Greenwood, IN Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issued by
- Building Commissioner, Community Development Services
- Permit validity
- Up to 365 days from issuance
- Construction start deadline
- Within 45 days of issuance
- Inactivity limit
- 90 days before revocation risk
- Late-start penalty
- Double the current permit fee
- First-offense fine
- $50, plus $50 per day continuing
Summary
The City of Greenwood, Indiana requires a building permit from the Building Commissioner before any construction, alteration or repair of a building or structure begins, per General Ordinances Sec. 7-11, with a 365-day validity window and strict deadlines to start and finish work.
Sec. 7-11 Permit Required. ... (a) A permit shall be obtained before beginning construction, alteration, or repair of any building or structure, using forms furnished by the Building Commissioner. All permits shall be issued by the Building Commissioner, or other designated personnel of the Department of Community Development Services, Planning Division, and all fees provided for herein shall be paid to the City. ... (b) Each permit issued by the office of the Building Commissioner shall be valid for a period not to exceed 365 days from the date of issuance. ... The fee for such extension shall be one half of the original permit base fee. Any person found to continue construction past the expiration date of the required permit shall be subject to penalties in accordance with this ordinance. (c) Construction shall begin within forty-five (45) days of permit issuance, and should any period of construction inactivity exceed ninety (90) days or should any project or structure be left unfinished, blighted, or otherwise abandoned, the Building Commissioner may revoke that permit and initiate enforcement measures included in Sec. 7-24 of this Article.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 7-11(a) of the Greenwood General Ordinances requires a permit before beginning construction, alteration or repair of any building or structure in the City of Greenwood, Indiana. Applications go through the Building Commissioner or designated staff in the Department of Community Development Services, Planning Division, using the city's forms, with fees deposited to the office of the Controller. Under Sec. 7-11(b), each issued permit is valid for up to 365 days from issuance, and a one-time 365-day extension is available at half the original base permit fee if there's sufficient evidence the project will finish in that extra time.
Sec. 7-11(c) sets hard construction deadlines: work must begin within 45 days of permit issuance, and if construction inactivity runs past 90 days or a project is left unfinished, blighted or abandoned, the Building Commissioner can revoke the permit and pursue enforcement under the city's Unsafe Building Law in Sec. 7-24. Sec. 7-12 requires the application to include a plat or sketch of the property and plans showing the work, plus, where state law applies, a design release from the State Building Commissioner and State Fire Marshal under I.C.
22-15-3-1. Review normally takes 30 business days, or 48 hours if expedited for an extra fee under Sec. 7-14. Sec. 7-13 requires at least three inspections, footing, rough-in and final, and Sec. 7-15 bars occupying the finished building until a certificate of occupancy issues.
Violations & Fines
Continuing construction past a permit's expiration or building without the required permit is an offense under Sec. 7-18(d), carrying a $50 fine for the first offense and a $50-per-day fine for continuing violations after notice, rising to $100 per day for a repeat offense within two years. Starting work before obtaining the required permit doubles the permit fee under Sec. 7-14(a), and the Building Commissioner may revoke the permit or deny future permits and inspections under Sec. 7-18(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenwood
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