Advance, Indiana Public Records

Boone Superior Court 2, phone (765) 482-5225, also has general jurisdiction over criminal, civil, family, and probate cases. Additionally, Boone Circuit Court, located at the same Courthouse Square address, phone (765) 482-3020, handles a similar range of cases including felonies, misdemeanors, civil disputes, small claims (up to $10,000), and family law. Indiana offers online access to court records through the state's MyCase system, available at mycase.in.gov, where residents can search case information by name, case number, or party, and view dockets, filings, judgments, and hearing schedules for most Boone County cases. Certified copies of court documents can be requested from the Boone County Clerk's Office, located at 1 Courthouse Square, Lebanon, IN 46052, phone (765) 482-3940. Fees for certified copies are typically $1.00 per page, with an additional $1.00 certification fee per document. Copies of divorce decrees, custody orders, and other family court records are also available through the Clerk's Office, though some records may be restricted under Indiana confidentiality rules.

Residents can search property data online through the Boone County GIS and Property Database, which allows searches by parcel number, owner name, or property address, displaying assessed values, tax district information, acreage, property characteristics, and aerial imagery. The online portal is accessible via the county's official website and provides free access to current and historical assessment data. For recorded documents such as deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and other instruments affecting title to real property, residents should contact the Boone County Recorder's Office, also located at 1905 Indianapolis Avenue, Suite 100, Lebanon, IN 46052, phone (765) 482-0510. The Recorder's Office maintains an online searchable database of recorded documents, which can be accessed free of charge through the county website. Users can search by grantor/grantee name, document type, or parcel number, and view scanned images of recorded instruments dating back several decades. Copies of recorded documents can be ordered online or in person; fees are typically $1.00 per page for copies and $5.00 for the first page of a newly recorded document plus $1.00 for each additional page. The Boone County GIS system integrates assessor and recorder data, providing a comprehensive parcel viewer that displays ownership history, property boundaries, zoning information, and links to recorded documents.

While Advance itself has minimal commercial development, residents typically commute to nearby Lebanon (approximately 10 miles southeast) or Crawfordsville (about 12 miles west) for employment in manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and government services. Boone County as a whole benefits from proximity to the Indianapolis metropolitan area, with strong growth in logistics, distribution, and advanced manufacturing sectors, though Advance remains largely insulated from suburban development pressures. The median household income for Jackson Township, which includes Advance, is estimated at approximately $60,000-$65,000, slightly below the Boone County median of around $72,000 but above the state median. Major employers accessible to Advance residents include Witham Health Services in Lebanon, Boone County government, school corporations including North West Hendricks Schools, and various manufacturing facilities in Lebanon and Zionsville. The local economy maintains its agricultural character with no significant recent commercial or industrial development within Advance itself, preserving the community's rural identity while residents benefit from employment opportunities in the broader county and Indianapolis metro region.

Advance does not operate its own police department; instead, law enforcement services for this unincorporated community are provided by the Boone County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 1905 Indianapolis Avenue, Suite 200, Lebanon, IN 46052, phone (765) 482-1412. The Sheriff's Office maintains jurisdiction over all unincorporated areas of Boone County, including Advance, and handles patrol, investigations, arrests, and emergency response. Residents can request copies of police reports, accident reports, and incident records by visiting the Sheriff's Office in person or submitting written requests; certain reports may require a formal public records request under Indiana's Access to Public Records Act (Indiana Code 5-14-3-1 et seq.), which mandates that public agencies provide access to most records within a reasonable timeframe, though some law enforcement records may be exempt if they pertain to ongoing investigations. The Boone County Sheriff also operates the Boone County Jail, located at the same address. Arrest and jail booking records for individuals detained in Advance or elsewhere in Boone County can be searched through the Boone County Sheriff's Office Inmate Roster, accessible online at the county's official website. The inmate roster typically displays booking dates, charges filed, bond amounts, mugshots, and projected release dates. Indiana law requires that arrest records and booking information be made publicly available unless sealed by court order. For historical arrest records or detailed incident reports, residents should contact the Sheriff's Office directly and may need to complete a public records request form and pay applicable copying fees, which are generally set at $0.10 per page for standard documents.

