Find the record's custodian before starting a search
Indiana's judicial branch operates MyCase for public court information and available documents. The Indiana State Police maintain criminal history, and the Department of Correction maintains state incarceration information. A MyCase result, an ISP background report and an IDOC locator entry concern different records. Their names and identifiers may overlap, but one product does not automatically supply the information or certification required from another.
The Indiana Department of Health maintains state birth and death records, with state birth recording beginning in 1907 and death recording in 1900. Local health departments provide records for events in their jurisdictions. Marriage records and divorce judgments take another route through the appropriate county clerk. An old marriage index may identify the issuing county, but it is not itself the certified marriage record required for a legal transaction.
For land, use the county assessor for assessment information, the treasurer for tax collection and the recorder for deeds and other recorded instruments. Indiana's statewide assessed-value search and tax-bill search help orient a search, while the county office supplies the underlying local record. A parcel's tax value is not a purchase price, and an assessment owner field is not a substitute for examining recorded title documents.
Business entity records belong to the Secretary of State through INBiz, while professional credentials belong to the Professional Licensing Agency or another occupational regulator. The license directory separates these authorities. Decide whether the question concerns a company's legal filing, an individual's credential, a facility license or a local permit before relying on a result from a different system.
Access to Public Records Act: response time and fees
Indiana's Access to Public Records Act, APRA, is Indiana Code 5-14-3. The Public Access Counselor provides guidance, complaint information and updates. Requests should identify existing records with reasonable particularity. An agency may need enough detail to locate the relevant files, and confidential material can be withheld under the applicable law. Identifying the department, date range and record type is more useful than asking for everything involving a broad topic.
The state's response-time explanation distinguishes an initial response from delivery. An in-person or telephone request generally requires a response within 24 hours; a mailed, emailed or faxed request requires a response within seven calendar days. An acknowledgment can satisfy the response requirement while records are gathered. Production must occur within a reasonable time, assessed in light of the records, storage and necessary review. The seven-day period is not a guarantee of receiving a completed production.
Ordinary local-government copying charges and statutory record-service fees are different. The PAC handbook explains the ordinary copying framework: the greater of ten cents per noncolor page, twenty-five cents per color page, or actual copying cost, with separate provisions for state agencies and special records. Statutory fees can supersede that general calculation. A clerk's certified court copy, an ISP criminal history report and a recorder's deed copy should therefore be priced under their respective service rules, not automatically at ten cents.
The handbook predates important amendments. The July 2026 statutory additions authorize a supplemental fee for requests by non-Indiana residents or out-of-state entities, related to fulfillment cost and capped at $0.25 per page and $25 per staff hour. The law also addresses requests originating from automated systems and permits public-interest waivers. Ask the authority to identify the fee provision and itemize the estimate; a general statement that records cost money does not explain which statutory charge applies.
When access is denied, preserve the written request and the response identifying the legal basis. The PAC's complaint instructions identify a thirty-day filing period following denial and request relevant correspondence and a clear timeline. PAC assistance and an advisory opinion are different from a court order compelling disclosure. APRA also provides a civil enforcement route. Follow the current complaint instructions promptly rather than assuming repeated informal follow-ups suspend a filing deadline.
Court cases, public documents and certified copies
MyCase allows public searches of nonconfidential case information. The judiciary's MyCase help page says many documents are available online without charge, but older documents and some document categories may be unavailable. Follow links in the chronological case summary for the actual filing. A docket entry without a downloadable document is not proof that the document is confidential or no longer exists; the county clerk can explain how to obtain a public copy.
The public document-access chart distinguishes case types and access audiences. Public access is different from access by a party or an attorney of record. Final criminal judgments, civil orders and appellate filings have their own availability rules. Read the chart for the particular case instead of assuming that a publicly searchable case exposes every attachment, exhibit or confidential filing online.
A party may connect an Indiana Courts account to a qualifying case through the party-access process. The judiciary describes mailed access codes and an alternative through the county clerk after identity verification. This provides access to available documents beyond the general public view, subject to restrictions. It does not authorize someone researching another person to claim party status. The court and clerk maintain the official record even when documents can be downloaded remotely.
