Evansville Marriage License Search
Marriage licenses in Evansville are issued by the Vanderburgh County Clerk at the Civic Center Complex on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Evansville is the third-largest city in Indiana and the largest city in southwest Indiana. The Vanderburgh County Clerk serves all Evansville residents and the rest of the county. This page covers how to apply, what to bring, fees, and how to find existing marriage license records in Evansville and Vanderburgh County.
Evansville Quick Facts
Vanderburgh County Clerk Marriage License Office
The Vanderburgh County Clerk handles all marriage licenses for Evansville. The clerk, Dottie Thomas, runs the office at the Civic Center Complex in downtown Evansville. Indiana law under IC 31-11-4-3 requires both applicants to appear in person at the same time. You cannot complete the application at different times or through the mail.
| Office | Vanderburgh County Clerk of the Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Address | Civic Center Complex 1 NW Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Room S240 Evansville, IN 47708 |
| Mailing | PO Box 3356, Evansville, IN 47732 |
| Phone | (812) 435-5188 |
| Fax | (812) 435-5849 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | evansvillegov.org |
The Vanderburgh County Clerk's office has earlier hours than most Indiana counties, opening at 7:30 AM. This gives Evansville residents more flexibility for morning appointments. The Civic Center Complex is in downtown Evansville near the waterfront. The office also offers courthouse ceremony services by appointment. Call (812) 435-5719 to schedule a ceremony at the courthouse in Evansville.
Note: Vanderburgh County (Evansville) has been historically listed among Indiana's notable elopement destinations, along with Crown Point and other counties that drew couples seeking a quick ceremony.
Vanderburgh County Clerk Resources
The Vanderburgh County Clerk's page provides information about marriage license applications in Evansville. The image below shows the Vanderburgh County Clerk portal.
Evansville serves as the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the hub of the tri-state area where Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois meet. The Vanderburgh County Clerk's office handles a large volume of marriage license applications and maintains records for the entire county. If you are planning to marry in Evansville or the surrounding area, the clerk's office is your first stop.
Documents Required for an Evansville Marriage License
Both applicants need to bring proof of age and identity when they visit the Vanderburgh County Clerk's office. Under IC 31-11-1-4, each applicant must be at least 18. Those who are 16 or 17 need a juvenile court order granting approval to marry and fully emancipating them before the clerk can issue a license. This is a statewide requirement that applies in Evansville just as it does everywhere else in Indiana.
Each person must bring one of the following forms of ID:
- Valid driver's license or Indiana state-issued ID
- U.S. or foreign passport
- Certified birth certificate
- Military identification card
- Immigration or naturalization record showing date of birth
You also need your Social Security number. If either applicant was previously married, bring the certified divorce decree or a death certificate for a deceased spouse. Non-English documents need to be translated and notarized before the Vanderburgh County Clerk can accept them. Also have ready the full names, last known addresses, and birthplaces for both parents of each applicant, as this information is required on the application form.
Marriage License Fees in Evansville
Indiana residents pay $25.00. Out-of-state residents pay $65.00. These fees apply to all applicants at the Vanderburgh County Clerk's office in Evansville. Certified copies of the marriage license are $4.00 each. Call (812) 435-5188 before your visit to confirm accepted payment methods. Some counties in Indiana require cash, and it is worth verifying before you come to the Evansville office with the wrong payment type.
If you want to hold a courthouse ceremony in Evansville after getting the license, call (812) 435-5719 to schedule that separately. Ceremonies at the courthouse are available by appointment and typically require arriving 15 to 30 minutes early. Indiana has no waiting period, so you can get the license and have the ceremony the same day.
How to Apply for a Marriage License in Evansville
Indiana law under IC 31-11-4-1 requires a marriage license before a couple can legally marry. In Evansville, both applicants go to the Vanderburgh County Clerk's office at the Civic Center Complex together. You bring your documents, fill out the application, and pay the fee. The clerk reviews everything and issues the license, usually the same visit.
Before your visit, use the pre-application at courts.in.gov/marriage to enter basic information online. This speeds up the process when you arrive at the Evansville office. Both people still need to be there in person to sign and finalize the license. The office opens at 7:30 AM, which is earlier than most Indiana clerk offices, giving Evansville couples the option of completing the process before the typical workday begins.
The license is valid for 60 days from the issue date under IC 31-11-4-10. After the ceremony, the officiant files the signed license with the Vanderburgh County Clerk. The clerk records it permanently under IC 31-11-4-18. Under IC 31-11-6-1, the ceremony can be performed by a judge, mayor, clergy member, or other authorized person.
Search Evansville Marriage License Records
The Indiana Courts Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL covers records from 1993 to the present and is free to use. Filter by Vanderburgh County to find Evansville-area marriage license records. The database shows basic information including applicant names and the date and county where the license was issued. It does not provide certified copies.
For older records, the Indiana State Library has free databases at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy covering marriages through 1850 and from 1958 to 2018. For a certified copy of a Vanderburgh County marriage record, contact the clerk at (812) 435-5188 or order through the Indiana State Department of Health at in.gov/health/vital-records/marriages for $8.00 per copy (records since 1958). You can also use VitalChek for online ordering with a service fee.
Note: Under IC 31-11-11-1, giving false information when applying for a marriage license is a Level 6 felony in Indiana.
Nearby Cities
Evansville is the largest city in southwest Indiana. Nearby cities with marriage license resources include New Albany (Floyd County), Bloomington (Monroe County), and Terre Haute (Vigo County).
Vanderburgh County Marriage License Records
Evansville is the county seat of Vanderburgh County. All marriage licenses for Evansville and the surrounding area are issued by the Vanderburgh County Clerk at the Civic Center Complex. For full county-level information on marriage licenses in Vanderburgh County, visit the county page.