Home / Counties / Indiana / Marion County

Building permits in Marion County, Indiana

Find the right authority before you build. Marion County permitting follows Indiana law — here is exactly who issues the permit and where to start.

Cities issue permits

City of Indianapolis — Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS)

Marion County is governed under a consolidated city–county government (Unigov) with Indianapolis. The City of Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS) issues building permits for the consolidated area. The excluded cities of Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport, and Speedway operate their own separate permit offices.

Open the official permit portal →

Property owners should confirm whether their address falls within an excluded city before applying through Indianapolis BNS.

Permit cheat-sheet (Indiana rules)

Project	Permit?	Authority	Typical fee	Timeline	Go / No-Go	Key notes
🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)	Permit required	city	Building permit fee set by the local building department; zoning/use approval also required.	—	Case by case	ADUs are allowed only where local zoning permits an accessory dwelling unit. A building permit is required for construction. Verify with your city (e.g., Indianapolis BNS or Fort Wayne Community Development).
🪵 Deck / Porch	Conditional	city	Set by the local building department.	—	Generally allowed	Attached decks and any deck over 30 in above grade need a permit. Indianapolis requires a structural permit for deck work. Exempt: Decks more than 30 in above grade generally require a building permit under the Indiana Residential Code (IRC R105.2).
🧱 Fence / Wall	Conditional	city	—	—	Generally allowed	Most Indiana municipalities do not require a building permit for residential fences, but front-yard height limits and HOA covenants may apply. Verify locally.
🛖 Shed / Outbuilding	Conditional	city	—	—	Generally allowed	Detached one-story sheds below the local size threshold are generally exempt. Check your city’s residential code (e.g., Fort Wayne). Exempt: Many Indiana jurisdictions exempt one-story detached accessory sheds under ~120 sq ft; some cities use a higher threshold.
🪜 Basement Finish	Permit required	city	Building permit fee set by the local department.	—	Generally allowed	Finishing a basement into habitable space requires permits for egress, framing, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. Sleeping rooms need code-compliant egress windows.
🚗 Garage / Carport	Permit required	city	Building permit fee set by the local department; zoning clearance may be required.	—	Generally allowed	A new attached or detached garage requires a building permit.
☀️ Rooftop Solar PV	Permit required	city	Electrical/structural permit fee set by the local department.	—	Generally allowed	Rooftop solar PV requires an electrical and structural permit, reviewed by the local building department.
🌡️ HVAC Replacement	Permit required	city	Mechanical permit fee set by the local department.	—	Generally allowed	Furnace, AC, or heat-pump replacement requires a mechanical permit and inspection.
🍳 Kitchen Remodel	Permit required	city	Building permit fee; trade permits (plumbing/electrical) billed separately.	—	Generally allowed	A permit is required when relocating plumbing/electrical, moving walls, or changing fixtures. Cosmetic-only work may be exempt.
🛁 Bathroom Remodel	Permit required	city	Building permit fee; trade permits (plumbing/electrical) billed separately.	—	Generally allowed	A permit is required when relocating plumbing/electrical, moving walls, or changing fixtures. Cosmetic-only updates may be exempt.
🏗️ Room Addition	Permit required	city	Building permit fee based on valuation; zoning and plan review apply.	Plan-review permits take longer; timelines vary by city.	Generally allowed	Room additions change the footprint and require a full building permit, zoning approval, and usually a site plan.
🪟 Window / Door Replacement	Conditional	city	—	—	Generally allowed	Swapping windows or exterior doors in the same opening is generally exempt; enlarging or adding openings requires a permit.
🏘️ Roof Replacement	Permit required	city	Roof-covering/structural permit fee set by the local department.	—	Generally allowed	Indianapolis requires a structural permit for a tear-off and reroof. Minor leak repairs may be exempt. Verify locally.
🅿️ Driveway / Parking Pad	Conditional	city	—	—	Generally allowed	A permit may be required where the driveway connects to the street/right-of-way or involves significant grading. Indianapolis issues driveway permits.
🏊 Swimming Pool / Spa	Permit required	city	Building permit fee; barrier fencing required by code.	—	Generally allowed	In-ground and above-ground pools need a permit and barrier fencing. Verify locally for setback and barrier rules.
🧱 Retaining Wall	Conditional	city	—	—	Generally allowed	Height and whether the wall supports a surcharge (driveway, structure, or slope above) determine the permit threshold. Verify with your building department.

Sources: City of Indianapolis — Permit, Land Use Petition, and Enforcement Cases (DMD/BNS) · Indiana Dept. of Homeland Security — Building Safety & Fire Prevention · City of Indianapolis — Dept. of Business & Neighborhood Services (Permits) · City of Indianapolis — Residential Permit Checklist · City of Fort Wayne — Community Development & Residential Code