The Indiana Trial Court Fee Manual lists a document-copy fee of no more than $1 per page and a $1 certificate fee under the identified provisions of IC 33-37-5. Ask the clerk for the total for the particular document and certification. A free MyCase download and a clerk-certified copy are different products. For a record needed by another institution, establish whether an ordinary electronic copy is acceptable before ordering certification.
Local routes include Bartholomew County's court and hearing information and the Lake County Clerk. Appellate decisions are available through the judiciary's opinions page. Older material may require the Indiana Archives' court-record holdings or the Crawfordsville District Public Library's local-history resources. Historical collections have specific coverage and should not be presented as current statewide case searches.
Federal matters use PACER and the relevant court: the Northern District, Southern District, Northern District Bankruptcy Court or Southern District Bankruptcy Court. The Indiana court records directory keeps state, local, appellate and federal routes distinct. Record the court and complete case number before requesting a filing from any clerk.
State Police Limited Criminal History and fingerprint checks
The ISP Limited Criminal History service is a name-based Indiana search. ISP says its completeness depends on county participation and that it excludes criminal history from other states. The service identifies three possible results: a record on file, inconclusive results, or no records found. A no-record result is limited to what this product can disclose; it is not a nationwide clearance or proof that no court case ever existed.
The online LCH landing page currently lists $15 per record for subscribers and $15.70 for credit-card users. It states that every completed search is charged, including a no-record result, and that the resulting PDF expires fourteen days after the completed search. Save or print the report through the service's available controls during that period. Do not assume another copy will be mailed after an online request.
For mail, the official request form lists a $7 fee and asks for the statutory reason for the request. ISP's current request webpage directs mailed applicants to use a money order payable to the State of Indiana. Follow that current mailing instruction rather than sending a personal check. The form also identifies categories eligible for fee exemptions; an exemption requires qualifying under the listed conditions, not simply preferring a no-cost search.
ISP's separate fee page still displays a $16.32 online total and older fingerprint-fee information. That conflicts with the public LCH landing page. Use the displayed charge for the selected live transaction and confirm it before payment; do not describe all online channels as having one universally verified total. The $7 mail route is consistently identified in the request materials.
ISP's criminal-history service comparison distinguishes Limited Criminal History, an Indiana fingerprint-based review or challenge report, and a national fingerprint-based report. The Indiana fingerprint product covers reported Indiana arrests, charges and dispositions; the national product has broader jurisdictional coverage. If an organization requires a particular background check, obtain its specified product and authorization process. The criminal records directory helps identify these routes without confusing a court docket with an ISP screening report.
Jail bookings, IDOC searches and warrants
For local custody, use the Hamilton County current-inmate lookup, Randolph County recent-arrest information or Tippecanoe County corrections information as appropriate. A current-inmate list, a recent-arrest publication and a jail information page have different coverage. Check the date and status labels, and contact the holding facility if the question concerns a current location or a recent transfer. A past booking does not establish present custody.
The Department of Correction locator is the state-incarceration starting point. A DOC number helps distinguish people with similar names and supports later facility inquiries. County detention and state imprisonment are different systems, so a county booking may not produce an IDOC result. Use the court's judgment to understand the sentence and the corrections source to understand the relevant custody information rather than inferring both from a name match.
Indiana's SAVIN explanation describes custody-status notifications. Registering for notifications is separate from running a public search. For visits, use the IDOC visitation instructions and the named facility's current rules. Facility schedules, approval and account requirements are operational services; a locator result alone does not authorize a visit or establish that visiting is available on a particular day.
For warrants and wanted notices, start with the issuing court or responsible sheriff. Greene County's warrant information, Howard County Sheriff's warrants, the Hamilton County Sheriff and Hancock County Sheriff provide local routes. Marion County Sheriff's Office and Putnam County Sheriff serve their jurisdictions. A sheriff's homepage is a contact route, not necessarily a complete online warrant index. Use the wants and warrants directory to locate the responsible office.
The Sullivan County child-support office handles a distinct program, and Indiana's protection-order portal concerns another record category. Do not treat a child-support matter, a protection order, a warrant and a jail booking as interchangeable evidence. Locate the actual order or case disposition before describing its legal effect. A public search result should identify the next record to inspect rather than replace that record.
Birth, death, marriage and historical records
The state Vital Records Office has no walk-in counter. It directs in-person applicants to the local health department where the birth or death occurred. State birth coverage begins in 1907 and death coverage in 1900; local holdings can differ. For an earlier event, contact the local health department or relevant historical collection rather than assuming the state has a searchable certificate for every nineteenth-century event.
The state ordering page lists $10 for a first birth certificate and $4 for additional copies in the same order. A first death certificate costs $8, with $4 for additional copies. State fees are nonrefundable and exclude third-party processing and shipping charges. Use State Form 49607 for birth records or State Form 49606 for death records, and include the required identification and proof of eligibility.
Indiana's official pages do not currently give one consistent turnaround estimate. The main vital-records page says to allow two weeks for receipt and ten to fifteen business days for processing once received. The order page separately lists two to three weeks for a standard birth certificate, six to eight weeks for a long form and sixty days for death certificates. The VitalChek information page lists twelve to sixteen weeks after required documents are approved. Treat these as conflicting published estimates and confirm the selected channel's current queue before relying on a deadline.
The VitalChek page lists a $12.95 processing charge in addition to the certificate and any chosen shipping. Faster shipping is not the same as faster certificate preparation. If time matters, ask the local health department about its available service for the event. Local fees and office hours can differ from the state's mail schedule, so do not arrive expecting every county counter to charge the state amount or issue every Indiana record.
Marriage research can begin with the State Library's 1958-to-2005 marriage index and early marriage index, or local sources such as Hendricks County's historical marriage books and Wayne County's marriage search. These are finding aids with their own date ranges. Obtain a certified marriage record from the relevant county clerk, and obtain a divorce judgment from the court clerk that holds the case. Neither document is replaced by a state birth or death certificate application.
For genealogy, the Fulton County Public Library genealogy collection, Elwood Public Library and State Library death index offer additional routes. An obituary, cemetery reference or index transcription can help locate an event but may not contain the same information as the official certificate. The Indiana vital records directory separates current certificate services from historical research sources. Keep the original spelling, dates and cited book or page when using an index to request the underlying record.
Property assessments, taxes and recorded deeds
The assessor's record describes the parcel for assessment purposes, the treasurer's record concerns taxes, and the recorder's record contains recorded instruments. Indiana's assessed-value search and tax-bill search are statewide starting points, but many details remain county-specific. Use the property records directory for assessment and tax routes and the recorded document directory for deeds and related instruments. Keep the assessment year separate from the year a tax installment is payable.
Recorded-document services include the Allen County Recorder, Bartholomew County Recorder, Floyd County online records service and Greene County's recorded-document information. Howard County's online recording search, Miami County land records, Noble County Recorder and St. Joseph County's land-record search provide further local routes. Check the index dates and image coverage before concluding that an older deed is missing because it does not appear in a recent online system.
The Tippecanoe County Recorder gives a useful example of copy ordering: mailed requests need the recording number or book and page, copies are $1 per page, and certification adds $5. The office says it does not conduct title searches for customers and cannot locate property by a street address or key number alone. First use assessment information and other available records to identify the names, legal description and approximate transaction date, then locate the recorded instrument.
Hamilton County's electronic records guidance likewise distinguishes document access from copying, with $1-per-page copies for standard letter or legal pages. An online index, a downloaded image and a certified copy are different products. County websites may send users to a contracted recording platform; confirm that the platform is linked by the county and that it covers the county needed before paying for access.
Assessment searches include Adams County's assessor, Allen County property record cards, Cass County's assessor and Hamilton County property reports. Hendricks County's data warehouse, Lake County's tax search and Marion County assessor cards provide other local starting points. Compare parcel identifiers and assessment dates. Similar street addresses, subdivision names or owner names can produce the wrong parcel if jurisdiction and legal description are not checked.
GIS can help place the parcel geographically. Allen County's mapping service, Hamilton County GIS, Indianapolis maps, Miami County's GIS and tax information and Wayne County property information support local research. Municipal tools such as Fishers GIS and Westfield maps may add city-specific information. A map is useful for orientation but does not substitute for a boundary survey or the recorded legal description in a title question.
For collection records, consult Decatur County's property-tax information, the Fulton County Treasurer, Marion County's property-tax information and St. Joseph County's tax-bill page. Noble County's treasurer, Randolph County's property-record search and White County's assessor address other local records. A payment portal is not necessarily a historical research database. Identify the tax period and ask the responsible office for the underlying bill or payment history when the online screen is insufficient.
