenWeb project at scott.mngenweb.net is a volunteer genealogy site with free resources focused on the county. It includes links to cemetery records, family histories, and other locally compiled indexes.
MNGenWeb links to FamilySearch at familysearch.org - Minnesota Vital Records, which holds digitized Minnesota death records across many decades. FamilySearch is free and can be especially useful for early Scott County records from the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is worth checking FamilySearch before ordering a certified copy, as you may find enough information there to confirm the details you need.
How to Get Scott County Death Records
For a certified death certificate, contact the Scott County Recorder at 952-496-8432, or visit 200 - 4th Ave. W. in Shakopee. You can also order through the MDH by mail. The fee is $13 for the first certified copy and $6 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Certified copies are required for legal purposes such as settling estates or claiming survivor benefits.
For genealogy or informational use, the MDH death index, MNHS People Search, Scott County Historical Society, and MNGenWeb are free. These sources let you search without proving a relationship. They are best for confirming dates, finding published obituaries, or building a family tree. They do not provide certified copies and cannot substitute for the official record in legal proceedings.
The county registrar directory at health.state.mn.us - county registrar directory lists all county offices. Under Minnesota Statute 144.225, certified death records are restricted to close relatives and authorized parties for 50 years after the date of death. After 50 years, records are public and accessible to anyone.
The MDH vital records guide explains the full process for ordering a certified death certificate from the Scott County recorder or the state office, including what identification and payment to provide.
Nearby Counties
Scott County is surrounded by several Twin Cities metro and south-central Minnesota counties. Records for families with ties to the metro area may be held in more than one county office.