What does Minnesota call proof of service?
Certificate or affidavit
Document Guides
Minnesota Rule 4.06 proof of service
The officer path and the declaration path are both official. A notarization is not added to a declaration that already uses section 358.116.
iRemoteNotary Editorial Team
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed October 7, 2026
Quick Answer
What proof does Minnesota use, and does it explicitly require a notary?
Certificate or affidavit. The officer path and the declaration path are both official. A notarization is not added to a declaration that already uses section 358.116.
Do not assume a notary is required from the document title. Send the unsigned page if the signature block is unclear.
Proof at a glance
| Question | This jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Proof name | Certificate or affidavit |
| Private server | Affidavit or § 358.116 declaration |
| Officer | Peace-officer certificate |
| Traditional notary explicit? | No, if the declaration is used |
| Perjury alternative? | Yes |
| Recipient acceptance of remote notarization | No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed. |
Current controlling rule
Minnesota proof is controlled, for this guide, by Minn. R. Civ. P. 4.06; Gen. R. Prac. 15; Minn. Stat. § 358.116. The officer path and the declaration path are both official. A notarization is not added to a declaration that already uses section 358.116.
No single effective date is stored beyond the source that was reviewed on October 7, 2026.
What this jurisdiction calls the proof
The opened materials call it: Certificate or affidavit. Classification used in the authority record: affidavit admin officer not specified.
Private process server
Any other person files an affidavit. General Rule of Practice 15 and Minnesota Statutes section 358.116 allow that statement as a declaration under penalty of perjury, with the date and the county and state where it was signed.
Sheriff, officer, or other listed server
A sheriff or peace officer files a certificate.
Is an oath or notary explicitly required?
The controlling proof sentence reviewed here does not name a notary or other oath officer.
A penalty-of-perjury or unsworn-declaration alternative is part of the official path.
Fields the server has to complete
- Time, place, and manner, except for published notice
When a different kind of process uses different proof
publication: Publication proof is the printer's affidavit.
Remote online notarization and court acceptance
No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed.
Remote online notarization is performed under the law of the online notary's commissioning state. When the commission is a Florida commission, Florida's remote online notarization statute governs the notarial act. The court or other recipient still decides whether to accept the return.
If the page is only a declaration, certificate, or signed return, do not add a notary certificate.
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
What to send iRemoteNotary
- The unsigned proof, return, or affidavit
- The court, and that the case is connected to Minnesota
- The form number and revision if one is printed
- Whether the signature block is a jurat or a perjury declaration
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
Process-serving companies and law firms
A coordinator can submit the request. The signer is the person named on the certificate. There is no organization account, dashboard, volume price, or court-filing service.
One signer and one notarization is $25 domestically. Each additional notarization is $15. An additional signer is $10. A witness is $15. An international session coordination fee of $25 applies when a signer is outside the United States. An international session commonly starts at $50 for one signer and one notarization.
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
Frequently asked questions
Does a sheriff or officer use the same signature block?
A sheriff or peace officer files a certificate.
Is a penalty-of-perjury declaration an alternative?
Yes, on the path described on this page.
Did the official materials expressly accept remote notarization of the proof?
No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed.
Related pages
Sources and Official References
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 4(opens in a new tab)
Minnesota
Accessed October 7, 2026
Send the unsigned page
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.