Union County Indiana Government and Services

Union County is one of Indiana's 92 counties, located in the eastern part of the state along the Ohio border, and represents one of the smallest county governments in Indiana by both land area and population. This page covers the structure, functions, and key service areas of Union County's government, how residents interact with county offices, and how county-level authority fits within Indiana's broader legal and administrative framework. Understanding the scope of county government helps residents identify which office handles specific matters — from property records to judicial proceedings.

Definition and scope

Union County is organized under Indiana's general county government framework as established in Indiana Code Title 36 — Local Government. The county seat is Liberty, Indiana, which hosts the primary administrative offices. Union County covers approximately 163 square miles, making it the second-smallest county in Indiana by land area (U.S. Census Bureau, County Area Files).

County government authority in Indiana is not home-rule authority in the broadest sense. Counties operate within powers expressly granted or implied by the Indiana General Assembly. Key governing bodies include:

Board of County Commissioners — a 3-member elected board responsible for fiscal appropriations, infrastructure contracts, and administrative oversight of county departments.
County Council — a 7-member elected body that sets tax levies, approves the county budget, and controls appropriations.
County Clerk — maintains court records, election records, and marriage licenses.
County Assessor — determines property valuations for tax purposes under Indiana Department of Local Government Finance guidelines.
County Auditor — manages financial records, processes deductions, and calculates tax bills.
County Treasurer — collects property taxes and manages county funds.
County Sheriff — provides law enforcement services countywide and operates the county jail.
County Recorder — maintains deeds, mortgages, and other instruments affecting real property title.

The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) exercises supervisory authority over property tax administration in all 92 counties, including Union County. County assessors and auditors must comply with DLGF rules regardless of locally preferred methodologies.

Scope limitations: This page addresses Union County's government structure and services under Indiana state law. Federal programs operating within Union County — including USDA rural development programs, Social Security Administration offices, and federal courts — fall outside county government jurisdiction and are not covered here. Municipal governments within Union County, including the City of Liberty, retain separate governmental authority for services such as water, sewer, and local ordinances within their corporate boundaries.

How it works

Union County government operates on an annual budget cycle governed by Indiana Code § 36-2-5, which mandates that the County Council adopt a budget before November 1 of each year for the following fiscal year. The DLGF reviews and certifies the tax levies that result from that budget process.

Property tax is the primary revenue mechanism for county operations. Under Indiana's circuit breaker property tax caps — established by Indiana Constitution, Article 10, Section 1 — residential property taxes are capped at 1% of assessed value, rental property at 2%, and commercial and agricultural property at 3%. These caps affect Union County's available revenue in proportion to its assessed value base.

Court functions in Union County are administered through the Union Circuit Court, which is part of Indiana's unified court system under the Indiana Supreme Court. Small claims, civil, criminal, and probate matters are handled at the county courthouse in Liberty. The Indiana Office of Court Technology provides case management systems that the Union Circuit Court uses for docketing and public records access.

Public health services are delivered through the Union County Health Department, which operates under authority granted by Indiana Code § 16-20 and reports to the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH). The county health officer — a licensed physician appointed by the local Board of Health — has authority to issue public health orders within the county.

Common scenarios

Residents and property owners most frequently interact with Union County government in the following situations:

Property tax appeals: A property owner who disputes the County Assessor's valuation files a Form 130 petition with the County Assessor's office. Unresolved disputes proceed to the Indiana Board of Tax Review under DLGF guidelines.
Recording real estate documents: Deeds, liens, and mortgages are presented to the County Recorder's office in Liberty. Indiana charges a recording fee of $25 for the first page and $5 for each additional page (Indiana Code § 36-2-7-10).
Obtaining a marriage license: The County Clerk's office issues marriage licenses under Indiana Code § 31-11-4. Indiana imposes no waiting period between license issuance and ceremony.
Road maintenance complaints: County roads (as distinct from state highways or municipal streets) are maintained by the County Highway Department under the Board of Commissioners. State highways passing through Union County are maintained by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT).
Voter registration and elections: The County Clerk administers elections in coordination with the Indiana Election Division. Union County uses voting equipment certified by the Indiana Secretary of State's office.

For residents seeking broader orientation to Indiana's governmental landscape, the Indianapolis Metro Authority home resource provides comparative county-level information across Indiana's full complement of 92 counties.

Decision boundaries

A frequent source of confusion involves distinguishing county authority from township, municipal, and state authority — 4 distinct layers that can apply to the same parcel of land.

County vs. Township: Indiana retains a functioning township government layer. Union County contains townships that maintain separate trustee offices responsible for poor relief (township assistance), fire protection in unincorporated areas, and small claims court in some jurisdictions. The county government does not absorb township functions; both operate simultaneously under Indiana Code Title 36.

County vs. Municipality: The City of Liberty has its own mayor-council government. City residents pay both city and county taxes, but city services — water, wastewater, local police, city streets — are administered by city government, not the County Commissioners. County services (sheriff, courts, recorder, assessor) apply countywide including within municipal limits.

County vs. State: The Indiana General Assembly can preempt county ordinances on matters reserved to the state. For example, counties cannot set firearms ordinances beyond what state law permits (Indiana Code § 35-47-11.1). Environmental permitting for industrial facilities is administered by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), not by county government, even when facilities are located within county boundaries.

Neighboring counties to Union County include Fayette County to the north and Franklin County to the south — both of which operate under the same Indiana county government framework but maintain independent offices, levies, and elected officials. County government decisions made in Union County have no binding effect in adjacent jurisdictions, even for shared roads or watersheds that cross county lines.

Union County Indiana Government and Services

Definition and scope

How it works

Common scenarios

Decision boundaries

References

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