Sales information is another separate source. Hancock County's sales-disclosure page helps explain that record category. A disclosed transaction, a current assessed value and a recorded deed can reflect different dates and purposes. Compare them rather than choosing one number as the property's definitive value. The Cass County Recorder also cautions that deed copies are available directly from the office, which can help evaluate private mailers offering an expensive copy of an already public document.
INBiz filings, assumed names and professional licenses
The INBiz public-search page separates business entities, business-name availability, trademarks, notaries and UCC records. Search the legal entity rather than assuming a storefront name is the registered company name. Entity status and filing history explain the state's registration record; they do not prove that a business is financially sound or holds every required professional and local license.
INBiz's information-request service provides free certified business filing copies. It also describes certificates of existence, long-form existence certificates and certificates of fact. The long form adds the list of filed documents. A validation feature helps confirm a certificate's authenticity. If an ordinary database search fails, the service describes a due-and-diligent search of microfilm and historical holdings, with a stated processing estimate of ten to fifteen business days.
The Business Entity Report instructions specify a two-year cycle: the first report is due two years after formation or registration, then every other year. The report's due month follows the formation or registration month. The current page lists $32 online or $50 on paper for for-profit businesses and $22 online or $20 on paper for nonprofits. Filing a tax return does not satisfy this reporting requirement. Review the actual entity's due date and record before treating a reminder as proof of delinquency.
Assumed-name records can involve the county recorder. Tippecanoe County explains that individuals, sole proprietorships and general partnerships operating under another name use its assumed-business-name process, while other entity types use state filing routes. That is why an INBiz search and a county assumed-name search may answer different parts of the same inquiry. Identify the business structure before concluding that a name is unregistered.
For occupational credentials, the Professional Licensing Agency and license verification service distinguish individual and facility searches. The search instructions permit an asterisk after partial information. Start with a license number when known; otherwise use a sufficiently broad name search and then compare profession, status and location. A wildcard improves recall, but a similar name still needs to be matched to the correct holder.
Some credentials have separate authorities. Indiana's educator-license search addresses teaching credentials, while the Department of Insurance's bail and recovery-agent information addresses those licenses. Court mediator search concerns mediation registration, and the Appraisal Subcommittee's appraiser information provides another specialized route. Use the court system's attorney-license resources when verifying authority to practice law rather than treating membership in a private bar directory as the official licensing record.
Financial and care records also require the correct program. The Department of Financial Institutions provides depository-institution records and consumer-credit records. Indiana's child-care provider search and the state mental-health service pages for adults and children address other programs. A service-provider directory and a professional license serve different functions; consult the relevant credential or agency record when the question is whether a specific license is active.
Sex and violent offender registry
Indiana's registry includes both sex and violent offenders within the statutory program. The IDOC registry explanation describes the sheriffs' joint registry under Zachary's Law and the department's statewide oversight role. Use its linked Indiana registry search to reach the participating county information. A general state homepage is not the registry, even if an old directory link points there.
The governing registration framework is IC 11-8-8. Public entries concern people who register because they live, work or study in Indiana; those locations are not necessarily interchangeable. Compare the entry's identifying details and stated category rather than treating a work or school address as a home address. The registry does not replace a complete criminal history search or the court's judgment and sentencing record.
For an apparent error, registration question or update obligation, contact the responsible sheriff or use IDOC's registry guidance. The public search and a registrant's reporting process are different functions. A returned result does not itself explain every historical registration decision, and a missing result does not establish that a person has no relevant conviction. The detailed registry guide below provides a fuller explanation of the reporting and review framework.
Unclaimed property: Indiana has a claim window
The Attorney General's Indiana Unclaimed Property service is the starting point for money and other property transferred into the state program. Search a current name, former names and relevant business names, then compare the address or other identifying details. A match suggests property to investigate; the claimant must still establish ownership or authority to act for the owner or estate.
Indiana should not be described as a state that always holds claims open forever. The Attorney General's 2026 program notice says individuals and businesses have twenty-five years to claim money after it is reported to the division. That period runs from reporting to the program, not simply from the date an account was opened or the owner moved. Search promptly and ask the division about the reporting date if a deadline is relevant.
