Hammond Public Records
Hammond public records are available through the City Clerk, Lake County offices, and Indiana statewide databases. Hammond has about 75,000 residents and sits in Lake County in northwest Indiana near Chicago. The city maintains its own records for municipal actions while Lake County handles courts, property filings, and most legal documents. Indiana APRA rights apply to both city and county records.
Hammond Quick Facts
Hammond City Clerk
The Hammond City Clerk is at 5925 Calumet Ave, Hammond, IN 46320. Phone is (219) 853-6300. The clerk maintains official records of city council actions including ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and meeting minutes. These are all public under Indiana's Access to Public Records Act at IC 5-14-3-1 and IC 5-14-3-3.
Hammond has public records request forms on its website at gohammond.com. You can download and submit these forms in person, by mail, or by fax. The city charges 10 cents per page for photocopies. The city must respond within seven days. If the city needs more time or denies a request, it must tell you in writing.
For help with a denied request or a dispute over what the city released, contact the Indiana Public Access Counselor at in.gov/pac or call 317-234-0906. The PAC reviews disputes and issues advisory opinions at no cost to you. Many disputes are resolved at this level without going to court.
The City of Hammond website provides access to public records request forms and links to city department contact information.
Court Records in Hammond
Court cases filed in Hammond go through Lake Superior Court and Lake Circuit Court. These courts handle civil, criminal, family, and small claims matters for all of Lake County. Indiana's free MyCase tool at public.courts.in.gov/mycase covers Lake County courts. Search by name or case number at no cost to see basic docket entries, party names, and hearing dates.
For full document copies or certified records, visit the Lake County Clerk of Courts. The courthouse is in Crown Point, the Lake County seat. You can view documents on public terminals or pay per-page fees for paper copies. Certified copies cost more. Hammond cases are filed in Lake County court even though the courthouse is in Crown Point.
MyCase is Indiana's free court search tool. It covers Lake County courts including cases filed by Hammond residents.
Marriage license records for Lake County are searchable at no cost through public.courts.in.gov/MLPL. This state tool covers licenses issued across Indiana.
Property Records in Hammond
Lake County handles all property records for Hammond. The Lake County Recorder files deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats. You can search through Doxpop at doxpop.com. Doxpop has over 25 million Indiana records and free Property Watch alerts. Basic searches work without a paid account.
The Lake County Assessor keeps assessed values, parcel maps, and ownership history online. Real estate professionals can use Tapestry or Laredo through Doxpop for full title search access. For certified copies of recorded property documents, visit the Lake County Recorder in Crown Point or order through Doxpop. See the Lake County public records page for recorder hours, address, and fees.
Vital Records for Hammond Residents
Birth and death certificates for Hammond residents are issued by the Indiana Department of Health. Order at in.gov/health/vital-records. Certified birth certificates cost $10 and death certificates cost $8. Mail orders take several weeks. You can visit the state vital records office in Indianapolis in person for faster service.
The Lake County Health Department may also handle some local vital record matters. For most standard requests, the state office is the fastest route to certified copies. Marriage license records are searchable at no cost through the state tool at public.courts.in.gov/MLPL.
Business Records
Indiana business entity records are searchable through INBiz at inbiz.in.gov. You can look up LLCs, corporations, assumed names, and nonprofits at no cost. For Hammond city-level permits, business licenses, and zoning records, contact the city clerk or submit a request using the forms at gohammond.com. All such city documents are public records subject to APRA.
Police Records
Hammond Police Department handles local police reports. Incident reports and crash reports can be requested through HPD. Some records are released quickly while others go through a review process before release. Indiana State Police records are available through a separate APRA portal at in.accessgov.com/isp-apra. State police background checks differ from what appears in the court system through MyCase.
Contact Information
| City Clerk Office | 5925 Calumet Ave, Hammond, IN 46320 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (219) 853-6300 |
| Records Request Forms | gohammond.com |
| Copy Fees | $0.10 per page |
| MyCase Court Search | public.courts.in.gov/mycase |
| Property Records | doxpop.com |
| APRA Rights | IC 5-14-3-1 and IC 5-14-3-3 |
| Public Access Counselor | in.gov/pac | 317-234-0906 |
Lake County Records
Hammond is in Lake County. Courts, property records, and most legal documents for the city go through Lake County offices in Crown Point. The Lake County public records page has full details on county offices, online tools, and fee schedules.
Nearby Cities
Other qualifying cities near Hammond in northwest Indiana: