Frost Depth & Snow Load in Indiana (2026)

4 rules on the books across Indiana. Select a rule to read the full details.

Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions

Frost Line Depth

How deep footings must go below finished grade to sit under the frost line, as adopted locally in IRC Table R301.2 or an amendment to R403.1.4.

Indiana sets footing depth county by county in a single state table: 24 inches across much of the south, 30 inches…

The ground snow load in pounds per square foot (Pg) the jurisdiction adopted, which sets what roofs and structures must be designed to carry.

Indiana assigns each of its 92 counties a ground snow load of either 20 or 30 pounds per square foot, with the higher…

Whether the jurisdiction permits a frost-protected shallow foundation under IRC R403.3 instead of digging to the full frost depth, and on what terms.

Indiana accepts four ways to protect a foundation from frost, so digging below the county frost depth is only one…

The full set of local design criteria, wind speed, seismic design category, weathering, termite risk and ice-barrier requirements, as adopted.

Indiana's state design criteria table gives every county a wind speed of 115 mph, a weathering classification of Severe…