Building Safety in Bloomington, IN (2026)
7 verified building safety rules for Bloomington, Indiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Elevator Maintenance
In the City of Bloomington, elevators, escalators, manlifts and hoists in an unsafe building fall under the state's Article 21 safety code, which Bloomington Municipal Code § 17.16.020(b)(8) incorporates by reference into the city's Unsafe Building Law. The Housing and Neighborhood Development department administers the chapter, and a building found to violate that code is enforced the same way as any other unsafe structure.
Elevator safety code adopted in Bloomington
Some RestrictionsBloomington Municipal Code §§ 17.16.020(b)(8), 17.16.030, 17.16.070
(b)Any rules of the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission as set out in the articles of Title 675 of the Indiana Administrative Code herein listed are also hereby incorporated by reference in this chapter as the Unsafe Building Law of the City of Bloomington, Indiana: ... (8)Article 21 - Safety Codes for Elevators, Escalators, Manlifts & Hoists; ... Pursuant to Indiana Code § 3...
Childcare Center Rules
In the City of Bloomington, an adult or child day care center sited in a Residential zoning district cannot open within five hundred feet of another day care center, must submit proof of state licensing or an exemption with its Conditional Use petition, cannot house clients overnight, and must install a buffer along adjoining single-family and duplex lots.
Bloomington Day Care Center Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsBloomington Municipal Code § 20.03.030(c)(3)
(3)Day Care Center, Adult or Child.(A)When located in a Residential zoning district, an adult or child day care center shall not be located closer than five hundred feet to any other adult or child day care center.(B)When a license is required by the state, proof of licensing shall be presented with the petition for the Conditional Use Approval. Day care centers exempt from state licensing requ...
Green Building Code
In the City of Bloomington, Municipal Code Chapter 2.29 requires new city-owned buildings to hit LEED-NC Silver certification at minimum, with major renovations held to the same standard. The Common Council adopted the program in 2009 to cut operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions on city facilities.
Bloomington Green Building Program (LEED)
Some RestrictionsBloomington Municipal Code § 2.29.010, § 2.29.030(a), § 2.29.040(a)(2)(B)
The purpose of this program is to: further the city's commitment to environmental, economic and social stewardship; yield cost savings to city taxpayers through reduced operating costs; provide healthy work environments for staff and visitors; reduce local greenhouse gas emissions; and prepare for a current period of reduced supply of oil and natural gas. In furtherance of these purposes, the p...
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
In the City of Bloomington, the rental housing code makes it illegal to disable a carbon monoxide detector or smoke detector in a residential rental unit, under Bloomington Municipal Code § 16.10.020(i). Removing the batteries or otherwise rendering one inoperable outside of maintenance or replacement carries a flat $100 fine under § 16.10.030(b).
Bloomington rental carbon monoxide detector tampering ban
Some RestrictionsBloomington Municipal Code §§ 16.02.020, 16.10.020(i), 16.10.030(b)
"Carbon monoxide detector" means a device that detects carbon monoxide and that produces a distinct, audible alarm and is listed by a nationally recognized, independent product-safety testing and certification laboratory to conform to the standards for carbon monoxide alarms issued by such laboratory or any successor standards. ... (i)In addition to all other penalties and remedies provided for...
Building Permits
In the City of Bloomington, a building permit is required whenever construction, alteration, demolition, moving, or repair work meets or exceeds the scope set out in Title 17 of the Bloomington Municipal Code. The Monroe County Building Department issues the permit itself, while the City's Planning and Transportation Department enforces the technical codes, inspects sites, and can halt work with a written stop-work order.
When a Building Permit Is Required in Bloomington
Some RestrictionsBloomington Municipal Code §§ 17.04.030, 17.04.090
The provisions of this title shall serve as the administrative, organizational, and enforcement rules and regulations for the technical codes which regulate the site preparation and construction, alteration, moving, demolition, repair, use and occupancy of buildings, structures, building service equipment and systems within the City of Bloomington and its jurisdiction. ... No section or provisi...
Electrical Permits
In the City of Bloomington, electrical work is governed by the Indiana Electrical Code, which Bloomington Municipal Code § 17.04.060 adopts by reference as part of the city's Construction Regulations. A residential electrical contractor may wire single, duplex or two-story-or-less multi-family buildings with single-phase service, and § 17.04.090 requires a permit whenever work equals or exceeds the scope this title sets, even for an owner working on their own home.
Electrical permits and adopted code in Bloomington
Some RestrictionsBloomington Municipal Code §§ 17.04.050(h), 17.04.060(a)(4), 17.04.090
(h)"Residential electrical contractor" means one who undertakes electrical construction for single, duplex, and two story or less multi-family dwelling with single-phase electrical service. ... (a)Building rules of the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission as set out in the following articles of Title 675 of the Indiana Administrative Code are hereby incorporated by reference i...
Plumbing Permits
In the City of Bloomington, plumbing installations must follow the Indiana Plumbing Code, adopted into Bloomington Municipal Code § 17.04.060 by reference as part of the city's Construction Regulations. A plumbing contractor or journeyman plumber must be qualified under state and city standards, and § 17.04.090 requires a permit whenever plumbing work equals or exceeds the scope this title sets, even for a property owner working on their own home.
Plumbing permits and adopted code in Bloomington
Some RestrictionsBloomington Municipal Code §§ 17.04.050(g), 17.04.060(a)(3), 17.04.090
(g)"Plumbing contractor" means a person engaged in the plumbing business for the general public, or who maintains a plumbing shop, and is qualified to install plumbing in accordance with the standards and regulations set forth by the state and in this chapter. ... (a)Building rules of the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission as set out in the following articles of Title 675 of...