The fee for a certified birth certificate is $28.00 when ordered online (including processing fees) and $21.00 if requested by mail or in-person at the state office. Processing time is typically 4-6 weeks for mail requests and 2-3 weeks for online orders with standard processing; expedited service is available for an additional fee. Death certificates cost $28.00 online or $21.00 by mail, with the same processing timelines. Applicants must be immediate family members or have a legal interest to obtain certified copies and must provide valid identification. The Boone County Health Department, located at 1300 East Main Street, Lebanon, IN 46052, phone (765) 482-3942, can provide informational copies of vital records for events in Boone County but cannot issue certified copies for legal purposes. Marriage licenses are issued by the Boone County Clerk's Office, 1 Courthouse Square, Lebanon, IN 46052, phone (765) 482-3940. The fee for a marriage license in Indiana is $18.00 if both parties complete a premarital education course, or $60.00 without the course. Marriage records are public and can be searched through the Clerk's Office in person or by phone. Divorce records are maintained by the Boone County Clerk as part of court case files and can be accessed through the MyCase portal or by requesting certified copies from the Clerk's Office. Indiana law restricts access to certain vital records, requiring requesters to demonstrate direct and tangible interest.

Businesses operating under a name other than the owner's legal name must file a Certificate of Assumed Business Name (DBA) with the Boone County Recorder's Office, 1905 Indianapolis Avenue, Suite 100, Lebanon, IN 46052, phone (765) 482-0510. The filing fee is typically $30.00, and DBAs must be renewed every five years. The Recorder's Office maintains a searchable index of assumed business names. For formation of corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other formal business entities, registration is handled by the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division. The state's online business search portal, INBiz.in.gov, allows free searches of registered business entities by name, registered agent, or business ID number, displaying formation dates, status (active, dissolved, etc.), registered agent information, and principal office addresses. Indiana's Secretary of State office is located at 200 West Washington Street, Room 201, Indianapolis, IN 46204, phone (317) 232-6576. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements, which create security interests in personal property and business assets, are also filed with the Indiana Secretary of State and can be searched through the INBiz portal. Business personal property tax returns and assessments are managed by the Boone County Assessor's Office, phone (765) 482-0444, and commercial real estate assessments can be searched through the county's online GIS and property database. Businesses in Advance must also comply with state tax registration requirements through the Indiana Department of Revenue.

Advance voters are served by the Boone County Voter Registration & Election Board, located at 1905 Indianapolis Avenue, Suite 100, Lebanon, IN 46052, phone (765) 482-0500. The office manages all aspects of elections for Boone County, including voter registration, absentee voting, polling place assignments, and election administration. Indiana residents can register to vote online through the Indiana Voter Registration Portal at indianavoters.in.gov, which also allows users to check registration status, view sample ballots, and find polling locations. The voter registration deadline in Indiana is 29 days before any election. Valid Indiana driver's license or state ID number is required for online registration. As an unincorporated community, Advance does not hold municipal elections for mayor or town council; residents vote in Boone County, state, and federal elections. Advance voters participate in elections for Boone County Council, Boone County Commissioners, county offices (Sheriff, Assessor, Auditor, Treasurer, Recorder, Clerk, Surveyor), Jackson Township Board and Trustee, state legislative seats (Indiana House and Senate districts covering Boone County), statewide constitutional offices, and federal offices. Polling place assignments for Advance residents can be found using the polling place lookup tool at indianavoters.in.gov by entering name and date of birth or full address. In the November 2024 presidential election, Boone County reported approximately 66% voter turnout, with over 42,000 ballots cast out of roughly 63,000 registered voters, reflecting strong civic engagement in this Republican-leaning county. For the November 3, 2026 general election, Advance and Boone County voters will decide several important races: all of Indiana's nine U.S. House seats will be on the ballot (Advance is in Indiana's 4th Congressional District), all 100 Indiana House seats and 25 of 50 Indiana Senate seats are up for election, and various Boone County offices including County Council seats, County Auditor, County Surveyor, and potentially other county positions depending on term expirations. Indiana does not have a U.S. Senate race or gubernatorial race in 2026; the next Senate race is 2028 and Governor race is 2028. Indiana voters can request absentee ballots by mail by submitting an Application for Absentee Ballot (ABS-Mail) to the Boone County Election Board; applications are available at indianavoters.in.gov and must be received by the county office no later than 11:59 PM on the day before the election (for by-mail applications) or voters can apply in-person at the county office until noon on Election Day for in-person absentee voting. No excuse is required for absentee voting in Indiana. Public election records available to Advance residents include voter registration lists (available for purchase for election-related purposes), campaign finance reports filed with the Indiana Election Division at in.gov/sos/elections, candidate filings and declarations accessible through the county election board, and precinct-level election results published by the county and state after each election, showing vote totals by race and geographic area.