In Indiana, public records are governed by the Access to Public Records Act (ARPA). ARPA, as outlined in Indiana Code 5-14-3, stipulates that the Indiana government is obliged to make publicly available any information regarding the government, public officials and employees and their activities. This includes information in any format that pertains to or is produced by the state, county or city government in Indiana. Vital records are not covered by ARPA and are instead governed by Indiana Code 16-37.
Vital Records
Indiana birth and death certificates are available from either the State Department of Health Vital Records or from the local health departments. Birth records are available from the state from 1907 to present and death records from 1917 to present. They can be ordered online through a licensed third party, VitalChek. Copies of birth or death certificates can also be ordered by phone or by mail at:
Indiana State Department of Health
Vital Records
2 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(866) 601-0891
Birth and death certificates can also be ordered through the local health department in the county where the event occurred. This is also the only way to order older records that are not available at the State Department of Health.
Indiana marriage and divorce records are all available at the County Clerk where the marriage or divorce occurred.
Property Records
County authorities are also the holders of public records concerning real estate transactions and other documentation, including deeds, mortgages, liens, etc. For property sales, however, your best source of information is the Department of Local Government Finance which has an online request form for sales disclosure since property sales are considered public records. The database includes transactions from all Indiana counties but if you can’t find the record you need, you are advised to contact the county authority.
Court Records
The Indiana Judicial Branch uses an online case management system that includes access to court cases. They provide a case search tool that allows you to search all non-confidential cases. This includes the ability to search the criminal and citation records based on case, defendant’s name, citation and attorney, and the civil, family and probate records based on case, party, and attorney.
Business Records
The Indiana Secretary of State is where you should go if you need a business entity record. You can search for all publicly available business information of any company that is registered to do business in the state. You can also print certificates of existence and download business entity documents, in exchange for a fee. The information available varies from the basic contact details, name, and entity type to more detailed records including principals, registered agents, and corporate report data.
Indiana State Archives
This agency is responsible for keeping the historical records in the state. These include but are not limited to governmental history, census records, naturalization records, land ownership records, as well as select medical, military, and criminal records that are deemed to be of public relevance. The State Archives is the place to go for any sort of historical research about Indiana. Requests for records stored by the Archives can be made via e-mail, by phone or by mail. You need to clearly specify the subject of your request to avoid your e-mail being discarded as spam. You can also request access to historical records in person. In any case, the State Archives is the place to contact if you’re doing research for a college project or a literary work, for instance.
Indiana Genealogies and Historical Records
The Indiana State Library is a valuable resource for anyone researching their genealogy or historical vital records. Its databases include extensive genealogical resources, federal census records, and historical vital records published in newspapers. The historical and genealogical records alone exceed 50 million pages of documents.