How to Get Married in Indiana: License, Ceremony, and Filing

To get married in Indiana, you need a marriage license from a county clerk’s office, a ceremony performed by an authorized officiant, and the completed license filed back with that clerk within 30 days. There is no waiting period, so the license and the wedding can happen the same day. The government cost starts at $25 for residents. Here is how each step works.

Who Can Legally Marry

Both people must be at least 18.¹ Parental consent is no longer an option. A 16- or 17-year-old can marry only under a juvenile court order that also fully emancipates the minor; the other person cannot be more than four years older, the minor must wait at least 15 days after the court order before applying, and any premarital counseling the court orders has to be finished first.²

You cannot marry anyone more closely related to you than a second cousin. First cousins may marry only if both are at least 65. Neither person can already be married to someone else.³ If a previous marriage ended in divorce or a spouse’s death, that is fine, but you will need to know the exact date it ended when you apply.

One thing to know up front: Indiana does not recognize new common law marriages, and it hasn’t since 1958. Living together and calling yourselves married does not make it legal here. Indiana will honor a common law marriage that was validly formed in a state that allows them, but you cannot create one inside Indiana.

Applying for the Marriage License

Both of you have to appear in person at a county clerk’s office. If either of you is an Indiana resident, apply in the county where that person lives. If neither of you lives in Indiana, apply in the county where the ceremony will take place.⁴ Some counties offer an online pre-application to speed the paperwork, but you still have to finish the process at the counter.

Bring the following:

A valid government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport) showing your date of birth and current address.⁴
Your Social Security number. The physical card may not be required.⁴
If you are under 22, a certified copy of your birth certificate or a birth record certification from a state health department.⁴
If either of you has been married before, the date that marriage ended. Some counties also want a certified copy of the divorce decree.⁴

The license fee is $25 if at least one of you is an Indiana resident and $65 if neither is. Some offices tack on an additional $4 document fee. Many clerks accept cash only, so call ahead to confirm payment methods. There is no waiting period, and no blood test or medical exam is required. The license is valid for 60 days from issuance. If you don’t hold the ceremony inside that window, the license expires and you have to apply and pay again.⁴

Indiana does not allow proxy marriages. Both people must be physically present for the application and for the ceremony.

Who Can Perform the Ceremony

Indiana law authorizes a broad list of officiants:⁵

Ministers, priests, bishops, archbishops, rabbis, and imams acting under their religious organization’s rules.
Any judge, at any level of court.
Mayors, within the county they serve.
City or town clerks and clerk-treasurers, within a county where their city or town sits.
Clerks of the circuit court.
The governor, lieutenant governor, and members of the Indiana General Assembly, though these officials cannot accept payment for performing a ceremony.
The Friends Church (Quakers), German Baptists, Bahai faith, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to their own traditions.

Indiana does not license or certify officiants. Official state guidance says an officiant must be “a minister (as outlined by church rules) or fit categories listed in Indiana Code 31-11-6.”⁶ Many Indiana counties accept ceremonies performed by someone ordained online through groups like the Universal Life Church or American Marriage Ministries, since the statute broadly covers any member of the clergy of a religious organization. Some clerks push back, though, so if you’re planning to have a friend officiate, call the issuing clerk ahead of time and confirm they’ll accept it.

Indiana does not require particular vows, a set ceremony format, or witnesses. The only ceremony rule is that an authorized officiant solemnizes the marriage and signs the license.

Filing the License After the Ceremony

Your officiant is responsible for completing the license, signing it, and returning it to the county clerk that issued it. This has to happen within 30 days of the ceremony.⁷ Don’t assume it’s handled. Follow up with your officiant a week or two after the wedding to confirm the license was filed. If an officiant fails to complete or return the license on time, either spouse can file for a declaratory judgment in the circuit court of the county where the marriage took place to have the marriage officially recorded.⁸

Once recorded, your marriage is a public record. You can order certified copies of your marriage certificate from the same clerk for $4 per copy.⁴ Order two or three at once. You’ll need them for name changes, insurance updates, and other legal purposes, and it’s cheaper than making a second trip.

Changing Your Name

Indiana does not require a separate court order to take your spouse’s last name. Your certified marriage certificate is the legal proof. Work through the updates in this order, because each agency usually wants the previous one done first:

Social Security card. File Form SS-5 with the Social Security Administration along with your certified marriage certificate (original or certified copy, not a photocopy) and an identity document such as your driver’s license or passport. There is no fee.⁹
Indiana driver’s license or state ID. Visit a BMV branch (all branches are closed on Mondays) or call 317-233-6000, option 2. Bring your certified marriage certificate and current license.¹⁰
U.S. passport. The form and fee depend on how recently your current passport was issued and whether it has expired. You’ll need a certified marriage certificate showing both your old and new names. Check the State Department’s fee calculator for current amounts.¹¹

After the federal documents, update your name with your employer’s payroll and HR, your bank, your health insurance, the post office, your voter registration, and any professional licenses.

Taxes, Insurance, and Beneficiaries

Your marital status on December 31 sets your filing status for the whole tax year. If you marry any time in 2026, you’ll file your 2026 federal return as either Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately. The 2026 standard deduction for joint filers is $32,200, nearly double the single amount.¹² Run the numbers both ways, especially if one spouse has income-driven student loan payments or significant itemized deductions. Separate filing sometimes saves money.

Marriage triggers a special enrollment period for health insurance. You have 60 days from the wedding to join your spouse’s Marketplace plan or enroll in a new one.¹³ Employer plans work similarly, though many use a 30-day window. If you have a Flexible Spending Account, marriage is a qualifying life event; contact the FSA administrator within 30 days to change your election.

Finally, update the beneficiary designations on your retirement accounts, life insurance, and bank accounts. Beneficiary forms override what a will says, so a designation you forgot to change can send assets to an ex or a parent instead of your new spouse.

1
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 31-11-1-4 – Minimum Age for Marriage
2
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 31-11-1-5 – Marriage of Minors
3
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 31-11-1-3 – Bigamous Marriages Prohibited
4
Indiana Judicial Branch. Apply for a Marriage License
5
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 31-11-6-1 – Persons Authorized to Solemnize
6
IN.gov. Who Can Perform a Marriage in Indiana?
7
indy.gov. Marriage Licenses – Section: Recording Your Marriage License
8
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 31-11-4-17 – Failure to File Marriage Certificates
9
Social Security Administration. Application for Social Security Card
10
IN.gov. I Recently Married / Divorced, How Do I Change My Name?
11
Travel.State.Gov. Passport Fees
12
Internal Revenue Service. IRS Releases Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2026
13
HealthCare.gov. Special Enrollment Periods for Complex Issues