Hendricks County lies immediately west of Indianapolis with its seat at Danville. With 193,510 people in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, it grew 10.7 percent from 2020, the fourth-fastest rate among Indiana’s 92 counties and the second-largest gain in numbers. The Hendricks County Planning & Building Department issues building permits in the unincorporated county and in the towns of Amo, North Salem, Coatesville and Stilesville.
This guide covers the department and how to reach it, the local conditions that shape a filing here, what permits cost and who may pull them, and how inspections are booked. Rules that apply everywhere in Indiana are summarized in each section, with a link to the full statewide explanation.
This guide covers the unincorporated county and the towns of Amo, North Salem, Coatesville and Stilesville, where the county issues permits. Plainfield, Brownsburg, Avon and Danville run their own building departments; for a parcel in another town, confirm which office issues the permit.
A warehouse or distribution building is a Class 1 structure. A building used by employees is Class 1 (IC 22-12-1-4) and needs a design release before construction (675 IAC 12-6-3); above 30,000 cubic feet its plans must be prepared by a registered architect or engineer (675 IAC 12-6-9). Warehouses and truck freight terminals pay the lower release fee of $0.030 per gross square foot, but a shell building is charged under Category H at $0.040, plus $0.020 for the initial tenant build-out (675 IAC 12-3-2).
What requires a building permit in Hendricks County?
Class 1 construction needs a state design release unless 675 IAC 12-6-4 exempts it, and local building permits are required as the local ordinance provides.
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, additions, alterations and conversions
- Structural and load-bearing work, foundations, decks, porches, ramps and stairs
- Finishing basements and attics, and any change of use or occupancy
- Electrical service changes, panel work, new circuits, solar and EV charging equipment
- Plumbing alterations, repipes, water heaters, backflow and sewer or gas connections
- HVAC installation and change-out, ductwork and venting; roofing, siding, windows, pools, signs and demolition
Typically exempt
- Painting, wallpapering, tiling, carpeting and cabinet installation
- Minor repairs and finish work replacing materials in kind
- Small accessory structures below the local size threshold, where zoning allows
- Portable equipment or temporary work the adopted rules specifically exempt
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Which work needs a local building permit is set by local ordinance, and the Class 1 work that needs no state design release is listed in 675 IAC 12-6-4. An exemption from a building permit is not an exemption from zoning, setbacks, floodplain rules, utility approval or a fire authority review. Confirm scope with the department before work starts rather than after.
Which code edition applies
The county and municipal departments enforce Indiana's statewide codes, so the technical standard is constant across the county. What changes at each boundary is the fee schedule, the submittal process, zoning and development standards, inspection scheduling and local contractor registration.
Before construction starts on a Class 1 structure — one used by the public, by three or more tenants, or by anyone working as another’s employee — Indiana requires a state Construction Design Release, unless the work is exempt under 675 IAC 12-6-4. One- and two-family dwellings and qualifying townhouses are Class 2 and are permitted locally where an ordinance requires it. Indiana enforces the 2014 Indiana Building Code and the 2020 Indiana Residential Code. Class 1 and Class 2 in Indiana
Who handles permitting in Hendricks County?
The Hendricks County Planning & Building Department issues building permits and improvement location permits for all classes of construction in the unincorporated county and in Amo, North Salem, Coatesville and Stilesville, with the state design release running ahead of Class 1 work. Applications, fees and inspection requests go through its online Citizens Permit & Complaint Portal.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Hendricks County Planning & Building Department (unincorporated county, Amo, North Salem, Coatesville and Stilesville) |
| County seat | Danville |
| Towns inside | Plainfield, Brownsburg, Avon and Danville run their own departments; the county serves Amo, North Salem, Coatesville and Stilesville |
| Office | 355 S. Washington Street, #G80, Danville, Indiana 46122; 317-745-9255; Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm |
| Class 1 route | State Construction Design Release before construction, plus the local permit |
| Code | Indiana codes adopted by the Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission; 675 IAC 12 (GAR) |
| Contractor credentials | State plumbing licence; county Contractor Listing (packet and affidavit) |
| Class 1 projects | State Construction Design Release required before construction starts (675 IAC 12-6-3) |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →In 2025, building permits issued in unincorporated Hendricks County authorized 117 new privately owned housing units, 103 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
The local building department issues the building permit and inspects the work. On a Class 1 structure the state design release, issued by IDHS or a certified local unit, must come before construction starts; IDHS has 10 business days to respond to a complete application and 20 for a plan review. Plans for Class 1 work over 30,000 cubic feet must be prepared by a registered architect or engineer. The Construction Design Release
Permit types
Residential permits
In the unincorporated county and the four towns it serves, the Planning & Building Department issues residential building permits and improvement location permits. A building with three or more tenants is Class 1 and needs a state design release (IC 22-12-1-4).
Commercial permits
Commercial and industrial buildings used by the public or by employees, including warehouses and distribution buildings, are Class 1 structures: the state design release, the design professional requirement above 30,000 cubic feet and the release fee all apply.
Since 1 January 2026, a unit that requires permits for one- and two-family work must review plans within 7 business days and offer inspections within 3, and the applicant may use a private reviewer or inspector instead (IC 36-7-2.5). Local permits and the 2026 deadlines
Hendricks County permit costs and fees
Budget two fee streams on Class 1 work: the state design release fee on gross floor area — $0.030 per square foot for warehouses and truck freight terminals, $0.040 for a shell building — and the county’s permit, review and inspection fees. The county adds a 3.25% service fee to credit card payments.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| State design release | Class 1 only: $75 filing fee plus a processing fee, generally $0.050 or $0.030 per gross sq ft by occupancy category (675 IAC 12-3-2) |
| Local building permit | Set by the county’s adopted schedule |
| Local plan review | Charged under the local department’s schedule |
| Trade permits | Separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees |
| Contractor registration | Local registration fees where required before issuance |
| Re-inspections and revisions | Charged where the local schedule provides for them |
Need a real number for a specific Hendricks County project? Send us the scope, address and valuation and we will identify the filing path, the reviews it will trigger and the fee categories that will apply.
