Dearborn County, IN Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Section 150.08 of the Dearborn County Code is the permit trigger: construction is prohibited unless it conforms to a valid building permit obtained from the Building Commissioner prior to commencement of construction. Under § 150.04, all construction must comply with Chapter 150, though the subchapter does not apply to certified industrialized building systems or mobile structures, or to regulated amusement devices, boilers, pressure vessels and lifting devices.

The application rules sit in § 150.09. Any person required to have a permit files a complete application with the Building Commissioner, either personally or through an employee or agent, and the Building Commissioner can require written authority from that agent. The form asks for information to locate and contact the applicant, detailed plans and specifications drawn to scale showing the nature and location of all work, and a plot plan drawn to scale. The plot plan is not required when all the construction occurs entirely within an existing structure. It shows the structure in relation to existing property lines and the streets, curbs and sidewalks. If Indiana law or a Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission rule requires it, the applicant also attaches a design release issued by the Building Law Compliance Officer. The fee established by the County Commissioners completes the package.

Section 150.10 requires the Building Commissioner to issue the permit once the application is complete, any fee is paid, and the proposed construction will conform to all applicable building laws and other ordinances. The fee appendix to Chapter 150 sets separate schedules for nonresidential and residential work. For any permit type not listed, the fee is calculated to the most similar listed type, at the discretion of the Building Commissioner.

Permit status carries consequences after issuance. Under § 150.14 the Building Commissioner can withhold new permits from an applicant who owes fees, or for a structure not in conformance with a zoning or other land-use ordinance. Section 150.15 allows revocation for a false statement or misrepresentation of a material fact, lack of compliance with building standards, failure to comply with the subchapter, or nonconformance with a land-use ordinance. Section 150.11 bars occupancy of a building until the Building Commissioner issues a full, partial, or temporary certificate of occupancy.