The program's examples include wages, refunds, account balances, overpayments, money orders and safe-deposit-box contents. This is a different process from looking for vacant real estate or unpaid county property taxes. If the result concerns a deceased owner, follow the claim instructions for the required estate or heir documentation rather than submitting a claim solely because a family surname matches.
Business holders have their own reporting duties and workflow. An owner claiming an asset and a business reporting money it owes are on opposite sides of the program. Select the owner-claim service when seeking your property. Preserve the property identifier, confirmation and any document request so a later status inquiry refers to the submitted claim rather than a new name search.
Driver records and voter services
Indiana BMV's driver-record page distinguishes a free Viewable Driver Record from a $4 Official Driver Record. The official version is certified and accompanied by a BMV certification letter. Choose the certified product if the receiving organization requires it. The page describes the record as driving history, including current and resolved suspensions, citations, violations and other entries affecting driving privileges.
BMV provides an online purchase route and a mail route using State Form 53789. Its instructions direct people who do not know their license number to request the official record by mail. A driving-record request is not a general public name search for another person's home address. Follow the form's permitted-access requirements and distinguish the driver's record from a court's case file about a traffic matter.
Voter-facing services are available through the Indiana Voter Portal and the Secretary of State's voter-information page. Hamilton County's voter-registration office provides a local route. Use the current election service for registration status, voting locations and ballot-related information; an older address or election record does not determine the correct polling place for a later election. The Indiana voter records directory connects these resources without implying that every item in an election system is unrestricted public data.
How to frame an Indiana records request
Address the request to the agency maintaining the records. PAC advises about access law but is not the custodian of every Indiana agency's documents. Identify the particular contract, report, correspondence, recorded instrument or case document. Include a date range and available identifiers, such as a case number, incident number, parcel number or contract title. This helps the custodian distinguish the requested file from unrelated records with similar names.
For email, define the topic, time period and relevant offices or participants. For a financial transaction, identify the project, vendor or payment period and ask for existing invoices, contracts or payment records. A request for an explanation of why officials acted may not identify an existing record. A request for the decision memorandum and correspondence supporting the action gives the agency something concrete to locate.
Specify inspection or copies and the delivery format preferred. Ask for an estimate before charges exceed an amount you set, and request the public portions of records that contain restricted information. Preserve the acknowledgment and any projected production date. If records arrive in installments, track which dates and categories have been supplied so a follow-up can identify a specific missing part instead of restarting the entire request.
After July 2026, some authorities may use an electronic portal that verifies a physical address and identifies Indiana residency. Use accurate information and the authority's legitimate submission route. The new law does not mean every Indiana agency uses the same portal or charges every requester the same supplemental fee. Keep the submission receipt and review the stated legal basis if the agency prioritizes, charges for or denies the request under the new provisions.
Detailed Indiana guides
The arrest records guide compares ISP's limited product with local arrest and court information. The background check guide explains how name checks differ from fingerprint-based Indiana and national reports.
The birth certificate guide covers state and local ordering routes and the choice of certificate format. The death records guide explains application choices and the role of the county health department.
The business search guide develops INBiz filing research, certification and business-record interpretation. The inmate search guide follows the DOC number and facility information into correctional services and notifications.
The people search guide explains how to compare official records without treating a shared name as proof of identity. The public records law guide examines APRA's response rules and the 2026 amendments.
The sex and violent offender registry guide covers the registration framework and local sheriff's role. The unclaimed property guide explains the claim process, reporting window and property categories.
County pages and local-office distinctions
The Marion County page helps separate Indianapolis assessment and tax services from county court and sheriff records. Lake County and Allen County provide other major local routes. A statewide search can identify a case or entity while a county page identifies the office that holds the document needed to finish the research.
For central Indiana, use Hamilton County, Hendricks County, Johnson County and Madison County. Northern routes include St. Joseph County, Elkhart County and Porter County. Select the county of the event, property or filing, which may differ from the person's present residence.
The Tippecanoe County, Vanderburgh County, Monroe County, Delaware County and Vigo County pages provide additional local paths. Indiana has 92 counties; duplicate spellings or repeated directory entries do not create additional counties. Check both the jurisdiction and office function when choosing between a clerk, recorder, assessor, treasurer and health department.
