Indiana Public Records
Indiana public records include any report, writing, photograph, maps, tape recordings, or other similar material used and owned by public officials and its employees.
How to Find Indiana Public Records
Under the Access to Public Records Act (APRA) of Indiana, any person has the right to request and access public records at any time as long as they are not considered confidential. However, private sources can also provide access when the records are available.
Are Indiana Public Records Available Online?
Public records in Indiana are available online except for non-disclosed and confidential records like trade secrets or financial information, for example. The state also has a comprehensive guide on accessing commonly requested public records.
What Records are Not Available in Indiana?
All public records in Indiana are open for scrutiny, inspection, and duplication except for the following considered as confidential information by state law:
- Medical records
- Adoption records
- Personal or company financial information
- Trade secrets
- Law enforcement agency records under investigation
- Employee file information
Types of Public Records Available in Indiana
Indiana has the following records available to the public.
Indiana Public Criminal Records
You may search for public criminal records in Indiana online. If the information you're looking for is not available, you may use the limited criminal history search service of the Indiana State Police to find criminal records.
Police Departments and Sheriffe Office in Indiana :
Arrest Records and Warrants
Arrest records and warrants in Indiana are available through a quick search online using filters like the case information, name and birth date of the subject, or the attorney that handled the case. Otherwise, you may contact the courts and clerks in the state to find arrest records and warrants.
Inmate and Jail Records
There are two ways to look up inmate and jail records in Indiana. First, you can use the Indiana Department of Correction's offender search or use the inmate lookup tool with the following search filters:
- Name search (first name, last name, and date of birth)
- Value search (ICE number, FBI number, state or county ID, booking or permanent number)
Jails and Prisons in Indiana :
Indiana Background Checks
In Indiana, background checks are performed by the state police and can be name-based or fingerprint-based.
Name-based background checks are quick searches and contain limited information on a person's criminal history, including misdemeanor arrests and felonies in Indiana. A name-based search will be based upon the following information:
- Complete name
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Place of birth
- Race
- Social security number
For a more conclusive and accurate result, the Indiana State Police can run fingerprint checks in the state to get a full report on any charges, arrests, or dispositions made within the state.
Aside from employment purposes, Indiana requires citizens to perform a fingerprint-based background check for license issuing.
How to Find Sex Offenders in Indiana
Indiana has a sex offender registry where you must first select your county from the map to find information on sex and violent offenders around your area. Other search options include listing all published offenders on the registry aside from performing name and address searches.
Indiana Public Vital Records
Public vital records are available at the Indiana Department of Health Vital Records.
You may order public vital records online or send your requests via mail. For online orders, you need to pay the following fees, a processing fee of $7.50. A shipping fee of $21.00 will apply if you choose UPS Air while regular mail shipping through USPS is free.
The first copy of both birth and death records is $10.00 each. You need to add $4.00 for every additional copy when you make your request.
Don't forget to accomplish the necessary state forms when requesting a birth or death.
For marriage and divorce records, you need to contact the county clerk's office where the marriage occurred or where the divorce was finalized.
Indiana Court Records
You can access court records in Indiana for free using their online search tool. Otherwise, you can contact the clerk's office of each county to get information on the court records you need.
Here are the following types of court records that you can search online:
- Criminal records and citation
- Civil records
- Family records
- Probate records
- Appellate records
- Commercial records
On the other hand, the following records are considered confidential and can only be accessed by visiting the courthouse:
- Marriage records
- Divorce records
- Mental health records
- Adoption records
- Child in need of services cases
- Court records containing information on crime victims, witnesses, or plaintiffs in civil protective orders
State Court System in Indiana
Indiana's court system has three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The state court system, on the other hand, is divided into two primary levels: the appellate courts, which include the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, and the tax court, and the trial courts composed of local town or city courts, and the circuit and superior courts.
Courts in Indiana :
Driving Records
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles offers a viewable driver record (VDR) for free if you have an account. However, if you need a certified copy of your official driver record (ODR), you may get one provided that you also have an account, and you pay the purchase fee of $4.00 to print a certified copy of your driving records.
You need to know your driver's license number to order your driving records online. If not, you will have to mail a request to get your driving records.
Civil Driving Infractions
Traffic violations or civil driving infractions in Indiana are divided into different sections.
Section A violations involve a 10-year suspension when a person accumulates two major offenses resulting in injury or death, including the following:
- Reckless driving resulting in homicide
- Voluntary or involuntary manslaughter
- Driving under the influence resulting to death
Section B offenses apply when you commit three violations within 10 years like the following:
- Reckless driving
- Drag racing
- Resisting law enforcement
- Felony
- DUI
Section C violations mean that you have accumulated at least nine (9) traffic violations plus one major offense within 10 years that may result in a license suspension.
Indiana License Plate Lookup
You may look up a license plate in Indiana by paying the yearly subscription fee of $95.00. You need a vehicle's identification number (VIN) and a social security number to perform license plate searches. Note that there is an online fee of $5.00 for every record search.
Indiana Property and Asset Records Online
The state of Indiana has separate records for property and assets that you can easily access online. The state approximately has 7.500 deeds and property records are managed by the registry of deed offices which are also organized on a county level.
Indiana Unclaimed Property and Assets
The state's Attorney General allows you to search for unclaimed properties in Indiana and file a claim, provided that you upload the necessary documentation to prove your ownership.
Important Government Agencies in Indiana
The following government agencies in Indiana can help you find the public records you need in the state.
- Secretary of State
- Governor’s website
- Courts and Legislature
- Office of the Attorney General
- State Police
- Department of Correction
- Department of Health
- Bureau of Motor Vehicles
- State Archives
- Department of Administration
Counties in Indiana
- Adams
- Allen
- Bartholomew
- Benton
- Blackford
- Boone
- Brown
- Carroll
- Cass
- Clark
- Clay
- Clinton
- Crawford
- Daviess
- De Kalb
- Dearborn
- Decatur
- Delaware
- Dubois
- Elkhart
- Fayette
- Floyd
- Fountain
- Franklin
- Fulton
- Gibson
- Grant
- Greene
- Hamilton
- Hancock
- Harrison
- Hendricks
- Henry
- Howard
- Huntington
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jay
- Jefferson
- Jennings
- Johnson
- Knox
- Kosciusko
- La Porte
- Lagrange
- Lake
- Lawrence
- Madison
- Marion
- Marshall
- Martin
- Miami
- Monroe
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Newton
- Noble
- Ohio
- Orange
- Owen
- Parke
- Perry
- Pike
- Porter
- Posey
- Pulaski
- Putnam
- Randolph
- Ripley
- Rush
- Scott
- Shelby
- Spencer
- St Joseph
- Starke
- Steuben
- Sullivan
- Switzerland
- Tippecanoe
- Tipton
- Union
- Vanderburgh
- Vermillion
- Vigo
- Wabash
- Warren
- Warrick
- Washington
- Wayne
- Wells
- White
- Whitley