Indianapolis does not have any breed-specific ban or restriction; pit bulls and other breeds are legal to own. Dangerous and vicious dogs are regulated by behavior under Chapter 531 of the Revised Code and under Indiana Code Title 15, Article 20, not by breed. Indiana does not preempt local breed laws, but Indianapolis-Marion County has chosen a behavior-based approach.
Indianapolis has no breed-specific legislation. Chapter 531 (Animals) of the Revised Code of the Consolidated City and County regulates dangerous and vicious animals based on an individual animal's behavior, not on its breed. Indiana state law does not impose any statewide breed restriction, and IC 15-20-1-1 preserves the power of a political subdivision to adopt ordinances that do not conflict with the state dog statutes, meaning a city could enact breed rules; Indianapolis-Marion County has declined to do so. Owner liability is set by state statute regardless of breed: IC 15-20-1-3 makes the owner of a dog liable for all damages if the dog, without provocation, bites a person who is acting peaceably in a place the person may lawfully be, even if the dog has not previously behaved viciously and even if the owner had no knowledge of prior vicious behavior. IC 15-20-1-4 layers criminal liability on top, making it a Class C misdemeanor (escalating to higher misdemeanors and felonies for repeat offenses, serious bodily injury, or death) when an owner recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally fails to restrain a dog that then enters another's property and bites or attacks a person without provocation. These rules apply to every dog in Indianapolis without regard to breed.
Because there is no breed ban, simply owning a particular breed is not a violation in Indianapolis. An owner whose dog bites without provocation faces strict civil liability for all damages under IC 15-20-1-3 and potential criminal charges under IC 15-20-1-4 (Class C misdemeanor up to a Level 5 felony depending on injury and prior offenses), plus local dangerous-animal proceedings under Chapter 531 if the animal is declared dangerous or vicious.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis Revised Code section 391-302(c)(6) bans operating any vehicle, engine, or motor with straight pipes, muffler cutouts, bypasses, or exhaust that ...
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis uses a plainly-audible standard combined with a 115 dB amplifier cap under Rev. Code Ch. 391, Article III rather than zone-based dBA limits.
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis does not impose specific leaf blower hours, but Revised Code Sec. 391-302 prohibits operating any blower or power fan in a way that makes unreas...
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis Revised Code section 391-302(c)(2) prohibits radios, loudspeakers, sound amplifiers, and musical instruments that make unreasonable noise, and t...
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis has no blanket overnight street-parking ban for ordinary passenger vehicles, but Code Sec. 621-117 caps parking on any street at six hours witho...
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis adopts the Indiana Residential Code under Rev. Code Ch. 536, which requires a minimum 48-inch barrier around residential pools 24 inches deep or...
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