Marion County is Indiana’s most populous county, with 992,196 people in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, and its government is consolidated with the City of Indianapolis. Building permits across most of the county are issued by the Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS); the excluded cities of Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport and Speedway issue their own. For Class 1 structures, BNS says a state Construction Design Release may be required and advises filing with the city and with IDHS at the same time.
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 Marion County. BNS serves the Consolidated City of Indianapolis; the excluded cities of Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport and Speedway issue their own permits.
Marion County and Indianapolis are one government, so there is no separate county building department. BNS covers the Consolidated City of Indianapolis, which includes the county’s included towns. Four excluded cities sit outside it and run their own permitting: Lawrence (Building Department), Beech Grove (Building Commissioner), and Speedway and Southport (Clerk-Treasurer). Addresses in the Marion County part of Cumberland apply to Indianapolis until 1 January 2027, when House Bill 1131 makes Cumberland an excluded city that issues its own permits.
What requires a building permit in Marion 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
BNS and the excluded cities enforce Indiana’s statewide codes as adopted by the Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission. What changes locally is the fee schedule, the submittal process, zoning and development standards, inspection scheduling and contractor licensing.
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 Marion County?
BNS handles permitting and inspections at 200 E. Washington St., Suite 107, Indianapolis 46204 (317-327-8700, Monday to Friday 9:00 to 4:00). Applications, payments and plan submittals go through the Accela Citizens Access portal or by mail. Permitting typically starts with infrastructure review, then the improvement location permit, then the structural permit; Class 1 structures also need a pre-permit plan review.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS); 317-327-8700 |
| Jurisdiction | The Consolidated City of Indianapolis, which includes the included towns |
| Excluded cities | Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport and Speedway issue their own permits; Cumberland joins them on 1 January 2027 |
| Class 1 route | Pre-permit plan review, then the structural permit; a state design release may also be required, filed at the same time |
| Class 2 route | Local permit and inspection only |
| Code | Indiana codes adopted by the Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission; 675 IAC 12 (GAR) |
| Contractor credentials | In Indianapolis: city licence for general, electrical, HVAC and wrecking contractors; state plumbing licence, registered with the city |
| Class 1 projects | BNS advises submitting to the city and to IDHS at the same time |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →BNS offers accelerated plan review on request. The owner, developer or manager fills in a form separate from the permit application, and BNS replies by email with a determination by the end of the following business day.
A foundation release lets work proceed to grade level while the full design review continues; it must be requested when the design release application is filed (675 IAC 12-6-14).
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
Residential (Class 2) permitting in Indianapolis typically starts with infrastructure review and a drainage permit, then the improvement location permit, then the structural permit. A building with three or more tenants falls into Class 1 and state review, unless it is a townhouse that meets the Class 2 definition (IC 22-12-1-5).
Commercial permits
Commercial work is Class 1. In Indianapolis the structural permit follows a pre-permit plan review covering construction, accessibility, land use and life safety, and BNS advises submitting to the city and to IDHS at the same time.
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
Marion County permit costs and fees
Budget two fee streams on Class 1 work: the state design release fee calculated on gross floor area, and the local permit and plan-review fees set by the consolidated administration.
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 BNS in Indianapolis, or by the excluded city that issues the permit |
| Local plan review | Charged under the local department’s schedule |
| Trade permits | Separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees |
| Contractor licences | In Indianapolis, city licence fees for general, electrical, HVAC and wrecking contractors |
| Re-inspections and revisions | Charged where the local schedule provides for them |
Need a real number for a specific Marion 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
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
Rather not deal with the Marion County building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply for a Marion County building permit
Test against the statutory definition, not an impression of the building.
BNS advises submitting to the city and to IDHS at the same time.
It allows work to grade level while review continues, and must be requested with the application (675 IAC 12-6-14).
Indianapolis licenses general, electrical, HVAC and wrecking contractors; plumbers register their state licence.
Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport and Speedway issue their own permits.
BNS decides a request by the end of the following business day.
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 Marion County
The local department sets the inspection stages; ask for its list when the permit is issued.
On Class 1 structures the design professional identified in the release application also has an obligation to observe the work at appropriate intervals to confirm it is proceeding in accordance with the released plans (675 IAC 12-6-6). Build that into the inspection programme rather than treating the local inspections as the whole picture.
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).
Marion 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 BNS, or the excluded city, 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.
- Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services
- 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
Are Indianapolis and Marion County the same permitting authority?
Mostly. The governments are consolidated, so there is no separate county building department, and BNS covers the Consolidated City of Indianapolis, including the included towns. The excluded cities of Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport and Speedway issue their own permits.
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).
Can I start before the design release comes back?
Only within a granted partial mechanism. A foundation release allows construction to grade level only; a partial design release allows work to the extent of that scope and no further. Both must be applied for, and neither permits exceeding the released scope.
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).
What does the state design release cost?
Under 675 IAC 12-3-2 it is a $75 filing fee plus a processing fee of at least $75, generally $0.050 per gross square foot for normal occupancy and $0.030 for warehouses, refrigerated storage, hangars and similar uses. Local permit fees are separate.
Simplify Marion County permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Marion County, first check whether the address is in one of the four excluded cities, then whether the project is Class 1.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21+ years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Marion County because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We establish Class 1 or Class 2 against the statutory test before design develops.
- We start the state design release early and track it to issuance.
- We use foundation and partial releases to keep programmes moving.
- We confirm every subcontractor’s licence or registration before filing.
- We confirm whether the address falls to BNS or to an excluded city.
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 Marion County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Marion County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Indiana permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Marion County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.