Concrete Permits Across the Indianapolis Metro
Most concrete projects require a permit, and requirements vary by city and county. What to expect and who handles it.
Most concrete projects, driveways and patios included, require permits from the local building department. The specifics change depending on which jurisdiction your address falls in.
Do I need a permit for concrete work in the Indianapolis area?
Usually yes. Driveways, approaches, patios, retaining walls above certain heights and any work in the public right-of-way are commonly permitted across the metro, and requirements differ between the seven counties and between individual cities inside them. GoldenPaw confirms what applies at your specific address and settles who pulls the permit before work starts.
The general rule
Assume a permit is required until you have confirmed otherwise. Driveways, approaches, patios, retaining walls above certain heights, and work in the public right-of-way are all commonly permitted across the metro. The cost of assuming otherwise is a stop-work order partway through a pour, which is a far worse day than a permit application.
- Assume a permit is required until confirmed otherwise. A stop-work order mid-pour is a far worse day than an application.
- The approach where a driveway meets the public street frequently has separate requirements, sometimes from a different department.
- Retaining walls above certain heights often require engineered drawings.
- HOA approval runs independently of the municipal permit and is frequently the longest lead item in the project.
- Who pulls the permit belongs in the written scope, not in a verbal understanding.
Requirements vary by jurisdiction, genuinely
Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Boone, Hancock, Johnson, and Madison counties each have their own framework, and individual cities within them frequently have their own requirements on top of that. What is routine in one town needs review in the next. This is why we confirm requirements for your specific address rather than working from a general rule.
The approach is often separate
Where a driveway meets the public street, that section frequently falls under different requirements than the rest of the slab, sometimes administered by a different department or by the county rather than the city. It is one of the most common places a project runs into an unexpected requirement, and it is easy to identify in advance.
Retaining walls have their own thresholds
Many jurisdictions require engineered drawings for retaining walls above a certain height, and additional review where a wall is near a property line, an easement, or a drainage way. If a project needs an engineer, we will tell you that rather than designing around the threshold.
| County | Cities in our service area | What to confirm early |
|---|---|---|
| Marion | Indianapolis, Beech Grove, Speedway, Southport | Right-of-way rules and approach specs on older narrow lots |
| Hamilton | Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, Cicero | City-level requirements plus HOA review in newer neighbourhoods |
| Hendricks | Plainfield, Avon, Brownsburg, Danville, Clermont | Approach specs and drainage on flat subdivision lots |
| Boone | Zionsville, Lebanon, Whitestown | Retaining wall thresholds where there is real grade |
| Hancock | Greenfield, McCordsville, Fortville | County road approach specs on larger parcels |
| Johnson | Greenwood, Franklin, Bargersville, Whiteland | Historic area review near older cores |
| Madison | Pendleton | Rural approach requirements |
This is a map of where the questions usually arise, not a substitute for checking. Requirements change and only your local building department is authoritative for your address.
Who pulls the permit
This gets settled before work starts and it is written into your scope of work, so there is no confusion about who is responsible for what. Ambiguity here is one of the more common sources of friction between homeowners and contractors, and it is entirely avoidable.
HOA approval is a separate track
In many newer neighborhoods across Hamilton, Boone, and Hendricks counties, your HOA has its own approval process for exterior work, and it runs independently of the municipal permit. Its timeline is its own, and it is worth starting early because it is frequently the longest lead item in the whole project.
Frequently asked questions
Who pulls the permit, me or the contractor?
That gets settled before work starts and written into your scope of work. Ambiguity here is one of the more common sources of friction between homeowners and contractors and it is entirely avoidable.
Does a patio need a permit?
Frequently yes, and it varies by jurisdiction. Patios are permitted in many parts of the metro even though homeowners often assume they are not.
What happens if work starts without a permit?
At best an after-the-fact application and a delay. At worst a stop-work order partway through, with concrete in a state nobody wants it in, plus potential issues when you eventually sell.
How long does HOA approval take?
It runs on its own timeline, independent of the municipal permit, and it is frequently the longest lead item in the whole project. Start it early, well before you want a pour date.
Do retaining walls need permits?
Often, particularly above certain heights or near property lines, easements and drainage ways. Above certain heights many jurisdictions also require engineered drawings. If a project needs an engineer we will say so rather than designing around the threshold.
Every project starts with a site visit and a written, itemized scope of work sized by square footage. Base depth, compaction, slab thickness, reinforcement, joint layout, drainage work and permits each appear as their own line. No verbal ballparks, and no number quoted before anyone has seen the property.
- Indy.gov — for Marion County permits.
- Hamilton County, Indiana — for Hamilton County requirements.
- Indiana Department of Homeland Security — which administers the state building code.
- INDOT — where a drive meets a state route.
Site visit first. Then a number you can hold us to.
We do not quote concrete over the phone, because a number given before anyone has seen the site is a number that changes.
You send the details
The form or a phone call, whichever you prefer. A team member follows up the same day.
We come look at it
Measurements, photos, drainage and grading assessment, and a conversation about finish options.
You get it in writing
A written, itemized scope of work sized by square footage. What is included, what is not, and what it costs.
Have a project in mind?
Tell us about the project and we will follow up to schedule a site visit. Every quote is written and itemized before any work begins.
Ready for a written, itemized quote?
Send the project details and we will follow up to schedule a site visit. No verbal ballparks, no pressure.