Boone County, IN Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)

Section 157.005 of the Boone County Zoning Ordinance defines YARD SALE to mean garage sales, rummage sales, yard sales and the like: the sale of personal property from a residentially occupied site. The definition itself carries the substantive limits that govern the use, providing that the sale shall not extend beyond three consecutive days and further that they may be conducted to a maximum of four times in a calendar year. Because the limit sits in the definitions section of the zoning chapter rather than a standalone permit article, a qualifying sale is treated as an accessory use of a residential lot rather than a commercial enterprise requiring a separate business license, so a household does not need to apply for a permit before holding one within these bounds.

A resident who wants to sell personal property from home more than four times in a year, or for longer than three consecutive days per event, falls outside the YARD SALE definition and would need to seek a different classification, such as a home occupation or a commercial use permit, from the Area Plan Commission before continuing. The Area Plan Commission administers this chapter and its Director is the official who determines whether a proposed use, including a sale exceeding these limits, is similar to a permitted use or requires further review.