Hamilton County, IN Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)

Section 16-41-37-9 of the Hamilton County Code defines "county government buildings" to include every structure the county owns, leases or occupies, from the county government and judicial center and courthouse to the parks and recreation department offices, the 4-H grounds buildings, the sheriff's offices, the enclosed county highway department buildings, the health department building, the soil and water conservation/weights and measures building, the household hazardous waste buildings, and the humane society building. The smoking ban does not stop at the front door: it extends to all areas within 15 feet of any public entrance or exit.

The prohibition sweeps in more than traditional smoking. No one may carry or hold a lighted cigarette, cigar or pipe, and the same ban applies to operating an electronic cigarette, a vapor pen, or any other device built to produce inhalable smoke, steam or vapor. "Person" is defined broadly in the ordinance as any man, woman or child, regardless of age, so the rule applies equally to visitors, employees and minors on county property. Enforcement runs through the county sheriff's department: any deputy may issue a citation for a violation.

Jurisdiction for prosecuting a citation sits with the Hamilton County Superior Courts. The ordinance traces to Ord. No. 3-14-16-A, adopted March 14, 2016, and is tied to Indiana's clean indoor air statute, IC 16-41-37, which authorizes local governments to regulate smoking in public buildings.