Fountain County Marriage License Lookup

Fountain County marriage license records are kept at the Clerk's office in Covington, Indiana. Both applicants must appear in person at the Fountain County Courthouse to apply. This page covers the office address and phone number, what documents to bring, the current fees, and how to search for Fountain County marriage licenses using the state's free online database.

Fountain County Clerk's Office in Covington

The Fountain County Clerk is at 301 4th St in Covington. This small courthouse office handles all marriage license applications for Fountain County residents. The clerk issues licenses, records completed marriages, and provides certified copies to those who need them. Covington is a rural county seat in west-central Indiana, and the courthouse is the main point of contact for everything related to marriage licenses in Fountain County.

Under IC 31-11-4-3, both applicants must appear in person at the same time. You cannot send one person ahead of the other. Call the office at (765) 793-2192 before visiting to confirm current requirements or check whether anything has changed. The clerk's office website at fountaincounty.net may also have updated information. Because local policies can vary county to county, a quick call is always worth the effort.

You can get a head start on your application using the Indiana Courts online pre-application at courts.in.gov/marriage. This lets you enter both applicants' information before arriving in Covington. The system saves time at the counter, though it does not replace the in-person requirement. Both parties still have to appear at the Fountain County Clerk's office to sign the application and receive the license.

Indiana Marriage License Public Lookup

The Indiana Courts Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL allows anyone to search Fountain County marriage records from 1993 to the present. The screenshot below shows the search portal, where you can look up licenses by name, county, and date range.

Use this free tool to search Fountain County marriage licenses from 1993 forward. You can filter results by county and year range. For certified copies, contact the Fountain County Clerk in Covington directly.

What You Need to Apply in Fountain County

Both applicants need valid photo ID when they come to the Covington courthouse. A driver's license, state-issued ID, passport, or birth certificate paired with photo ID are all acceptable. The clerk needs a Social Security number from each applicant. In most cases, you do not need to bring the actual card, just the number itself. Have it memorized or written down before you go.

Prior marriages must be documented. A certified divorce decree shows the court ended the prior marriage. A certified death certificate works if a former spouse passed away. Under IC 31-11-1-4, both applicants must be at least 18. If either person is 16 or 17, a juvenile court order that approves the marriage and fully emancipates the individual is required. The Fountain County Clerk will verify this before issuing the license.

The application requires parent information for both applicants: full names, last known addresses, and state or country of birth. If your documents are not in English, have them translated by a certified translator and notarized before your visit. Foreign-language documents alone are not accepted. Gather everything in advance so your visit to the Fountain County Courthouse goes smoothly and without delays.

Note: Local policies vary across Indiana counties. Call the Fountain County Clerk at (765) 793-2192 to confirm any specific requirements before your visit to Covington.

Fountain County Marriage License Fees

Fountain County charges between $18.00 and $25.00 for Indiana residents. Out-of-state residents pay between $60.00 and $65.00. The range reflects possible local document fees on top of the base state fee. Call the clerk at (765) 793-2192 to get the exact amount before your visit. Most Indiana clerk offices require payment in cash, so bring the right amount in small bills.

Certified copies of a Fountain County marriage license cost $4.00 each. You can request them when you apply or come back after the ceremony once the license has been returned and recorded. Getting two or three copies upfront is practical. Name changes typically require a certified copy for each agency: Social Security Administration, Indiana BMV, bank accounts, and more. Each certified copy from the Covington courthouse is an official document.

For online ordering, VitalChek at vitalchek.com processes Indiana vital record requests for a service fee. The Indiana State Department of Health at in.gov/health/vital-records/marriages/ can provide a state-level Record of Marriage for $8.00, but certified copies of the actual license come only from the Fountain County Clerk in Covington.

Search Fountain County Marriage Licenses Online

The free Indiana Courts Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL covers Fountain County records from 1993 through the present. Enter at least one last name to search. Filter by Fountain County and narrow by year range to get more targeted results. The tool is open to anyone without an account and shows basic license data.

For records older than 1993, the Indiana State Library at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy/ has two free genealogy databases. One covers marriages through 1850, and another covers 1958 through 2018. These are open to the public at no charge and are especially useful for genealogical research or finding older Fountain County marriage records.

Indiana Marriage Laws in Fountain County

Under IC 31-11-4-10, a Fountain County marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date it is issued. There is no waiting period in Indiana. You can marry the same day you get your license from the Covington courthouse. If the 60-day window passes without a ceremony, the license expires and a new application is required.

The Fountain County Clerk cannot issue a marriage license if either applicant appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, has been adjudicated mentally incompetent, or if the parties are closely related under IC 31-11-4-11. Providing false information on the application is a Level 6 felony under IC 31-11-11-1. The clerk must also maintain indexed public records of all marriages under IC 31-11-4-18.

Authorized officiants in Indiana under IC 31-11-6-1 include judges and clergy among others. After the ceremony, the signed license must be returned to the Fountain County Clerk in Covington, where it becomes part of the permanent public record. Certified copies can then be issued for $4.00 each to anyone who requests them.

Cities in Fountain County

All Fountain County residents apply for marriage licenses at the Clerk's office in Covington. Covington is the county seat. No cities in Fountain County meet the population threshold for a separate city page. Residents of Attica, Veedersburg, Fountain, and other communities in the county all use the same Covington courthouse.

Nearby Counties

Fountain County is in west-central Indiana. If you live near a county border, apply in the county where you reside under Indiana law. Out-of-state residents whose wedding will take place in Fountain County may apply at the Covington courthouse.