Find Certified Contractors in Indianapolis, Indiana

For many projects, yes. In the Consolidated City of Indianapolis, the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS) requires a structural permit for additions, new structures, and alterations to an existing home, plus an Improvement Location Permit when a project adds square footage or height. Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work each need their own permit, with only narrow exceptions such as replacing a water heater with an identical one.

Usually no structural permit needed: For one- and two-family homes, city code exempts:

• Replacing exterior doors and windows like-for-like, in openings of the same size, without reducing required escape or exit access
• Replacing an existing roof, unless the job changes the roof's shape, switches to a heavier roofing material, replaces structural members that support the roof (such as a rafter or more than 128 feet of decking), or uses heat-applied roofing
• Installing or replacing siding
• Installing or replacing gutters
• Adding insulation, and ordinary maintenance and repairs

The door, window, roof, and siding exemptions apply only when a licensed contractor does the work or when you do it yourself on a home you live in. If you install siding yourself, only unpaid volunteers can help.

Historic districts: Exterior changes in a designated historic or preservation district may need a Certificate of Appropriateness, even when no building permit is required. Check with the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission before work begins.

Outside the city: Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport, and Speedway sit outside the Consolidated City, so check with those cities directly, or with your own city, town, or county if you live outside Marion County.

Work on Indiana homes follows the Indiana Residential Code. If you hire a contractor, have that contractor obtain the required permits under its own license. To confirm what your project needs, see the City's residential permit requirements or contact BNS.

How to check a contractor:

• Indianapolis: Check the City's licensed contractor lists, updated monthly, or call the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS) at (317) 327-1291.
• Plumbers: Search the plumber's name in the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's free license search and make sure the license shows as Active.
• Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport, and Speedway: These cities are outside the Consolidated City of Indianapolis, so check with the city itself.
• Outside Marion County: Ask your city, town, or county building department.

Who licenses what: Indiana licenses plumbing contractors statewide. There is no state license for electrical or HVAC contractors, so licensing is up to each city or county. In Indianapolis, BNS licenses general, electrical, and HVAC contractors, and state-licensed plumbers must also register with the City. The City warns that if you hire an unlicensed contractor, you can be held responsible for costly repairs or liable for injuries or property damage.

What to ask for: Before work starts, ask the contractor for a current certificate of general liability insurance and proof of workers' compensation coverage. An eligible independent contractor may provide a stamped state certificate of exemption instead of workers' comp coverage; ask for a copy. The exemption doesn't replace general liability insurance.

Workers' Compensation: Indiana law requires most businesses to carry workers' comp. To hold an Indianapolis contractor license, a company must cover its workers in Marion County, though sole proprietors, partnerships, and LLCs with no employees can file a waiver instead. Corporations can't.

General Liability: Indianapolis requires licensed general, electrical, and HVAC contractors to carry at least $500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $100,000 for property damage, or $500,000 combined.

Surety Bond: Licensed general, electrical, and HVAC contractors must also post a surety bond with the City, such as the $10,000 bond for a general contractor license. A bond is separate from insurance and doesn't replace it.

The Best Pick Promise: Before certifying a company, we verify that it carries the licenses and insurance its state requires and is in good standing with the Secretary of State. You can also confirm a company's workers' comp coverage through the Indiana Worker's Compensation Board's coverage check.

Heating and cooling: Indianapolis has hot summers and cold winters, with January nights averaging about 21°F, so furnaces and air conditioners both get heavy use. We recommend scheduling heating and cooling maintenance in spring and fall, ahead of the busy seasons.

Managing water: May and June are the area's wettest months. Before then, it's good practice to clean your gutters and make sure water drains away from your foundation. If you notice cracks in foundation walls or water in your basement or crawl space, have a waterproofing or foundation repair professional find the cause before you choose a fix. Slow drains or sewer backups call for a drain and sewer specialist.

Roofs: After winter weather and spring storms, it's worth having a roofer check for damage.

Best Pick Reports conducts independent customer satisfaction research in Indianapolis every year. We survey homeowners who recently hired local home service companies to find the contractors who consistently deliver quality work.

To earn Best Pick certification in Indianapolis, companies must:

• Be recommended by at least 80% of the customers we survey
• Hold a 4.0 or higher rating over the past three years, with at least 25 Google reviews
• Carry the licenses and insurance their state requires, including workers' compensation where required
• Be active and in good standing with their Secretary of State
• Have no unresolved customer complaints
• Re-qualify every year

Certified companies are also backed by the Best Pick Guarantee. If a certified company can't resolve a problem with the quality of its work, eligible homeowners may receive up to $2,500 toward labor costs. To qualify, you must first contact the company through Best Pick Reports, register for the guarantee, and submit any claim within 45 days of the final service date; full terms apply.

Learn more about our certification process.