Henry County Marriage Records Lookup
Henry County marriage records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in New Castle, Indiana, where couples apply for marriage licenses, request certified copies, and access official marriage documents filed with the county. Henry County has a unique language requirement for applicants and a specific rule about age differences for minor applicants, making it worth reading the requirements in full before your visit to the New Castle courthouse. This page covers the application process, what ID you need, how to search existing Henry County marriage records, and where older documents can be found.
Henry County Marriage Records Quick Facts
Henry County Clerk's Office
The Henry County Clerk's Office is at 1215 Race Street, Suite 120, New Castle, IN 47362. Call (765) 529-6401 or fax (765) 521-7046 for questions. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. No appointment is needed unless a translator is required. The resident fee is $25 and the out-of-state fee is $65. Certified copies cost $4 each. The clerk accepts cash, money orders, and credit cards, though credit cards carry a 3% convenience fee with a $2 minimum. Personal checks are not accepted.
Henry County has an English-language requirement worth knowing about. The clerk's office noted: "You need to be able to speak, read and write English. If not, an appointment will be needed so a translator can be arranged." If you or your partner do not speak English, call ahead to schedule an appointment with a translator rather than walking in. This avoids a wasted trip. The translator arrangement takes time to set up. Walk-ins who need a translator may not be served the same day.
Both parties must be present to apply. No applicant can be more than four years older than the other if the younger applicant is 16 or 17 years old. The clerk stated: "One of the individuals CANNOT be more than four years older than the other individual if the other individual is 16 or 17 years of age." This age-gap rule is specific to minor applicants. All other adult applicants simply need to be 18 or older.
The Henry County Clerk's marriage license page at henrycounty.in.gov/169/Marriage-License and the clerk's main page at henrycounty.in.gov/167/Clerks-Office have current details on requirements, fees, and what to bring.
| Office | Henry County Clerk of the Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 1215 Race Street, Suite 120, New Castle, IN 47362 |
| Phone | (765) 529-6401 |
| Fax | (765) 521-7046 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Fee (Resident) | $25 |
| Fee (Out-of-State) | $65 |
| Certified Copies | $4 each |
| Payment | Cash, money orders, credit cards (3% fee, $2 min); no personal checks |
Applying for a Henry County Marriage License
Start the process online at in.gov/courts/services/marriage-license to fill out the pre-application and get a license key number. Bring that number plus your required documents to the New Castle courthouse. Both applicants must appear in person. There is no waiting period. The clerk confirmed: "There is no waiting period after the license is issued. The license is valid for only 60 days." If you don't use it within 60 days, you'll need to start over.
Required ID in Henry County includes certified copies of birth certificates or a valid driver's license. For applicants from other countries, the clerk requires passports, visas, and birth certificates all in English. Foreign documents not in English must be translated before the appointment. If you have been divorced, bring a certified copy of your last divorce decree. This is required, not optional.
Minors aged 16 or 17 must have a court order issued under Indiana Code IC 31-11-7 before the clerk can issue a license. Additionally, if the older applicant is more than four years older than the minor, the clerk cannot issue a license at all. Indiana Code IC 31-11 governs Indiana's marriage laws and covers the rules that Henry County applies to all applications. No blood test is required under current Indiana law.
Search Henry County Marriage Records
The Indiana Courts Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL is the best free tool for searching Henry County marriage records from 1993 to present. Search by name and select Henry County to narrow results. No login needed. Both parties' names and the license issue date appear in results. This covers the large majority of modern Henry County marriage records without requiring a trip to New Castle.
For records before 1993, contact the Henry County Clerk directly at (765) 529-6401. Older records are held in paper form at the courthouse. The Indiana Department of Health at in.gov/health/vital-records/marriages maintains a statewide marriage index from 1958 forward, available for $8 per search. That returns an index entry, not a certified copy. The Indiana Archives at in.gov/iara holds transferred historical vital records from Indiana counties including Henry County.
The Indiana State Library at in.gov/library/genealogy.htm and the Legacy Database at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy are both useful for older genealogy research into Henry County marriage history. FamilySearch has indexed many early Henry County records at no cost.
Certified Copies of Henry County Marriage Records
Certified copies of Henry County marriage records are available at the New Castle courthouse. Request in person at Suite 120 or by mail to 1215 Race Street, Suite 120, New Castle, IN 47362. Include both parties' names, the approximate marriage date, and return contact information with payment. Credit cards accepted for in-person requests at 3% plus $2 minimum. Mail requests should include a money order. Do not send personal checks.
Indiana Code IC 5-14-3 establishes public records access rights in Indiana. Marriage records are generally open to the public under this statute. Indiana Code 16-37-1-10 sets some limitations on what personal data within vital records can be shared, but does not typically restrict access to marriage license records. The Indiana Judicial Branch at in.gov/courts/public-records explains how to navigate public record requests across the Indiana court system. For free legal help with family record matters, visit indianalegalhelp.org.
Historical Henry County Marriage Records
Henry County has maintained marriage records since its founding in the early 1800s. The Indiana State Library genealogy division at in.gov/library/genealogy.htm holds indexes and some digitized records for Henry County. The Legacy Database at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy includes older records from across Indiana that may include Henry County entries going back to the 19th century.
The Indiana Archives vital records page catalogs which historical Henry County vital records have been transferred to state custody and what is available for public research, helping genealogists plan their research before contacting the New Castle courthouse.
The Indiana Archives is searchable online and shows what historical marriage records from Henry County are available at the state level, which can save a trip to New Castle for records that may already be digitized or available at the state archives in Indianapolis.
FamilySearch offers free access to many indexed Henry County marriage records from the 1800s and early 1900s. The Indiana Judicial Branch public records page at in.gov/courts/public-records is also a useful reference for understanding how older court-filed records are handled across Indiana.
Cities in Henry County
Henry County has no cities that meet the 25,000-population threshold for a dedicated city records page. New Castle is the county seat and the largest city in the county. All Henry County residents apply for marriage licenses at the clerk's office at 1215 Race Street in New Castle.