What's Required in Indianapolis
- No structural permit for cabinets, shelving, countertops, wall and floor coverings or doors (Sec. 536-201(b)(5))
- No plumbing permit for replacing fixtures, appliances, traps and valves in place, or in-kind piping up to 20 percent of the house (b)(21), (b)(22)
- No electrical permit for appliances installed without a new circuit (b)(20); replacement range hood fans exempt (b)(12)
- Plumbing permit ($153 up to 1,000 sq ft) for relocated or added fixtures or gas lines, pulled by a state-licensed plumber registered with the city
- Electrical permit ($169 up to 1,000 sq ft) for new circuits, pulled by a city-licensed electrical contractor or an approved owner-occupant
- Structural permit ($40 + $150 + $200) for bearing-wall changes or new openings; floor plan with legend, framing details and smoke detector locations
- Non-bearing walls exempt unless they create a sleeping room; trade permits still required inside them
- Rough inspection for each craft before concealment; frame inspection before drywall; work stays open 48 hours
- Completion Card within 14 days of finishing; permits lapse if work has not started in 365 days
Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Kitchen in Indianapolis?
It depends on what moves. The Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (DBNS) says a permit is needed for all remodeling unless the Building Standards and Procedures exempt it, and Sec. 536-201(b) exempts most of a cosmetic kitchen: installation and replacement of fixtures attached to the walls or floors such as cupboards, cabinets, shelving, tracks, wall and floor coverings, and doors; replacement of appliances, fixtures, traps and valves in a plumbing system (a new sink or faucet in the same spot, a dishwasher on the existing hookup); household appliances when no new circuit is installed; and a replacement range hood fan. New non-load-bearing walls are exempt too, as long as they do not create a sleeping room. What is never exempt: opening or removing a bearing wall, moving the sink or adding a gas line, running new circuits, and ductwork for a hood over 4 square feet, which is licensed HVAC work.
Indianapolis Kitchen Remodel Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| New cabinets, countertops, backsplash, flooring, paint; sink and faucet in the same place | None | Sec. 536-201(b)(5) fixtures; (b)(22) plumbing fixtures |
| New range, dishwasher, disposer or microwave on existing hookups and circuits | None | Sec. 536-201(b)(20) and (b)(22) |
| Moving the sink, adding an island sink or pot filler, new gas line to the range | Plumbing permit ($153) | 2026 schedule: residential repair, alteration, remodel |
| New circuits for countertop outlets, lighting or a 240 V range | Electrical permit ($169) | Only appliances with no new circuit are exempt |
| Removing or opening a bearing wall, new window or door opening | Structural permit ($390) + trade permits | Remodeling, alteration or repair of a Class 2 structure |
| Adding a non-bearing wall or pantry partition | None for the wall; trade permits for any wiring or plumbing | Sec. 536-201(b)(11) |
| Kitchen addition (bump-out) with remodel of the existing kitchen | ILP ($140) + structural ($590) + trade permits | Addition and simultaneous remodel of a primary Class 2 structure |
How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Permit Cost in Indianapolis?
Every permit is a flat fee under the January 5, 2026 schedule, and each is applied for separately. The structural permit for remodeling, alteration or repair of a Class 2 structure with no addition is a $40 application fee, $150 plan review and $200 issuance, $390 for up to 1,000 square feet (plus $25 review and $50 issuance per additional 500 square feet). The plumbing permit for repair, alteration or remodel of a residence is $153 up to 1,000 square feet plus $23 per 500. The electrical permit for repair to an existing structure is $169 up to 1,000 square feet plus $23 per 500. Craft permits carry no application fee and did not change in 2026. Worked example, a full gut with a relocated sink, new circuits and a bearing wall opened up in a 1,500 square foot house: $390 + $25 + $50 for the structural permit, $153 + $23 plumbing, $169 + $23 electrical, about $833; the same scope in a house under 1,000 square feet is $712. A remodel that only moves the sink is $153.
Who Pulls the Permits?
The structural permit can be pulled by the owner of the property for work they do themselves (file a Statement of Intent) or by a listed general contractor. The craft permits are different: electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits must be pulled by a licensed contractor in each craft. Plumbing contractors hold a state license registered with the city, and DBNS says homeowners can pull plumbing permits only in limited situations, decided case by case by email. Electrical and HVAC licenses are city licenses; an owner who occupies the home may do that work after obtaining the permit and written approval from the licensing board that they have the skill, which DBNS administers through a homeowner exam. A single contractor responsible for all the work must pull the permits under its own listing.
What the Plans and Inspections Look Like
For the structural permit the Residential Plan Submittal Checklist asks for a floor plan of every floor in scope with a legend showing all proposed work, rooms labeled with existing and proposed use, smoke detector locations and every door and window; wall, window and door framing details; and floor, ceiling and roof construction details. The city's example remodel plan is exactly the typical kitchen case: a wall removed and replaced with an LVL header. Inspections run in the usual order: a separate rough inspection for each craft before anything is covered, a frame inspection after wiring and pipes are in but before drywall, and finals requested with the Completion Card; keep each stage open 48 hours after you call it in.
How to Get a Kitchen Remodel Permit in Indianapolis
Sort the scope
Cosmetic items and same-place swaps need nothing. List what moves: plumbing, circuits, walls. Each needs its own permit.
Draw the floor plan
Existing and proposed layout with a legend, smoke detectors, doors and windows, and a header detail for any opened wall, per the Residential Plan Submittal Checklist.
Apply for the structural permit in Accela Citizens Access
Owner-builders attach a Statement of Intent; a listed general contractor applies under its listing. Pay $40 plus the $150 review at submittal.
Have the trades pull their permits
The plumber files the $153 plumbing permit and the electrician the $169 electrical permit under their licenses, referencing your structural permit number.
Inspect rough-ins, then close
Call each craft rough-in and the frame inspection before drywall; submit the Completion Card for the finals within 14 days of finishing.