Building permits in Indianapolis, Indiana
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Indianapolis, 1 need a permit outright and 8 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Indianapolis
One thing Indianapolis does not make you permit
Worth knowing before you call anyone. Most jurisdictions we cover require all of these.
- Fence Permit
No structural permit and no improvement location permit is required for a residential fence or structural barrier that conforms to the zoning ordinance. A certificate of appropriateness is still required before building a fence in a historic district.
City of Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (DBNS)
- Department of Business and Neighborhood Services, 200 E. Washington St., Suite 107, Indianapolis, IN 46204
- Phone: 317.327.8700
- Email: permitquestions@indy.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Indianapolis
Indianapolis runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in Indianapolis
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Indianapolis, 1 need a permit outright and 8 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | deck height above grade, excluding handrails, at which an improvement location permit becomes required | DBNS Fee Schedule (Permits, as of 1.5.2026): Improvement Location Permit - Residential... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Not specified | DBNS Fee Schedule (Permits, as of 1.5.2026), Electrical Permit (ELE): "Installation-New... |
| Fence Permit | No permit needed | Not specified | No permit and therefore no permit fee is published for a residential fence. |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Not specified | DBNS Fee Schedule (Permits, as of 1.5.2026), Heating/Cooling Permit (HTG): "Heating... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | patio height above grade at which an improvement location permit becomes required | DBNS Fee Schedule (Permits, as of 1.5.2026): Improvement Location Permit - Residential... |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | share of a structure's piping replaced in kind with piping of the same performance specifications and capacity | DBNS Fee Schedule (Permits, as of 1.5.2026), Plumbing Permit (PLM): "New Residential... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | above-ground pool or hot tub depth, for a pool 15 feet or less in diameter, at which an improvement location permit becomes required | DBNS Fee Schedule (Permits, as of 1.5.2026): Improvement Location Permit - Residential... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Not specified | DBNS Fee Schedule (Permits, as of 1.5.2026), Structural Permit - Residential (STR):... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | shed base area, for a shed under 15 feet high, not on a permanent foundation and with no utility connection | DBNS Fee Schedule (Permits, as of 1.5.2026), Structural Permit - Residential (STR)... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | DBNS Fee Schedule (Permits, as of 1.5.2026): Electrical Permit (ELE), "Repair to... |
Planning a project in Indianapolis?
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
Planning several things at once? Check your whole project