Are Indiana Vital Records Open to the Public?
Typically, the public is able to access Indiana vital records. However, certified vital records can only be accessed by authorized persons with a direct, familial, or legal interest in the certificate or document. These include certified death, marriage, adoption, divorce, and adoption records.
What Information Do I Need to Search for Indiana Vital Records Online?
To search for Indiana vital records online, individuals may be required to provide:
- Proof of identification: this involves completing the biometric section of the form. Requestors must have a valid driver’s license.
- Evidence of relationship to the person(s) named on the certificate.
- Reason for requesting the certificate.
- Accurate Information of the persons named on the certificate, such as full name, date of birth, city of birth, and so on.
- The requesters’ delivery information.
How Do I Obtain Indiana Vital Records?
Birth and death records can be obtained at the Indiana State Department of Health Vital Records Division or any local health department in the county where the event occurred. Similarly, requesters can get marriage and divorce records at the county courthouses of the county where the marriage event took place. In addition, individuals may order birth and death certificates by mail, online, or by phone by submitting the relevant application form with valid identification and proof of relationship to the named individual on the certificate or record.
Publicly available vital records are also managed and disseminated by some third-party aggregate sites. These sites are generally not limited by geographical record availability and may serve as a reliable jump-off point when researching specific or multiple records. However, third-party sites are not government-sponsored. As such, record availability may differ from official channels. To find a record using the search engines on third party sites, the requesting party will be required to provide:
- The location of the record in question including the city, county, or state where the case was filed.
- The name of someone involved providing it is not a juvenile
What’s the Difference Between a Certified Record and an Informational Copy?
Certified Records are used for legal and identity purposes, such as applying for a driver’s license. At the same time, informational/non-certified copies are intended to serve only as proof that the certified copy exists on file.
Are Indiana Marriage Records Public Information?
Yes. Marriage records in Indiana are public information. Thus, interested members of the public can obtain marriage records from the designated record custodian at the state and county level.
How Do I Obtain Marriage Records in Indiana?
The public can find and request certified copies at the Clerk of Court office in the county where the marriage occurred for a fee. Requests for public marriage records from 1907 - present may be made to the local health department in the county where the marriage was held or to the Indiana State Department of Health at:
Vital Records
Indiana State Department of Health
P.O. Box 7125
Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125
Applicants cannot obtain marriage records online. However, individuals can conduct a free statewide search and view logs from 1993 to the present and documents from 1958 to the present and before 1850 on the state’s digital library.
Are Indiana Divorce Records Public Information?
Yes. Indiana divorce records are public information. Any member of the public can request, inspect, or view a divorce record. However, certified copies are only issued to persons with direct, legal, or tangible interest to the person(s) names stated on the certificate.
How Do I Obtain Divorce Records in Indiana?
Interested persons can obtain certified copies of divorce records at the county courthouse where the divorce happened. The fee per request varies by location. Requesters will also need to provide related information, namely:
- The full names of persons involved
- The actual date of divorce
- The ex-wife’s maiden name
Are Indiana Birth Records Public Information?
Yes, but it depends on the statutory period of confidentiality. According to state statutes, Indiana birth records earlier than 75 years after the birth are not accessible to parties who have no direct interest in the certificate. Only family members, present spouse(s), children, listed parents/guardians, legal representatives, or parties who can provide genuine proof of relationship and government-issued identification can access those records.
How Do I Obtain Indiana Birth Records?
To find Indiana birth records, requesters must present the following information about the individual whose record is being sought for and pay the relevant fees:
- The Full name at birth
- The Date of birth
- The County/City of birth
- The Full names of the parent(s)
- The Mother’s maiden name
- The reason why he/she is requesting the record
- Papers of guardianship, if relevant
- Photocopy of a valid government-issued ID, clearly showing the signature
- Proof of relationship
Suppose the applicant needs to get a birth certificate replacement but is less than 18 years of age. In that case, they will require a parent’s or guardian’s written signature, phone number, a photocopy of their government-issued ID, clearly showing their signature.
Interested parties can order birth certificates by visiting the county’s health department where the birth occurred. Records can also be obtained via mail by printing, completing, and submitting the application for search and certified copy of birth record along with the related fees and identification, payable by check or money order, to:
Vital Records
Indiana State Department of Health
P.O. Box 7125
Indianapolis, IN 46206-7125
Note: The Indiana State Department of Health only keeps birth records from the year 1907 to date.
Are Indiana Death Records Open to the Public?
Yes. Death records in Indiana are considered public records and can be viewed and accessed by members of the public.
How Do I Obtain Death Records In Indiana?
Interested individuals may find public death Records in the county’s health department where the death occurred for deaths between the years 1900 - 1917. For deaths recorded in Indiana after the year 1917, interested parties can perform a death record search by name at the Indiana State Department of Health. Persons that wish to initiate a death certificate search online need to have information such as:
- The State in which the death occurred
- The city where the death was recorded
- The Date of Death
- The Applicant’s purpose for ordering the certificate
- Relationship to the deceased
- The Applicant’s full legal name
- Other information on the decedent’s certificate such as date of birth, gender, social security number, full name.
Alternatively, requesters may choose to send in mail requests with a completed application for search of certified and non-certified copy or death record, their valid identification, and the applicable fees. It costs $8 for the first copy, $4 for additional copies. Payment can be made by money order or check. Furthermore, requesters may visit the county’s health department in Indiana where the death occurred to find and order a death certificate.
