Marion County, IN Home Business: Home Occupation Permits (2026)

Indianapolis-Marion County's Consolidated Zoning Ordinance, adopted in 2015 and codified as Chapters 740 through 744 of the Code of Ordinances (the Indy Rezone framework), treats a home occupation as an accessory use customarily incidental to a dwelling. Chapter 743 (Uses and Use-Specific Standards) shows Home Occupation in the Use Table 743-1 as an A (accessory) use in every residential district and points to the use-specific standards in Sec. 743-306.K (Accessory and Temporary Uses). Those standards, modeled on the prior Marion County Dwelling Districts Zoning Ordinance, generally require that the occupation be conducted by a resident of the dwelling, occupy a minor portion of the floor area, produce no exterior evidence of the business other than a permitted small identification sign, generate no traffic or parking demand beyond what is normal for a residence, and exclude on-site retail sales of stock to walk-in customers. A home occupation that complies with Sec. 743-306.K does not require a separate zoning special exception or use permit, but any structural alteration requires a Marion County Building Permit administered by the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services, and a state Registered Retail Merchant Certificate is required from the Indiana Department of Revenue if tangible personal property is sold. Operations exceeding the standards (employees from outside the household, walk-in customer traffic, exterior signage beyond what is permitted, or commercial vehicle parking) require a special exception from the Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals.