Indiana Carpentry License Requirements (2026)

Indiana does not have a statewide contractor or carpentry license. Carpenters must register with each Indiana municipality where they pull building permits. Indianapolis-Marion County Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (DBNS) issues a Class A, B or C General Contractor license under Code of Indianapolis-Marion County §870. Class C covers single-family residential carpentry; Class B covers buildings up to 60,000 sq ft; Class A is unlimited. Fort Wayne, Evansville, Bloomington and other cities run their own registrations. There is no state board, no NASCLA reciprocity, and no statewide trade exam.

Federal requirement: EPA Lead RRP Rule

Renovation, repair, or painting that disturbs paint in pre-1978 housing is regulated nationwide under the federal EPA Lead RRP Rule — regardless of whether Indiana licenses this trade. See our complete EPA RRP Lead Certification guide for who needs firm and renovator certification, what it costs, and how renewal works.

Governing Authority

Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services — City of Indianapolis / Marion County (BNS) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of Revised Code of the Consolidated City and County, Chapter 875 (Contractors) and Chapter 871 (Electrical). BNS issues municipal contractor, electrical, and HVAC licenses for Indianapolis and Marion County. Indiana has no state license for these trades, so BNS is the dominant licensing authority for Central Indiana.

Official portal: https://www.indy.gov/agency/department-of-business-and-neighborhood-services
Address: 1200 Madison Avenue, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46225
Phone: (317) 327-8700

Eligibility Requirements

At a minimum the applicant has to be 18 years old and supply a valid Social Security Number. No Indiana residency requirement.

Good moral character

Criminal history is reviewed case-by-case by the licensing authority.

Background investigation

Criminal history disclosure required on the application.

Experience & Education Matrix

Plan to substantiate 2 years of Indianapolis Class C requires two years of carpentry experience; Class B requires four; Class A requires eight years or a four-year construction degree. with hard records. Payroll, tax, project logs, and supervisor verification are what the board relies on when it reviews the claim.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Notarized experience affidavits from licensed supervising contractors
W-2s, 1099s, or payroll records covering the qualifying period
Apprenticeship completion certificate where applicable

Education substitution

Approved carpentry apprenticeship or accredited trade school coursework may substitute for part of the experience requirement.

Examination Structure

Indianapolis DBNS administers a written contractor exam in-house; some other Indiana cities accept ICC contractor exams runs the examination for this credential. Issuance is contingent on passing every part below:

Indianapolis General Contractor Class C exam (carpentry/building code) — 50 questions, 120 minutes, passing score 75%
Indianapolis Business and Law module — 40 questions, 90 minutes, passing score 75%

Examination fee: $200 application fee plus $50 per exam attempt at Indianapolis DBNS.

Retake policy: Failed parts may be retaken after paying a new exam fee. Applications remain valid for one year.

Insurance & Financial Security

The BNS requires a $10,000 contractor license surety bond to be on file before the license will issue.

General liability

Indianapolis DBNS requires general liability with minimum $300,000 per occurrence and the City of Indianapolis named as additional insured.

Workers' compensation

Workers compensation is mandatory under Ind. Code §22-3-2-2 for any contractor with one or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

No state financial statement. Indianapolis Class A and B require evidence of working capital appropriate to project scale.

Application and License Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$200
Examination	$100
Initial license	$200
Renewal (every year)	$200

Maintenance & Renewal

Expect to renew the Indiana Carpentry (no state license; Indianapolis Class C contractor registration) every year. Renewal currently costs $200. Annual renewal in most Indiana cities. Each city has its own due date.

Continuing education: Indianapolis does not require continuing education. Some Indiana cities require ICC Preferred Provider CE.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Indiana Carpentry License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and Endorsement

Indiana does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

No statewide license to reciprocate. Some Indiana cities accept ICC exam results from neighboring jurisdictions.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Carpentry license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Identify the Indiana city or county where you will work. Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, etc.
Document the required carpentry experience. Two years for Indianapolis Class C, more for higher classes.
Submit the municipal application with fee. Indianapolis DBNS charges $200.
Pass the in-house contractor exam. Indianapolis DBNS administers the carpentry/building and business and law modules.
Post the surety bond and insurance. $10,000 bond and $300,000 GL for Indianapolis Class C.
File workers compensation certificate. Mandatory for any employees.
Receive the contractor license number. Issued within four to six weeks.
Renew annually with current bond and insurance. Indianapolis renewal is $200.

Study and Reference Materials

The references below are either cited by the board, used during the application, or standard preparation for the trade. They are listed purely for convenience — CLR earns no commission on any of them.

Code of Indianapolis-Marion County Chapter 870 — City of Indianapolis. General Contractor licensing rules.
Indiana Residential Code (2020) — Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Adopted statewide for one and two family dwellings.
ICC General Contractor Examination Reference List — International Code Council. For cities that accept ICC exams.

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Indiana Carpentry application.

Skipping municipal registration

Performing carpentry in any Indiana city without that city contractor registration is unlicensed contracting and voids permits.

Bond and insurance lapse

Indianapolis DBNS automatically suspends licenses with lapsed bond or insurance.

Lead RRP for pre-1978 trim

EPA RRP certification is federally required for any carpentry that disturbs painted surfaces in pre-1978 housing.

Wrong Indianapolis class

Building a 5,000 sq ft commercial space under a Class C residential license is unlicensed contracting.

Missing the workers compensation certificate

Even one helper triggers Ind. Code §22-3-2-2.

Pre-Submission Checklist

These are the pieces to lock down before filing with BNS:

☐ Municipal contractor application with fee
☐ Two to eight years of carpentry experience documentation
☐ In-house or ICC contractor exam pass certificate
☐ $10,000 surety bond
☐ Certificate of $300K+ general liability insurance
☐ Workers compensation certificate (if employees)
☐ EPA Lead RRP certification (pre-1978 work)

Other Indiana Trade Licenses

Should the Carpentry path not apply, these other Indiana trade guides from CLR may help:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Indiana have a state carpentry license?

No. Indiana licenses no general contractor or carpentry trade at the state level. Each municipality runs its own registration.

What does Indianapolis require?

A General Contractor Class A, B or C license through DBNS, with experience documentation, an in-house exam, $10,000 surety bond and $300,000 GL.

What does Class C cover?

Single-family residential carpentry, framing, finish, decks and additions on one and two family dwellings.

Is there reciprocity between Indiana cities?

No. Each city operates independently.

How often does Indianapolis registration renew?

Annually on the anniversary of issuance with current bond and insurance.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-06-18 · Next scheduled review 2026-09-16