Do you need a permit for a shed in Indianapolis?
It depends on the project. Indianapolis exempts some sheds from a building permit and requires one for the rest1; the exemption's limit is 120 square feet, with the conditions in the city's wording below.
On this page
Depends on size or scope
Indianapolis's rule“Erection of a structure which spans one hundred twenty (120) square feet or less of base area, is less than fifteen (15) feet in height, is not placed on or attached to a permanent foundation and does not contain an electrical power distribution system, heating system, space heating equipment, cooling system, or space cooling equipment…”1
City of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood Services, Sec. 536-201(b)(17), p. 24
Where Indianapolis names sheds“Mini-barns or sheds that are 200 square feet or less and are not on a permanent foundation…”2
City of Indianapolis, Department of Metropolitan Development, Sec. 740-801.A.3.g, p. 116
Which permits you need
| Permit | Required when | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | Conditional | Erection of a structure which spans one hundred twenty (120) square feet or less of base area, is less than fifteen (15) feet in height, is not placed on or attached to a permanent foundation and does not contain an electrical power distribution system, heating system, space heating equipment, cooling system, or space cooling equipment…1 |
| Zoning permit or review | ILP not required for sheds 200 sq ft or less not on a permanent foundation | Mini-barns or sheds that are 200 square feet or less and are not on a permanent foundation…2 |
| Grading permit | Drainage permit for sheds over 120 sq ft | Between 121 square feet and 200 square feet, only a Structural and a Drainage Permit are required.3 |
Limits and conditions in Indianapolis's rule
Each limit sits next to the sentence it comes from; the conditions in that sentence are part of the rule.
| Rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt up to this area | 120 square feet | Erection of a structure which spans one hundred twenty (120) square feet or less of base area, is less than fifteen (15) feet in height, is not placed on or attached to a permanent foundation and does not contain an electrical power distribution system, heating system, space heating equipment, cooling system, or space cooling equipment…1 |
| Exempt up to this height | 15 feet | Erection of a structure which spans one hundred twenty (120) square feet or less of base area, is less than fifteen (15) feet in height, is not placed on or attached to a permanent foundation and does not contain an electrical power distribution system, heating system, space heating equipment, cooling system, or space cooling equipment…1 |
Zoning rules: separate from the building permit
A project can be exempt from one and still need the other (zoning vs building permits).
| Zoning rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Side and rear setback | 5 ft from the rear lot line; front and side: the district's minimum setbacks | Shall not be located closer to any rear lot line than 5 feet…2 |
| Front and side setbacks | Not closer than the district minimum front/side setbacks | Shall not be located closer to any front or side lot line than the required minimum front and side yard setbacks of the dwelling district, or, in the case of a front yard, the established front yard setback on the lot, whichever is greater…2 |
| Lot coverage | Cumulative coverage must meet district open-space requirement | The horizontal land area covered by the primary building and all accessory buildings and all game courts and all minor residential structures must cumulatively meet the required open space requirement of the district.2 |
| Zoning approval needed even without a building permit? | ILP required over 200 sq ft | Over 200 square feet, a Structural, Improvement Location and Drainage permit are required.3 |
What to submit
- Floor plan, wall section, foundation plan, window/door framing details4
Who can apply
- Licensed contractor or property owner doing own work (Statement of Intent)3
Shed permit fees in Indianapolis
Fee lines as Indianapolis's schedule states them. A minimum or base fee is not the whole price when the line says the fee grows with project value.
| Fee | Type | As the schedule states it |
|---|---|---|
| Structural Permit - Residential: Construction or placement of, or additions to, accessory Class 2 structure | Per square foot | Application $40; Review $150 (≤1,000 sqft) $25 per additional 500 sqft; Issuance $300 (200 - 1000 sqft) $25 per additional 500 sqft5 |
| Improvement Location Permit - Residential (ILP): Single-family Accessory Buildings and Additions | Flat fee | $32 per application; 1085 |
| Drainage Permit (DRN) | Flat fee | $40 per application; $650 for the first 3 hours, $200 per hour after; 2005 |
In Indianapolis’s fee table, a line with two amounts gives the application fee first and the review fee (in dollars) second; the issuance fee, where there is one, is a separate column.
All of Indianapolis's fee lines are on the Indianapolis permit page.
Review time
10-15 business days (typical first review)6. This is the department's published figure, not a guarantee.
Special areas and extra reviews
- Flood permit required for all construction in a flood zone3
- Historic districts may need a certificate of appropriateness even when no permit is required1
Who to ask
City of Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (DBNS)7
Building permits
- Apply online
- aca-prod.accela.com8
- Phone
- (317) 327-87009
- [email protected]9
- Address
- 200 E. Washington St., Suite 107, Indianapolis, IN 46204 (City-County Building)7
- Hours
- 9 AM-4 PM Monday-Friday7
- Inspections
- By automated phone line 317-327-5525 using the permit number3
Shed permit rules in other cities
Rules differ from city to city. Compare Indianapolis with 18 other cities on the national shed permit guide, or go straight to one:
- New York City, NY
- Los Angeles, CA
- Chicago, IL
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- Dallas, TX
- Jacksonville, FL
- Fort Worth, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Charlotte, NC
- Columbus, OH
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Denver, CO
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Philadelphia, PA
- Austin, TX
Sources
- 2016 Building Standards and Procedures of the Consolidated City of Indianapolis (Chapter 536 etc.)City of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood ServicesEffective January 1, 2018Checked November 7, 2026
- Indianapolis-Marion County Consolidated Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (August 2026)City of Indianapolis, Department of Metropolitan DevelopmentEffective August 19, 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- Homeowner's Building Permit GuideCity of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood ServicesLast updated March 2021Checked November 7, 2026
- Residential Permit ChecklistCity of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood ServicesChecked November 7, 2026
- Fee Schedule (as of January 5, 2026) [XLSX]City of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood ServicesEffective January 5, 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- Permit Issuance Process (flowchart)City of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood ServicesChecked November 7, 2026
- Department of Business and Neighborhood ServicesCity of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood ServicesChecked November 7, 2026
- Accela Citizens Access Portal (ACA)City of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood ServicesChecked November 7, 2026
- License and Permit FeesCity of Indianapolis, Department of Business and Neighborhood ServicesChecked November 7, 2026