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

Section 150.12(A) of the Dearborn County Code makes all construction subject to periodic inspections by the Building Commissioner, irrespective of whether a building permit has been or is required to be obtained. That means unpermitted work is inspectable. Under § 150.12(B) the Building Commissioner can go in, upon, around or about the premises at any reasonable time to inspect and investigate a structure covered by the subchapter or by the rules of the Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission. The inspection can happen before or after construction is completed, to determine whether the structure meets building standards and procedures and whether the work was done consistently with the subchapter and those rules. The definition in § 150.03 treats the Building Commissioner as including individuals employed by the Building Department who are authorized to represent the Building Commissioner, so a staff inspector carries the same authority.

Section 150.13 pairs the Building Commissioner with the Fire Department. They work cooperatively to conduct inspections and investigations to promote compliance with fire safety laws, and the code adds that the Fire Department has independent authority to inspect and take enforcement actions under I.C. 36-8-17.

The code ties inspections to occupancy. Under § 150.11, no certificate of occupancy is issued unless the building was constructed in compliance with the subchapter, and it is unlawful to occupy a building until a full, partial, or temporary certificate of occupancy has been issued. The fee appendix, titled Schedules of Fees and Required Inspections, lists a Re-Inspection Fee of $55.00 for nonresidential work and closes with a rule that the Building Commissioner has the power to increase the number of required inspections by 50%. The published text of Chapter 150 does not itemize the individual inspection stages in readable form, so confirm the stage list with the Building Department when the permit issues. Inspection fees owed under Ordinance 2005-12 matter: under § 150.14(A), unpaid inspection fees let the Building Commissioner withhold later permits.