Access Martin County Marriage Records
Martin County marriage records are kept at the Clerk of the Circuit Court's office in Shoals, Indiana. The clerk issues marriage licenses, records certificates after ceremonies, and provides certified copies of marriage records to anyone who requests them. Martin County is one of Indiana's smaller rural counties, and nearly all marriage record activity runs through the single clerk's office in Shoals. This page covers the application process, fees, search tools, and how to get copies of existing records.
Martin County Marriage Records Quick Facts
Martin County Clerk of the Circuit Court
Clerk Julie Fithian manages marriage license records for Martin County from the courthouse in Shoals. You can reach the office by phone at 812-247-3651. Office hours run Monday through Friday. Both people getting married must come in together to apply. You cannot complete the application with only one party present, and the process cannot be done by mail or online alone.
Martin County is a small county with a single clerk's office serving the entire area. That means everyone in the county, no matter which town they live in, comes to Shoals to get their marriage license. Call ahead at 812-247-3651 to confirm current hours and ask any questions about what to bring. The staff can walk you through the process over the phone before your visit.
You can get a head start using the Indiana online marriage license application before your trip to Shoals. Completing the online portion ahead of time can cut down on the time you spend at the clerk's window.
| Office | Martin County Clerk of the Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Julie Fithian |
| County Seat | Shoals, Indiana |
| Phone | 812-247-3651 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday |
| Resident Fee | $25 |
| Out-of-State Fee | $65 |
| License Valid | 60 days |
Getting a Marriage License in Martin County
Indiana law under IC 31-11 governs the rules for marriage licenses across the state. Martin County follows the same rules as every other Indiana county. Both applicants must be 18 or older. There is no waiting period after the license is issued. You can get married the same day if you want. The license is valid for 60 days. If the ceremony does not happen within those 60 days, the license expires and you need to apply again.
The fee is $25 for Indiana residents. If either applicant lives outside Indiana, the fee goes up to $65. Payment is made at the clerk's office in Shoals at the time of application. Both people must bring valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID. Driver's licenses, state-issued ID cards, and passports all work. No expired documents are accepted.
If either person was previously married, bring proof of how that marriage ended. A final divorce decree, an annulment judgment, or a death certificate all satisfy this requirement. The Martin County Clerk will review those documents as part of the application process before issuing the license.
After the ceremony, the officiant signs the completed license and returns it to the clerk for recording. That recorded license becomes the official Martin County marriage record.
Martin County Marriage Records Search Tools
The state of Indiana offers a free online search tool that covers Martin County marriage records from 1993 forward. The Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL is open to anyone at no cost. Search by name and the system returns matching license records with the county, date, and names of both parties. No login is required and there is no fee to use the tool.
For older records, the Indiana Legacy Database is the next place to check. The Legacy Database hosted by the Indiana State Library covers pre-1993 records for many Indiana counties including Martin. The database includes scanned documents and indexes that predate the current state system. If you are trying to find a marriage that happened before the state database begins, the Legacy Database is where to look first.
The Marriage License Public Lookup makes it easy to find Martin County records from the past three decades at no cost.
Indiana's free statewide marriage lookup tool covers Martin County and all other Indiana counties from 1993 to the present, with results by name.
Certified Copies of Martin County Marriage Records
A certified copy of a Martin County marriage record is accepted as legal proof of marriage. You need one for tasks like updating a name with the Social Security Administration, applying for a passport, or handling estate or insurance matters. To request a copy, contact the Martin County Clerk at 812-247-3651. The clerk can tell you the current fee and how to submit the request. You can visit in person or ask about mail-in options.
The Indiana State Department of Health also issues certified copies of marriage records statewide. Under IC 16-37-1-10, the state holds a separate vital records file for marriages. The state charges $8 per certified copy and takes mail-in requests at the ISDH vital records office. State processing typically takes several weeks. The county clerk in Shoals may be faster for recent records, especially if you can go in person.
Historical Martin County Marriage Records
Martin County has records going back to the county's founding in 1820. Early marriage records from the 19th century are housed at the courthouse and may also be part of the Indiana State Archives collection. The Indiana Archives vital records section can tell you whether specific Martin County records are held there and how to request access. Genealogy researchers working on southern Indiana families often find that archives holds materials not available through any online database.
The Indiana State Library is another resource for older Martin County marriage records. The library's genealogy collections at in.gov/library/genealogy.htm include microfilm and digitized records covering many Indiana counties. Martin County's small size means its records are sometimes grouped with neighboring county collections in genealogy indexes. If a search under Martin County turns up nothing, checking Lawrence, Greene, or Daviess County records from the same era may help.
The Indiana Legacy Database is a good starting point for pre-1993 Martin County marriage research.
The Legacy Database holds older Martin County marriage records and provides a free, searchable gateway to historical documents from southern Indiana.
Access Rights Under Indiana's Public Records Law
Indiana's Access to Public Records Act at IC 5-14-3 makes marriage records public documents. The Martin County Clerk must process records requests and may charge a copying fee, but cannot deny access to standard marriage records without cause. You do not need to give a reason for your request or show any connection to the people in the record. The law treats marriage records as open to anyone who asks.
Narrow exceptions exist for records sealed by court order or involving minors, but those are uncommon. For normal adult marriage records, public access is clear. If a request is denied improperly, the Indiana Public Access Counselor's office can provide guidance. Most requests at small county clerks like Martin County go through without any complications, and the staff in Shoals can usually handle requests quickly given the manageable volume of records they maintain.
Cities in Martin County
Martin County's largest city is Shoals, the county seat. No cities in Martin County meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page. All communities in the county, including Loogootee and Crane, use the Martin County Clerk's office in Shoals for marriage license services.