How to Get Married in Indiana (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Indiana · Last updated 2026-05-18
Getting married in Indiana means working through Indiana-specific rules on the marriage license, the timing around it, and the ceremony itself. On the timing side: 0 days. The window during which the license remains usable: 60 days. On informal marriage, A marriage is void if the marriage is a common law marriage that was entered into after January 1, 1958. This guide walks the Indiana marriage-license steps, the documents required, and the officiant rules that apply.
Key Considerations
Two structural Indiana rules determine whether the marriage is legally complete: the common-law-recognition rule and the officiant rule. On common-law: A marriage is void if the marriage is a common law marriage that was entered into after January 1, 1958. On officiants: IC 31-11-6-1. A ceremony that satisfies neither path is not a marriage in Indiana.
Indiana also imposes timing rules on either side of license issuance. The waiting period (if any) controls how soon after the license is issued the ceremony can lawfully occur: 0 days. The validity window controls how long the license remains good: 60 days. Couples should calendar both dates against the planned ceremony date.
License fee and age eligibility are the two threshold Indiana marriage questions. $25.00 if one or both parties are Indiana residents and $65.00 for out-of-state residents. Each individual who is less than eighteen (18) years of age has been granted an order by a juvenile court under IC 31-11-7 granting the individual approval to marry and completely emancipating the individual. A couple that has not confirmed both before appearing at the clerk's office risks a delayed or denied application.
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Relevant Documents
The Indiana document set runs roughly as follows: the marriage-license application (filed with the county or town clerk), identification for each applicant, and the premarital-course completion certificate where one is being used to claim a discount or waiver. No state-level statute. Governed by common law / municipal ordinance / case law as applicable. The Indiana marriage-license fee is paid to the issuing clerk at the time the application is filed.
Beneficiary Designation Forms
Documents that specify who receives assets from retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and other financial accounts upon your death.
Durable Power of Attorney
Authorizes someone to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated, ensuring your affairs can be managed without court intervention.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Designates someone to make medical decisions for you if you're unable to do so, ensuring your healthcare preferences are respected.
Prenuptial Agreement
A contract entered into before marriage that establishes rights to property and financial support in case of divorce or death. This document can protect pre-marital assets and outline financial responsibilities during marriage.
Updated Will
A legal document that specifies how your assets should be distributed after death. Marriage typically invalidates previous wills in many jurisdictions, making it important to create a new one that includes your spouse.
Relevant Laws
Indiana Marriage License Requirements
In Indiana, couples must obtain a marriage license before getting married. Both parties must appear in person at the clerk's office, provide valid identification, and pay the required fee (typically $18-$60 depending on residency). The license is valid for 60 days after issuance and there is no waiting period.
Indiana Residency Requirements for Marriage
Indiana does not require couples to be residents of the state to get married there. However, the marriage license must be obtained in the county where the marriage ceremony will take place.
Age Requirements for Marriage in Indiana
In Indiana, individuals must be at least 18 years old to marry without parental consent. Those who are 16 or 17 may marry with parental consent and judicial approval. Indiana law prohibits marriage for anyone under 16 years of age.
Indiana Marriage Ceremony Requirements
Indiana law requires that marriages be solemnized by an authorized person, including clergy, judges, mayors, or certain court officials. The state also recognizes self-uniting marriages for religious groups like Quakers. The ceremony must include a declaration by both parties that they take each other as husband and wife/spouses.
Name Change After Marriage in Indiana
Indiana allows individuals to change their last name after marriage by using their marriage certificate as legal documentation. This can be used to update identification documents like driver's licenses and Social Security cards without going through a separate court process.
Regional Variances
Marriage License Requirements in Indiana
In Marion County (Indianapolis), couples must apply for their marriage license at the Marion County Clerk's Office. They offer both in-person and online application options. The marriage license fee is $18 for Indiana residents and $60 for out-of-state residents. The license is valid for 60 days after issuance.
Lake County requires both parties to appear in person at the Clerk's Office to apply for a marriage license. They do not offer online applications. The fee structure is the same as other counties ($18 for residents, $60 for non-residents), but they only accept cash payments, unlike some other counties that accept credit cards.
In Allen County (Fort Wayne), couples can begin their marriage license application online but must complete it in person. They have a unique requirement that couples must schedule an appointment to finalize their license application, which is not required in many other counties.
Monroe County (Bloomington) has specific hours for marriage license applications (typically 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM Monday through Friday), which are more limited than some other counties. They also require proof of dissolution of all previous marriages, which must be certified copies rather than photocopies.
In Vanderburgh County (Evansville), couples can apply for marriage licenses at the County Clerk's office with slightly different documentation requirements. They specifically require government-issued photo ID (not just any photo ID) and have stricter proof of residency requirements than some other counties.
Waiting Periods and Blood Tests
Indiana has no waiting period between obtaining a marriage license and getting married, unlike some neighboring states. Additionally, Indiana does not require blood tests for marriage licenses, which was once common in many jurisdictions.