For historical work, note the event date and the record's original jurisdiction before contacting an office. A library transcription may preserve a useful reference even when the current county website has no corresponding image. Ask for the cited book, page or instrument and its custodian. For recent records, a current case number or parcel identifier is usually a better starting point than a broad surname inquiry.
The July 2026 changes that affect records requests
HEA 1360, Public Law 97-2026, took effect July 1, 2026. The PAC overview explains new electronic-portal authority, prioritization, supplemental charges and handling of suspected automated or harmful requests. Agencies may prioritize Indiana residents and requests for civic, journalistic, academic or personal use. Requests originating outside Indiana or from automated systems may be delayed as necessary to prevent disruption of core agency functions under the new provisions.
The law permits an agency to decline a request it suspects involves data scraping, phishing or specified cybersecurity risks. An agency declining under that provision must notify PAC within seven days after receiving the request and identify the statutory reason. That agency reporting duty is separate from the ordinary distinction between acknowledging a request and delivering records. A requester should preserve any notice and seek clarification of the actual provision invoked.
The law also authorizes denial when a request comes from a party to pending or ongoing litigation and duplicates that person's discovery request in the litigation. Both conditions matter. This is not accurately summarized as a blanket ban on public-record requests by everyone involved in any lawsuit. Read the statutory language alongside older APRA guidance so a pre-2026 handbook does not become the sole basis for a current request.
Other current services also require attention to date and channel. ISP's LCH pages publish differing online totals, and the health department publishes conflicting turnaround estimates. The relevant sections above identify those discrepancies rather than promising a single unverified charge or completion date. Check the actual transaction instructions before paying or relying on a record arriving for a scheduled appointment.
What the FBI counted in Indiana in 2024
The FBI Crime Data Explorer counts offenses reported by local agencies, not convictions and not calls. For 2024 it recorded 20,305 violent offenses and 88,591 property offenses across 70 counties in Indiana, from 163 agencies that reported a full twelve months. Against the same count for 2023 that is down 6 percent in violent offenses and down 8 percent in property offenses, though the number of agencies reporting changes from year to year, which moves the totals on its own.
The count follows population, so the largest counties carry most of it. These reported the most violent offenses in 2024:
- Marion County, 8,549 violent and 31,315 property offenses from 4 reporting agencies.
- Lake County, 1,966 violent and 7,917 property offenses from 16 reporting agencies.
- Vanderburgh County, 1,595 violent and 4,721 property offenses from 2 reporting agencies.
- St. Joseph County, 1,156 violent and 4,029 property offenses from 4 reporting agencies.
- Allen County, 977 violent and 6,920 property offenses from 3 reporting agencies.
- Tippecanoe County, 569 violent and 2,286 property offenses from 4 reporting agencies.
A county total is the sum of what its agencies sent in, so a county whose agencies reported fewer months looks quieter than it is. Each county page on this site carries its own figures and names the offices that hold the underlying reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are documents on Indiana MyCase free?
Many public documents can be downloaded without charge. Availability depends on case type, document type and access level, and older documents may be absent. Contact the county clerk for a public document that is not available online or for a certified copy.
Does Indiana have to deliver public records within seven days?
Seven calendar days is generally the initial response period for mailed, emailed or faxed requests. The response can acknowledge receipt while records are gathered. Production must occur within a reasonable time; the response period is not a universal delivery deadline.
How much does an Indiana Limited Criminal History cost?
The online landing page lists $15 for subscribers and $15.70 for credit-card searches, while another ISP fee page displays a conflicting $16.32 total. Confirm the selected transaction's charge. The mail form lists $7, and the current ISP mailing instructions require a money order.
Can I get a birth or death certificate at the state office in person?
The Indiana Department of Health does not offer walk-in service. It directs in-person applicants to the local health department where the event occurred. State mail fees are $10 for the first birth certificate or $8 for the first death certificate, plus $4 for additional copies in the same order.
Are certified Indiana business filing copies available without a fee?
INBiz offers free certified copies of business entity filings through its information-request service. Other products and filing transactions have their own requirements and charges. A certified filing copy also does not replace a professional license verification.
Can Indiana unclaimed money be claimed forever?
The Attorney General's current program guidance says individuals and businesses have twenty-five years to claim money after it is reported to the Unclaimed Property Division. Check the property's reporting date and the applicable claim instructions instead of assuming there is no deadline.