Find Marriage License Records in Franklin County

Franklin County marriage license records are filed with the Clerk's office in Brookville, Indiana. Neysa R. Raible serves as the Franklin County Clerk and manages all marriage license applications and certified copy requests. This page covers the full process for applying for a Franklin County marriage license, including required documents, fees, hours, and how to search older records through state databases.

Franklin County Clerk's Office in Brookville

Neysa R. Raible is the Franklin County Clerk. Her office is located at 459 Main Street, Room 104, in Brookville. Brookville is a small county seat in southeastern Indiana, close to the Ohio state line and the Brookville Lake area. The Clerk's office handles all marriage license applications for Franklin County, issues certified copies, and maintains the public record of every marriage conducted in the county.

The Franklin County Clerk's office closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 PM and closes by 4:00 PM each weekday. Business hours are 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Under IC 31-11-4-3, both applicants must come in together. You cannot split the application visit between two days or have one person apply and the other come later. The Indiana Courts pre-application at courts.in.gov/marriage can help you enter your details in advance so your time at the Brookville counter is shorter.

You can also email the office at clerk@franklincounty.in.gov or call (765) 647-5111 with questions before your visit. For couples who are planning a wedding in Franklin County but live elsewhere, reaching out first is a good idea, since the clerk can confirm any county-specific policies that may apply to your situation.

Franklin County Clerk Website

The Franklin County Clerk's official website provides current contact details and information about marriage license services in Brookville. The screenshot below was captured from that page.

Visit franklincounty.in.gov/department/clerk/ for the most current hours and any local updates to Franklin County marriage license requirements before your trip to Brookville.

Franklin County Marriage License Requirements

Both applicants must appear at the Brookville courthouse together. Each needs a valid photo ID: driver's license, state ID, passport, or birth certificate with photo ID. The Social Security number for each applicant is also required. Generally you do not need the physical card, but you must know the number. If either person has been divorced, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree. If a prior spouse died, bring a certified death certificate.

Under IC 31-11-1-4, both applicants must be at least 18 years old. Those between 16 and 17 need a juvenile court order granting approval to marry and full emancipation. The Franklin County Clerk will check for this documentation before issuing any license to a minor. The clerk can refuse to issue the license if any required document is missing or if the information is unclear.

The application asks for genealogical information for both parents of each applicant. Full names, last known addresses, and state or country of birth are all needed. Gather this information before you arrive at the Main Street courthouse. Franklin County is close to Ohio, and some applicants cross state lines to marry here. Out-of-state applicants pay a higher fee but follow the same document requirements. Foreign-language documents must be translated and notarized in English before your visit.

Note: The Franklin County Clerk closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 PM. Plan to arrive before noon or wait until the office reopens at 1:00 PM.

Franklin County Marriage License Fees

Indiana residents pay $25.00 for a Franklin County marriage license. Out-of-state residents pay $65.00. Some county offices charge an additional $4.00 document fee, so confirm the exact total by calling (765) 647-5111 or emailing clerk@franklincounty.in.gov before your visit. Cash is the most commonly accepted payment at Indiana county clerk offices, so bring the right amount or a little extra to be safe.

Certified copies of the Franklin County marriage license cost $4.00 each. Once the signed license is returned to the clerk after the ceremony, the record is complete and certified copies are available. Ordering multiple copies at the same time is a smart move. You may need a copy for the Social Security Administration, the Indiana BMV, your employer's HR records, and possibly a bank or creditor. One trip to Brookville for several copies is more efficient than making multiple trips.

The Indiana State Department of Health at in.gov/health/vital-records/marriages/ offers a state Record of Marriage for $8.00. That is a summary index record, not the full certified license. For the actual certified copy of the Franklin County marriage license, go to the Clerk in Brookville. VitalChek at vitalchek.com also processes Indiana vital record orders online.

Search Franklin County Marriage Licenses Online

The Indiana Courts Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL covers all Indiana counties, including Franklin, from 1993 through the present. Search by entering at least one last name. Filter by county and year range to narrow your results. The tool is free and does not require a login or account. It shows basic license data but not a certified copy of the document.

This database is a useful first step when you want to confirm that a Franklin County marriage license exists, find the date it was issued, or look up names before requesting a certified copy from the Brookville clerk. For records that predate 1993, the online court database does not apply.

The Indiana State Library at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy/ has free genealogical databases for Franklin County and all Indiana counties. One covers marriages through 1850, and another covers 1958 through 2018. These free public databases are helpful for family history research or for tracing older records that fall outside the court lookup tool.

Indiana Marriage Law and Franklin County

A Franklin County marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date it is issued, per IC 31-11-4-10. Indiana has no waiting period. You can marry on the same day you receive your license in Brookville. If you do not have a ceremony within 60 days, the license expires. Apply again and pay the fee if this happens.

Under IC 31-11-4-11, the Franklin County Clerk cannot issue a license if either applicant appears impaired, has been adjudicated mentally incompetent, or if the parties are more closely related than second cousins. Giving false information on the application is a Level 6 felony under IC 31-11-11-1. All information provided to the Franklin County Clerk must be accurate.

The Franklin County Clerk is required by IC 31-11-4-18 to maintain indexed public records of all marriages. These records are accessible to anyone. Certified copies cost $4.00 each. Officiants authorized to perform ceremonies under IC 31-11-6-1 include judges, clergy, and others designated by Indiana law. After the ceremony, the signed license must be returned to the Clerk in Brookville to complete the record.

Cities in Franklin County

All Franklin County residents apply for marriage licenses at the Clerk's office in Brookville. Brookville is the county seat and the site of the Franklin County Courthouse. No cities in Franklin County meet the population threshold for a separate city page. Residents of Brookville, Batesville (which straddles into Ripley County), Laurel, and other communities all use the Brookville courthouse for their marriage license applications.

Nearby Counties

Franklin County is in southeastern Indiana near the Ohio border. Apply in the county where you reside. Out-of-state residents whose wedding will be in Franklin County may apply at the Brookville clerk's office under IC 31-11-4-3.