Indiana Statewide Rule
Indiana Ground Snow Load by County: 20 or 30 psf
Key Facts
- Values used
- 20 psf or 30 psf, assigned by county
- Counties at each value
- 20 psf, 76 counties; 30 psf, 16 counties
- Where 30 psf applies
- The northern tier, including Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph
- Indianapolis (Marion County)
- 20 psf
- Code edition enforced
- 2020 Indiana Residential Code, based on the 2018 International Residential Code
- Ice shield underlayment
- Required in every county
Summary
Indiana assigns each of its 92 counties a ground snow load of either 20 or 30 pounds per square foot, with the higher figure reserved for the northern counties along Lake Michigan and the Michigan border.
Sec. 5. Delete TABLE R301.2(1) and the corresponding footnotes and substitute to read as follows: TABLE R301.2(1) CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DESIGN CRITERIA — No. / County / Wind Speed (MPH) / Seismic Design Category / Ground Snow (PSF) / Foundation / Winter Design Temp (°F) / Decay / Termite / Weathering / Ice Shield Underlayment Required / Air Freezing Index / Mean Annual Temp (°F).
Full Breakdown
The ground snow load a building must be designed for is set centrally in Indiana rather than by each municipality. The state's substituted Table R301.2(1) lists all 92 counties with a Ground Snow column, and only two values appear in it. Seventy-six counties carry 20 psf; sixteen carry 30 psf. The 30 psf counties are the northern tier, Lake, Porter, LaPorte, St. Joseph and their neighbours, where lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan drives accumulation well above the rest of the state. Marion County, containing Indianapolis, is 20 psf. By national standards these are modest figures: Indiana's highest value is below the lowest value assigned anywhere in Massachusetts, which reflects a genuinely milder snow climate rather than a lighter standard.
Ground snow load by county in Indiana
Every one of the 92 counties in Indiana, with the value the state adopted for it. Shaded low to high, 2 values are in use, from 20 to 30 psf.
Source: 675 IAC 14-4.4-5, Table R301.2(1) (Indiana Residential Code). Code edition: 2020 Indiana Residential Code (2018 International Residential Code base). Effective 2019-12-26. Values are the jurisdiction's adopted figures; confirm with your building department before relying on them for a design.
Violations & Penalties
Ground snow load is a design input rather than a rule you can be cited for breaking, and it is enforced at plan review. Structural drawings submitted with a building permit must show the roof and structure designed for the load listed for that county; drawings using a lower figure will be rejected. The same table also requires ice shield underlayment in every Indiana county, which is a related and separately inspected requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ground snow load in my Indiana county?
Why is northern Indiana higher?
Is the snow load set by my city or the state?
Sources
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