Fee schedules are revised on each jurisdiction’s own cycle, so ask the issuing department for the schedule in force on your filing date. On Class 1 work the state design release adds a $75 filing fee plus a processing fee, generally $0.050 per gross square foot. State design release fees
Trade permits and who may pull them
Permit required
- Service installations, panel upgrades, new circuits, solar PV and EV chargers
- New plumbing, repipes, water heater change-outs, fixtures, backflow and gas piping
- HVAC installation and change-out, ductwork, venting and commercial kitchen exhaust
- Sprinkler, standpipe and fire alarm work on Class 1 structures
Typically exempt
- Replacing a fixture, switch, receptacle or light with no alteration to wiring or piping
- Clearing a stoppage without replacing or rearranging concealed piping
- Filter, thermostat and routine component service
- Appliance repair that does not alter the gas, electrical or venting connection
Rather not deal with the Hendricks County building department?
Get a free quote →Indiana licenses plumbing contractors and journeyman plumbers at state level. It issues no licence for electrical, HVAC or general contractors, so any registration for those trades is set by the city, town or county. Contractor licensing in Indiana
How to apply for a Hendricks County building permit
Above 30,000 cubic feet the plans need a registered architect or engineer.
Warehouses pay $0.030 per sq ft; shell buildings $0.040.
The county serves four towns as well as the unincorporated area.
Applications, fees and inspection requests go through it.
No construction on a Class 1 structure may start before it is issued (675 IAC 12-6-3).
Hendricks County uses a Contractor Listing, with an affidavit and a fee.
A design release expires if work has not started within one year, with one extension of up to 180 days; the local permit runs on its own clock, so track both on Class 1 work. How long a design release lasts
Inspections in Hendricks County
Schedule inspections with the department that issued the permit. For a county permit, call 317-745-9255 or book through the online portal.
Do not cover work before the required inspection has been approved. On Class 1 work the design release must be posted on site and a complete set of the released plans kept there until occupancy (675 IAC 12-6-19).
Hendricks County permit search and official resources
Permit records for one project can sit in two places. The local department holds the building permit, the inspection history and the certificate of occupancy; IDHS holds the Construction Design Release file for Class 1 work, including releases issued by certified local units (IC 22-15-3-1). If you are buying, refinancing or renovating a commercial property, ask the Hendricks County Planning & Building Department what it holds for the parcel and establish separately whether a design release exists for the original construction and for any subsequent alteration.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Confirm the classification first, then the process. Whether a structure is Class 1 or Class 2 decides whether a state Construction Design Release is required, whether a design professional must be engaged, and which fees apply. Test it against IC 22-12-1-4 rather than against an impression of the building, and confirm current state and local requirements, fees and review turnaround for your filing date.
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and portal procedures change. Confirm the position for your filing date.
- Hendricks County Planning & Building — building permit information
- IDHS — building plan review process
- 675 IAC 12 — General Administrative Rules
- 675 IAC 12-6-3 — design release requirement
- 675 IAC 12-6-4 — exemptions from design release
Frequently asked questions
What does a distribution project involve in Indiana?
A state design release before construction, plans by an Indiana-registered architect or engineer where the building exceeds 30,000 cubic feet (675 IAC 12-6-9), the state release fee on gross floor area, and the local permit.
Which fee category applies to a warehouse?
Under 675 IAC 12-3-2, warehouses and truck freight terminals are in Category B, at $0.030 per gross square foot. A shell building is in Category H, at $0.040 per gross square foot, plus $0.020 for the initial tenant build-out. Confirm the category for the specific use before budgeting.
Is my project a Class 1 or a Class 2 structure?
Test it against IC 22-12-1-4. A Class 1 structure is one occupied or used in any part by the public, by three or more tenants, or by one or more persons acting as the employees of another. Class 2 covers one- and two-family dwellings and qualifying townhouses. A building used by even one person working as another’s employee is Class 1.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →What is a Construction Design Release?
A state approval that must be issued before construction may be done on a Class 1 structure (675 IAC 12-6-3). It is issued by IDHS or by a city, town or county certified to issue releases (IC 22-15-3-1), and building a Class 1 structure without one is a Class C infraction (IC 22-15-3-7).
Do I need an Indiana-licensed architect or engineer?
It depends on volume, not cost. Under 675 IAC 12-6-9 a design professional is required for Class 1 work needing a design release, except for structures of 30,000 or fewer cubic feet, additions adding 30,000 or fewer cubic feet, alterations not affecting structural safety, and certain sprinkler work.
Which contractor licences does Indiana issue?
The state licenses plumbing contractors and journeyman plumbers (IC 25-28.5). It issues no electrical, HVAC or general contractor licence; any registration or licensing for those trades is set by the city, town or county, which may also require licensed plumbing contractors to register locally (IC 25-28.5-1-33).
Simplify Hendricks County permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Hendricks County we settle which department serves the parcel and the state release category before design.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21+ years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Hendricks County because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We plan the state design release as a workstream on large-format projects.
- We confirm the correct occupancy fee category before budgeting.
- We verify jurisdiction at filing and again for every phase.
- We file and track applications through the county portal.
- We keep special inspection and deferred submittal records current.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Indiana. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the building department through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
Ready to break ground in Hendricks County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Hendricks County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Indiana permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hendricks County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.