Merrillville Marriage License Lookup
Merrillville is a town in Lake County, Indiana, and residents here apply for a marriage license through the Lake County Clerk's Marriage Office in Crown Point. Like all Lake County communities, Merrillville does not have its own marriage license office. The Lake County Clerk handles all marriage license applications for the entire county, including Merrillville. To look up existing marriage license records, use Indiana's free public search at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL.
Merrillville Quick Facts
Where Merrillville Residents Apply for a Marriage License
Merrillville's own Town Clerk-Treasurer office is at 7820 Broadway in Merrillville and handles town administrative matters at (219) 769-3501. It does not issue marriage licenses. For a marriage license, Merrillville residents must go to Crown Point, which is the Lake County seat. The Lake County Clerk's Marriage Office in Crown Point is the only place in Lake County where you can apply for a marriage license.
| Office | Lake County Clerk's Marriage Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 2293 N. Main Street, Courts Building 1st Floor Crown Point, IN 46307 |
| Phone | (219) 648-6996 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | lakecountyin.gov/departments/clerk-marriage |
| Payment | Cash only |
The Lake County Marriage Office only takes cash. No credit cards or checks are accepted. The fee is $25 for Indiana residents. If one or both applicants lives outside Indiana, the fee is $65. Crown Point is south of Merrillville on U.S. 41, about 10 to 15 minutes away under normal traffic. Both people getting married must make the trip together and appear at the same time.
Note: The Merrillville town website at merrillville.in.gov covers local services, but all marriage license questions should go to the Lake County Clerk at (219) 648-6996.
Merrillville Marriage License Requirements
Indiana requires both applicants to be present in person when applying. This is set by IC 31-11-4-3. You go together to Crown Point, present your IDs, give your Social Security numbers, and sign the application at the Lake County Clerk's counter. There is no workaround. Both of you must be there at the same time.
Valid photo ID is required. The Lake County Clerk accepts a driver's license, U.S. passport, state-issued ID card, or military ID. A birth certificate can be used but must accompany a separate photo ID. Both applicants need to provide Social Security numbers during the application. If you or your partner was previously married, bring proof that the marriage ended. A certified divorce decree or a death certificate for a deceased spouse works. Bring the original or a certified copy, not a photocopy.
Age requirements are set by IC 31-11-1-4. You must be 18 or older to marry without parental consent. If you are between 16 and 17, a parent or legal guardian must appear at the Crown Point office with you and give consent in person. Indiana does not allow marriage under age 16.
Before you drive down to Crown Point, complete the Indiana online pre-application at courts.in.gov/marriage. This is required under IC 31-11-4-1. Do it on a laptop or desktop at home before you leave. It makes the in-person process faster and ensures the clerk has the information they need when you arrive.
Lake County Clerk Marriage Resources for Merrillville
The Lake County Clerk's marriage page at lakecountyin.gov/departments/clerk-marriage is the primary resource for Merrillville residents applying for a marriage license. The screenshot below shows the Indiana Courts marriage license database search portal at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL, which is where you can look up Lake County marriage license records for free.
Use this tool to search Merrillville-area marriage records going back to 1993. Enter a name and the system will return matching Lake County records. No account is required. This is the same database used for all Indiana counties, so any marriage license issued through the Lake County Clerk will show up here once it is on file.
After Getting Your Merrillville Marriage License
Indiana has no waiting period. The day the Lake County Clerk issues your marriage license, you can hold a ceremony. The license is valid for 60 days under IC 31-11-4-10. Use it for a ceremony anywhere in Indiana within that time. Your ceremony does not have to take place in Merrillville or Lake County.
After the ceremony, the officiant fills out the return section of the license and must send it to the Lake County Clerk within 30 days, as required by IC 31-11-4-18. That filed license becomes your official marriage record. Under IC 31-11-11-1, Indiana marriage licenses are public records. No blood test is required. No waiting period applies between getting the license and the ceremony.
If you need a certified copy of your Merrillville marriage record later, call the Lake County Clerk at (219) 648-6996. You can also order certified copies through the Indiana State Department of Health at in.gov/health/vital-records/marriages/. State records go back to 1958. VitalChek at vitalchek.com processes online orders with an added service fee.
Search Merrillville and Lake County Marriage Records
The Indiana Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL lets you search Lake County marriage records for free going back to 1993. Type in a name and find records filed through the Lake County Clerk. No account needed. The system covers all Indiana counties, and Lake County records, including Merrillville-area marriages, are part of the database.
For older records from before 1993, the Indiana Digital Archives at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy/ maintained by the Indiana State Library has some historical indexes. Earlier Lake County marriage records may be available there. The Indiana courts public records portal at in.gov/courts/public-records/ also links to additional tools for statewide records research.
Nearby Cities in Lake County and Beyond
Merrillville is centrally located in Lake County, making it close to several qualifying cities that all use the same Lake County Clerk for marriage licenses. Hammond is the largest Lake County city, located to the northwest. Gary is north of Merrillville. East Chicago is farther north along the lakeshore. Schererville is just to the west. Hobart is to the east. Crown Point, where the marriage office is located, is directly south.
Lake County Marriage License Records
Merrillville is in Lake County, and all marriage license applications go through the Lake County Clerk. The Lake County page has more on the full process, fees, and county-level resources for marriage licenses.