Bartholomew County Marriage License
Marriage license work is handled by the Bartholomew County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Clerk's office instructs couples to begin the application online through the Indiana marriage-license system, then call the Clerk to set an appointment. Both applicants finish the process in person and receive the license at the appointment. The Clerk does not perform the ceremony, so the couple must arrange a qualified officiant after the license is issued.
The Indiana Judicial Branch marriage license page sets the state rules. One or both Indiana residents apply in an Indiana county where either applicant lives. Out-of-state residents apply in the Indiana county where the ceremony will occur. A license is valid for 60 days from issuance, and a couple may marry the same day. If the ceremony does not occur within that window, a new license is required.
The Indiana marriage license application is the online start point assigned to Bartholomew County marriage records in the image manifest.
That online application is only the first step. The Bartholomew County Clerk appointment is still required before the marriage license is issued.
Apply for Bartholomew County Marriage Records
Applicants should prepare names, dates of birth, identification, Social Security numbers, parent information, prior marriage dates when applicable, and any translated or notarized documents before the Clerk appointment. Bartholomew County uses appointment windows on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30-9:15 a.m. or 2:00-2:45 p.m.; the Clerk says each appointment lasts 15 minutes. Call 812-379-1600 after starting the online application.
- Start the application through the Indiana Courts marriage-license portal before contacting the Clerk.
- Call the Bartholomew County Clerk at 812-379-1600 to schedule the required in-person appointment.
- Both applicants appear at the Clerk's office with acceptable identity and age proof, current address proof, and any prior-marriage information.
- Pay the license fee, confirm ceremony plans with an officiant, and receive the license at the appointment.
- Use the license within 60 days. If the marriage is not solemnized in time, apply again for a new license.
Note: State rules allow some applicants ages 16 or 17 only with a juvenile-court order approving marriage and complete emancipation.
Bartholomew County Marriage Fields
The marriage-license application asks for legal identity, age, residence, Social Security number, family genealogy details, and prior marriage facts. Non-English records may need translation and notarization. The state page says a Social Security number is required, but the card itself may not be required. Bring proof that matches the online entry because the Clerk completes issuance in person.
| Field / Information | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant legal names | Text | Yes | Both applicants provide legal names. |
| Date of birth / age proof | ID or document | Yes | Passport, driver's license, state ID, birth record, court record, immigration record, or similar proof may be used. |
| Current address | Text or ID | Yes | Valid ID with current address is listed by the state as acceptable proof. |
| Social Security Number | Text | Yes | The number is required by the state process. |
| Prior marriage ended date | Date | Conditional | Needed if an applicant was previously married; some counties require a certified divorce decree. |
| Parent full names | Text | Yes | Collected for Indiana genealogy reporting. |
| Parent last known address | Text | Yes | Used in the genealogical portion of the application. |
| Parent birthplace | Text | Yes | State or foreign country is requested. |
| Translation / notarization | Document | Conditional | May be needed for non-English documents. |
| Online application | Web form | Yes | Bartholomew County asks applicants to begin online. |
| Clerk appointment | In person | Yes | Both applicants complete the process and receive the license. |
Bartholomew County Marriage Fees
Marriage fees come from the state marriage-license material and Bartholomew Clerk guidance. Divorce filing fees were not located in accessible official text because the court-cost PDF could not be reliably extracted. For dissolution filing, case reopening, or certified divorce decree amounts, confirm the current Clerk fee schedule before filing or ordering.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license, one or both Indiana residents | $25 |
| Marriage license, out-of-state residents | $65 |
| Certified marriage license copy | $4 |
| Additional document fee | Some offices charge $4; Bartholomew-specific added fee not located |
| Payment method | Most counties require cash; verify with Bartholomew Clerk when scheduling |
| Divorce filing or decree copy | Fee not located in accessible official text; verify with the Clerk |
Search Bartholomew County Marriage Records
Modern and certified Bartholomew County marriage records are handled through the Clerk. The County Archives also provides a historical search category for marriages, which helps with genealogy and older record discovery. The archives material says all marriage licenses from 1821 to present can be obtained from the County Clerk's office, while the archive search can help identify older entries before a copy request is made.
The state marriage license service page explains Indiana license rules, eligibility, fees, and certified-copy context for Bartholomew County marriage records.
Use the state page for statewide rules, then use the Bartholomew County Clerk for the local appointment, license issue, and copy request.
Useful search details include both spouses' names, approximate marriage year, license county, and whether a certified copy is needed. For historical entries, try the County Archives category search under MARRIAGES, then follow the archive copy process or contact the Clerk for the official license copy.
Search Bartholomew County Divorce Records
Divorce records are dissolution case records, not county health-department vital certificates. Bartholomew County dissolution and related family matters are handled in the local trial courts, with Circuit Court and Superior Court I tied to paternity, dissolution, divorce, custody, child support, parenting time, and protective-order work. Start with Indiana MyCase public case search by cause number or party name. Use first and last name only when following the Clerk's local search guidance.
A public divorce case may show the cause number, court, filing date, parties, chronological case summary, hearings, appearances, orders, and final decree entries. Documents involving children, Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, protected addresses, juvenile information, or protection-order identifying details may be redacted or excluded under Indiana access rules.
The Indiana family-law title is the state-law source assigned to Bartholomew County marriage and divorce records in the manifest.
That state-law source is useful for eligibility and family-law context, but the local divorce case copy still comes through MyCase or the Bartholomew County Clerk.
Certified Marriage and Divorce Copies
A certified marriage license copy is commonly needed for name changes, benefits, immigration, insurance, and retirement records. Order Bartholomew County certified marriage copies from the Clerk because the Clerk holds marriage licenses issued in the county. The state fee table lists a certified marriage license copy at $4.
For a divorce decree, first identify the cause number in MyCase. If the decree or order is a public electronic document and the cause number is known, the Clerk's public information request form may be used for an emailed copy. For a certified copy, older file, or document not linked online, contact or visit the Clerk. The Clerk page states public information requests are filled by email within 7 business days when the request fits the form limits.
Note: Certified copies prove the Clerk's record; downloaded public images or docket text may not be accepted for legal name, benefit, or court use.
Restricted Bartholomew Family Records
Marriage licenses are public record sources, but divorce and related family cases can contain information that is not open in the same way. A dissolution case may include child support worksheets, custody filings, parenting-time orders, financial account details, protected addresses, Social Security numbers, and references to protection orders or juvenile matters. Indiana access rules allow or require redaction of confidential personal information, victim or protected-person information, and certain child-related details.
MyCase may show the public case shell, chronological case summary, parties, and orders while withholding documents or details that are sealed, excluded, or not available online. If a decree or order is not linked but appears to be public, contact the Clerk with the cause number. If the file involves children, protective orders, juvenile paternity, adoption, or sealed material, expect the Clerk to follow court access rules rather than release every document on request.
Indiana Marriage Access Limits
Indiana provides statewide marriage-license rules, but Bartholomew County marriage records remain tied to the issuing Clerk for official local copies. A county archive search can locate older marriage entries, but the Clerk is still the official copy path for licenses issued in Bartholomew County. Divorce records follow the court record path instead of a statewide vital-record certificate path.
Bartholomew County Clerk of the Circuit Court
234 Washington Street
Columbus, IN 47201
Mail: P.O. Box 924, Columbus, IN 47202-0924
812-379-1600