Tippecanoe County Marriage Records
Tippecanoe County marriage records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Lafayette, Indiana. The clerk's office on the second floor of the Lafayette courthouse handles all marriage license applications for the county, stores completed Tippecanoe County marriage records, and responds to requests for certified copies and record lookups from individuals, attorneys, and researchers.
Tippecanoe County Marriage Records Quick Facts
Tippecanoe County Clerk's Office
Clerk Julie Roush leads the Tippecanoe County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The office is at 301 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Lafayette, IN 47901. The mailing address is PO Box 1665, Lafayette, IN 47902. You can reach the marriage license line at 765-423-9326, ext. 4. The fax is 765-423-9194. Office hours are Monday through Friday. Uniquely, the office stays open until 6:30 PM on Tuesdays, giving working couples an evening option for applying for a Tippecanoe County marriage license.
The Tippecanoe County Clerk's page at tippecanoe.in.gov/Directory.aspx?did=15 provides current contact information, hours, and service details for the clerk's office. This is a good page to bookmark before your visit. Indiana's statewide online pre-application for marriage licenses at in.gov/courts/services/marriage-license lets you start the process before going to 301 Main Street, cutting down on wait time at the counter.
The screenshot below shows the Tippecanoe County Clerk's online directory page, which lists current office hours, contact numbers, and services offered by the clerk's office in Lafayette for Tippecanoe County marriage records and license applications.
The Tippecanoe County Clerk's directory page at tippecanoe.in.gov confirms the address, phone number, extended Tuesday evening hours, and marriage license services available at 301 Main Street in Lafayette.
| Office | Tippecanoe County Clerk of the Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Julie Roush |
| Address | 301 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Lafayette, IN 47901 |
| Mailing | PO Box 1665, Lafayette, IN 47902 |
| Phone | 765-423-9326, ext. 4 (Marriage License) |
| Fax | 765-423-9194 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday; Tuesday until 6:30 PM |
| Resident Fee | $25 |
| Out-of-State Fee | $65 |
| Website | tippecanoe.in.gov/Directory.aspx?did=15 |
How to Apply for a Tippecanoe County Marriage License
At least one applicant must be a Tippecanoe County resident. Both applicants must appear in person at 301 Main Street in Lafayette. Bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license or state-issued ID. A certified birth certificate showing your name and date of birth is also acceptable. Both parties must be at least 18 years old to apply without additional steps.
Indiana Code under IC 31-11 governs marriage licenses statewide. There is no waiting period in Indiana. The license can be used the day it is issued. It is valid for 60 days. The signed license must be returned to the Tippecanoe County Clerk within 30 days after the ceremony. No blood test is required. Tippecanoe County residents pay $25. Out-of-state applicants pay $65.
The extended Tuesday hours until 6:30 PM make Tippecanoe County one of the more convenient options for couples who cannot leave work during standard business hours. Call 765-423-9326, ext. 4 before your Tuesday evening visit to confirm the marriage license desk will be available when you arrive.
If either applicant was previously married, bring information on how and when that marriage ended. Divorce, annulment, or death of a spouse each end a prior marriage, and you should know the date that event occurred. For applicants aged 16 or 17, a court order is required. No one under 16 can get a license in Indiana.
Search Tippecanoe County Marriage Records Online
The Indiana Courts Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL is the free statewide tool for searching Tippecanoe County marriage records from 1993 to the present. No account is needed. Search by name, county, or date range. Results show who received a marriage license from the Tippecanoe County Clerk and when it was issued.
The Indiana Marriage License Public Lookup image below shows how the tool works. It pulls data directly from the statewide database that all Indiana county clerks submit marriage records into, including Tippecanoe County.
The Marriage License Public Lookup at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL covers Tippecanoe County marriage records from 1993 forward and is free to search without registration or fees.
For Tippecanoe County marriage records older than 1993, the online lookup will not help. Contact the clerk's office at 765-423-9326, ext. 4 for older records. Historical records are also available through the Indiana State Library's Legacy Database at digital.statelib.lib.in.us/legacy. The Indiana Archives at in.gov/iara holds older vital records that may include historical Tippecanoe County marriage documents for genealogy research.
Tippecanoe County Marriage Records and Public Access Law
Marriage records at the Tippecanoe 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 Tippecanoe County marriage records. The vital records statute at Indiana Code 16-37-1-10 may limit access to certain personal details in more recent records depending on the identity of the requestor and the age of the document.
Certified copies of Tippecanoe County marriage records can be obtained from the clerk's office in Lafayette. The Indiana Department of Health at in.gov/health/vital-records/marriages processes state-level certified copy requests for an $8 search fee. The Indiana Courts public records page at in.gov/courts/public-records provides statewide guidance on court record requests. If you have questions about accessing records, Indiana Legal Help at indianalegalhelp.org offers free assistance.
Historical Tippecanoe County Marriage Records
Tippecanoe County was organized in 1826. Its marriage records from the early 19th century are part of the state's historical archive and available through genealogy collections. FamilySearch has indexed many older Tippecanoe County marriages at no cost. Ancestry holds Indiana marriage collections that include older Tippecanoe County records. Purdue University's archives and local historical societies in Lafayette may hold additional materials related to historical Tippecanoe County marriage records.
The Indiana State Library's genealogy resources at in.gov/library/genealogy.htm provide access to older Tippecanoe County marriage records through microfilm and digital collections. The Indiana Archives at in.gov/iara holds historical vital records that include older county marriage documents. Researchers who need pre-1993 Tippecanoe County records and cannot find them through the clerk's office should start with these state resources.
Cities in Tippecanoe County
Tippecanoe County is home to two qualifying cities. Both are served by the Tippecanoe County Clerk's office in Lafayette for all marriage license applications and Tippecanoe County marriage record requests.
- Lafayette - county seat and largest city in Tippecanoe County
- West Lafayette - home to Purdue University, across the Wabash River from Lafayette
Other communities in the county include Battle Ground, Buck Creek, and Otterbein. Residents of all Tippecanoe County communities apply for marriage licenses and access records at 301 Main Street in Lafayette.
Nearby Indiana Counties
These counties border Tippecanoe County in west-central Indiana. Each county's clerk manages its own marriage license applications and record storage.