Sullivan County Marriage Records
Sullivan County marriage records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Sullivan, Indiana. The clerk's office is the official source for all marriage license applications filed in the county, and it stores completed Sullivan County marriage records that are available to individuals, attorneys, and genealogy researchers upon request.
Sullivan County Marriage Records Quick Facts
Sullivan County Clerk's Office
Clerk Tonya Bedwell leads the Sullivan County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The office is located at the Sullivan County Courthouse in the city of Sullivan. Office hours are Monday through Friday during normal business hours. This office is the official keeper of all Sullivan County marriage records, both current and historical, and it handles all new marriage license applications for the county.
Indiana provides a statewide online pre-application system for marriage licenses. Applicants can start the process at in.gov/courts/services/marriage-license before going to the courthouse in Sullivan. Completing the online form ahead of time helps the clerk's staff process your application faster on the day of your visit. Both applicants must still appear in person and sign the license at the clerk's office in Sullivan to receive it.
The Sullivan County Courthouse in Sullivan is the address for all in-person visits related to marriage license applications and Sullivan County marriage record requests. Call ahead if you have questions about hours, fees, or what to bring.
| Office | Sullivan County Clerk of the Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Tonya Bedwell |
| Location | Sullivan County Courthouse, Sullivan, IN |
| Hours | Monday through Friday |
| Resident Fee | $25 |
| Out-of-State Fee | $65 |
Applying for a Marriage License in Sullivan County
One or both applicants must be a Sullivan County resident to apply at this office. Both people must appear in person. A valid photo ID such as a driver's license or state-issued ID card is required. A certified birth certificate showing name and date of birth also works as proof of identity. Both parties must be at least 18 years old to apply without additional steps.
Indiana Code under IC 31-11 sets the state rules for marriage licenses. Indiana has no waiting period. You can get married the same day the license is issued if you want. The license is valid for 60 days. The signed license must go back to the clerk within 30 days after the ceremony. No blood test is required. Sullivan County residents pay $25. Out-of-state applicants pay $65.
If either applicant was previously married, you will need to provide the date the prior marriage ended and how it ended, whether by death, divorce, or annulment. Have that information ready before your visit to Sullivan. If either applicant is 16 or 17 years old, a court order is required before the clerk can issue a license. No one under 16 can get a marriage license in Indiana.
Sullivan County is in western Indiana, not far from the Illinois border. If one applicant lives in Illinois, the out-of-state fee of $65 applies. Check residency requirements with the clerk before your appointment to make sure the correct fee is ready.
Search Sullivan County Marriage Records Online
The Indiana Courts Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL is the main free tool for finding Sullivan County marriage records. It covers licenses issued from 1993 forward. No account is needed. Search by name, county, or date range to find who was issued a license and the date it was recorded by the Sullivan County Clerk.
The image below shows the Indiana Marriage License Public Lookup portal, which provides free public access to Sullivan County marriage records from 1993 to the present through the Indiana Courts statewide database.
The Marriage License Public Lookup is updated regularly as county clerks across Indiana, including Sullivan County, record newly issued marriage licenses in the statewide system at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL.
Sullivan County marriage records older than 1993 are not in the online system. Contact the clerk's office directly for older records. Historical records are also accessible through the Indiana State Library's Legacy Database at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy, which indexes older Indiana marriages including Sullivan County entries. The Indiana Archives at in.gov/iara holds older vital records that may include historic Sullivan County marriage documents.
Sullivan County Marriage Records and the Law
Marriage records at the Sullivan County Clerk's office are public documents under Indiana Code 5-14-3, the Access to Public Records Act. Anyone may request to view or copy Sullivan County marriage records. Vital records provisions under Indiana Code 16-37-1-10 may limit access to certain personal details in more recent records depending on who is making the request.
Certified copies of Sullivan County marriage records are available from the clerk in Sullivan. The Indiana Department of Health handles state-level certified copy requests at in.gov/health/vital-records/marriages for an $8 search fee. The Indiana Courts records page at in.gov/courts/public-records covers statewide court record access policies. Indiana Legal Help at indianalegalhelp.org provides free help if you have questions about accessing public records in Sullivan County.
Historical Sullivan County Marriage Records
Sullivan County was organized in 1817. Marriage records from the county's early decades have been preserved in the state archives and through genealogy collections. FamilySearch has indexed many older Indiana marriages at no cost, including Sullivan County entries from the 1800s. Ancestry also holds Indiana marriage collections covering Sullivan County. Local historical societies in Sullivan may have printed transcriptions of older county marriage records that are not available online.
The Indiana Legacy Database at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy indexes historical Sullivan County marriage records compiled from courthouse books and vital records collections across western Indiana.
The Indiana State Library's genealogy resources at in.gov/library/genealogy.htm are available to researchers who need pre-digital Sullivan County marriage records. Library staff can help identify which collections cover the years and records you are looking for. If the clerk's office in Sullivan does not have the older record you need, the Indiana Archives at in.gov/iara is the next place to check.
Cities and Towns in Sullivan County
Sullivan is the county seat and the largest city in Sullivan County. Other communities include Farmersburg, Shelburn, and Dugger. No city in Sullivan County has a population over 100,000. All residents of these towns apply for marriage licenses and access Sullivan County marriage records through the clerk's office in Sullivan.
Nearby Indiana Counties
These counties border Sullivan County in western Indiana. Each county's clerk handles marriage license applications and records for that county.