Getting a Marriage License in Indiana

A couple must get a marriage license from the clerk of the circuit court in the county where either of them lives (or, if neither lives in Indiana, the county where the wedding will take place). The written, verified application lists each applicant's full name, birthplace, residence, age, dependent children, parents' names, whether either is a lifetime sex or violent offender, and facts showing there is no legal impediment, and both sign an acknowledgment that they received information on sexually transmitted diseases and HIV test sites. The clerk may not issue a license to someone adjudged mentally incompetent or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A license expires 60 days after it is issued if no marriage takes place. If the clerk refuses, the couple can ask the circuit court for a hearing.

Both people must be at least 18, with one exception: a 16- or 17-year-old may marry someone no more than four years older only after a juvenile court grants an order approving the marriage and completely emancipating the minor. The court holds a hearing, appoints a guardian ad litem, interviews the minor privately, and must find the minor's decision is voluntary, the minor is mature and self-supporting independent of parents and the intended spouse, understands the consequences, and that the marriage and emancipation are in the minor's best interest. The license application can be made no earlier than 15 days after that order.