Find Marriage Licenses in Lawrence County

Lawrence County marriage licenses are issued by the Lawrence County Clerk of Circuit Court in Bedford, Indiana. Both applicants must appear together at Room 31 in the courthouse to apply. To search existing Lawrence County marriage license records, use Indiana's free public portal at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL, which includes records from 1993 to present. Note that Lawrence County, Indiana is a different jurisdiction from the city of Lawrence, which is located in Marion County.

Lawrence County Clerk of Circuit Court

The Lawrence County Clerk, Amy Voorhies, oversees marriage license issuance in the county. The clerk's office is inside the Lawrence County Courthouse in Bedford. You go to Room 31 when you arrive. The office is open weekdays only, so plan your visit for a Monday through Friday morning or afternoon.

Bedford is located in south-central Indiana, roughly midway between Bloomington and the Kentucky border. The courthouse on 15th Street has been the center of county government for generations. When you visit, bring everything you need in one trip. The clerk cannot process your application if required documents are missing, and you would have to come back a second time with both people present again.

This screenshot shows the Lawrence County Clerk website at lawrencecounty.in.gov. The clerk's marriage license page at lawrencecounty.in.gov/208/County-Clerk has more detail on local procedures. Court case records for Lawrence County can be searched at mycase.in.gov.

Applying for a Lawrence County Marriage License

Both parties must appear in person at the Lawrence County Clerk's office to complete the marriage license application. This requirement comes from IC 31-11-4-3, which covers who must be present at application. You can start the process online through the Indiana courts portal at courts.in.gov/marriage before your visit to save some time.

Each applicant needs valid government-issued identification. A current driver's license, state ID card, or passport all work. If you use a birth certificate, you should also have a photo ID with you. Your Social Security number is required on the application form. You do not need the card itself, but you do need to know the number.

If either of you has been married before, you must provide the date that prior marriage ended. A certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate is the clearest way to show this. Indiana law under IC 31-11-4-1 sets out the conditions that must be met before a license is issued. There is no waiting period in Indiana. Once the clerk issues the license, you can get married right away.

The marriage license is valid for 60 days from the issue date under IC 31-11-4-10. If you do not marry within that window, the license expires and you need to apply again and pay again. After the ceremony, the person who performs it must return the signed license to the Lawrence County Clerk within 30 days under IC 31-11-4-18.

Note: Lawrence County has no waiting period, so you can get married the same day you receive your license.

Marriage License Fees in Lawrence County

Indiana residents pay $25.00 for a marriage license in Lawrence County. Couples where neither person lives in Indiana pay $65.00. The certified copy fee is $4.00 per copy. Some counties add a small documentation fee, so it is worth calling ahead to confirm the exact amount before your visit.

Fee structures for marriage licenses across the state are set by statute under IC 31-11-4-11. Certified copies of the marriage license are useful for legal name changes, updating financial accounts, and other administrative needs after the wedding. You can also order copies through the Indiana Department of Health Vital Records at in.gov/health/vital-records/marriages/ or through VitalChek at vitalchek.com.

Searching Lawrence County Marriage License Records

The Indiana Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL is free to use and covers records statewide since 1993. You can search by name to find marriage licenses issued in Lawrence County. This tool shows the names of the parties, the county, and the date of issuance. It does not show the full application details.

For older records, the Indiana State Library holds historical marriage records through its digital archive at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy/. Lawrence County marriage records going back decades may be accessible there. Court records for the county are also available at mycase.in.gov. The Lawrence County Clerk can help with records requests that go beyond what the online tools provide.

Note: If you are looking for records from the city of Lawrence in Marion County, you need to contact the Marion County Clerk at the City-County Building in Indianapolis, not the Lawrence County Clerk in Bedford.

Age and Eligibility Requirements

Both applicants must be at least 18 years old under IC 31-11-1-4. Those who are 16 or 17 may apply with parental consent. The parents or legal guardians must appear with the minor applicant to sign consent forms. The Lawrence County Clerk can explain what extra steps apply in those situations.

Indiana allows the clerk in any county to issue a license to an out-of-state couple who plans to marry in Indiana. The higher fee applies in that case. At least one of you must either be an Indiana resident or both must be from out of state. You cannot apply in Lawrence County if only one of you lives elsewhere in Indiana and neither of you has a connection to Lawrence County.

Cities in Lawrence County

Lawrence County includes Bedford, Mitchell, Oolitic, and other smaller communities. Bedford is the county seat and where the clerk's office is located. No cities in Lawrence County meet the population threshold for a separate city page, but all residents apply for marriage licenses at the same courthouse location in Bedford.

Other towns in Lawrence County include Mitchell, Springville, Williams, Avoca, and Heltonville. Regardless of which community you live in, you apply at the Lawrence County Clerk of Circuit Court at 916 15th Street in Bedford.

Nearby Counties

Lawrence County sits in south-central Indiana. These neighboring counties have their own clerk offices for marriage license applications.