Same-Sex Marriage Policies
Same-sex marriage is legal throughout Indiana following the 2015 Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. However, some counties may have individual clerks who have historically sought religious exemptions from issuing licenses to same-sex couples, though legally they are required to issue them.
Officiants and Ceremony Requirements
Indiana law recognizes marriages performed by various officials including clergy, judges, mayors, and certain court clerks. Self-uniting or self-solemnizing marriages (without an officiant) are not recognized in Indiana, unlike in some other states.
Tippecanoe County (Lafayette) has specific local rules regarding courthouse weddings. They only offer civil ceremonies on certain days of the week (typically Wednesdays and Fridays) and require advance scheduling, which differs from the more flexible scheduling in some other counties.
St. Joseph County (South Bend) has unique local practices regarding marriage ceremonies performed by judges. They maintain a rotating schedule of judges who perform ceremonies, and couples need to check the specific schedule rather than being able to request a specific judge, which differs from practices in some other counties.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Apply for the Indiana marriage license at the issuing clerk's office
Before the ceremony days after starting$25.00 if one or both parties are Indiana residents and $65.00 for out-of-state residents. Bring valid government-issued photo identification for each applicant and any documentation the clerk requires (proof of termination of any prior marriage, for example).
Have identification and prior-marriage paperwork ready when filing the application
Before the ceremony days after startingStandard documents include a current driver's license or passport for each applicant, plus a certified divorce decree, annulment order, or spouse's death certificate for anyone previously married.
Where the state recognizes a premarital-course incentive, plan the course before applying
Before the ceremony days after startingNo state-level statute. Governed by common law / municipal ordinance / case law as applicable. The clerk applies the fee reduction or waiting-period waiver based on the original course-completion certificate produced at filing.
Account for the post-license waiting period when picking a ceremony date
Before applying days after starting0 days. The waiting period (where the state imposes one) runs from the license issuance date, so the application timing has to be worked backward from the planned ceremony date.
Confirm the license validity window before locking the ceremony date
Before the ceremony days after starting60 days. The license expires by operation of law at the end of the window; a ceremony performed after expiration is not lawful and the couple must reapply.
Hold the ceremony with an authorized Indiana officiant
At the ceremony days after startingIC 31-11-6-1. Make sure the officiant is qualified under the state's officiant list before the ceremony; a marriage performed by a person not authorized to solemnize is not a lawful Indiana marriage.
Have the officiant return the executed license to the clerk after the ceremony
After the ceremony days after startingThe clerk records the marriage and issues the certified certificate; many states impose a strict return deadline (often 10 to 30 days), so the officiant should not delay.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apply for the Indiana marriage license at the issuing clerk's office | $25.00 if one or both parties are Indiana residents and $65.00 for out-of-state residents. Bring valid government-issued photo identification for each applicant and any documentation the clerk requires (proof of termination of any prior marriage, for example). | - | Before the ceremony |
| Have identification and prior-marriage paperwork ready when filing the application | Standard documents include a current driver's license or passport for each applicant, plus a certified divorce decree, annulment order, or spouse's death certificate for anyone previously married. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Where the state recognizes a premarital-course incentive, plan the course before applying | No state-level statute. Governed by common law / municipal ordinance / case law as applicable. The clerk applies the fee reduction or waiting-period waiver based on the original course-completion certificate produced at filing. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Account for the post-license waiting period when picking a ceremony date | 0 days. The waiting period (where the state imposes one) runs from the license issuance date, so the application timing has to be worked backward from the planned ceremony date. | - | Before applying |
| Confirm the license validity window before locking the ceremony date | 60 days. The license expires by operation of law at the end of the window; a ceremony performed after expiration is not lawful and the couple must reapply. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Hold the ceremony with an authorized Indiana officiant | IC 31-11-6-1. Make sure the officiant is qualified under the state's officiant list before the ceremony; a marriage performed by a person not authorized to solemnize is not a lawful Indiana marriage. | - | At the ceremony |
| Have the officiant return the executed license to the clerk after the ceremony | The clerk records the marriage and issues the certified certificate; many states impose a strict return deadline (often 10 to 30 days), so the officiant should not delay. | - | After the ceremony |
Frequently Asked Questions
0 days. Where the rule applies, the earliest the ceremony can lawfully take place is the issuance date plus the statutory waiting period; the issuing clerk can confirm the earliest lawful ceremony date at the application appointment.
$25.00 if one or both parties are Indiana residents and $65.00 for out-of-state residents. Confirming the exact dollar amount with the specific Indiana issuing office before the application appointment avoids surprises at the counter, especially in states where multiple clerks issue licenses at different fee levels.
A marriage is void if the marriage is a common law marriage that was entered into after January 1, 1958. Couples concerned about whether their relationship qualifies as a common-law marriage in Indiana should confirm the current rule against the state marriage code; the law has changed materially in many states between 1990 and 2026.
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