Indiana General Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Indiana does not issue a statewide general contractor license. Contracting authority is granted municipally, and the rules vary widely by city and county. The dominant licensing jurisdiction is Indianapolis / Marion County, where the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS) issues a Building Contractor license under Chapter 875 of the Revised Code of the Consolidated City and County. Fort Wayne (Allen County), Evansville (Vanderburgh County), and South Bend (St. Joseph County) operate parallel local registration programs. A contractor working across Indiana cities must register in each jurisdiction separately — there is no Indiana state reciprocity for general contractors because there is no state license to reciprocate against.

Regulatory Oversight

Under Revised Code of the Consolidated City and County, Chapter 875 (Contractors) and Chapter 871 (Electrical), Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services — City of Indianapolis / Marion County (BNS) is the body that issues this license and enforces compliance with it. 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

Who May Apply

To qualify, an applicant must have reached age 18 and hold a valid Social Security Number. No Indiana residency requirement at the state level. Some municipalities require an Indiana business address or registered agent.

Good moral character

Indianapolis BNS conducts a fitness review on every applicant; felony convictions and prior license revocations are reviewed individually by the Building and Fire Prevention Board.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the Indianapolis BNS application. Other Indiana cities follow similar municipal practice.

Required Experience and Education

The applicant must document and verify at least two years of practical construction experience for the Indianapolis Class A or B Building Contractor; municipal practice varies, but two years is the most common standard across Indiana cities. Keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records to support the claim, as the board can request proof for any period within its lookback window.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Indianapolis BNS Experience Verification Form signed by each prior employer
W-2 statements, pay stubs, or 1099 records covering the qualifying period
Notarized affidavits from prior supervising contractors

Education substitution

Accredited construction-management coursework may substitute for portions of the experience requirement under Indianapolis BNS practice.

Examination Requirements

Examinations are administered by Varies by municipality. Indianapolis Building Contractor: ICC-administered Indiana-specific business and law exam plus a trade exam appropriate to the class.. The applicant must pass the following examination parts before the license can issue:

Indianapolis Building Contractor — Business and Law (ICC) — 50 questions, 120 minutes, passing score 70%
Indianapolis Building Contractor — Trade (ICC, IRC/IBC-based) — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $95 – $125 per ICC exam part. Fort Wayne, Evansville, and South Bend administer their own local exams or accept ICC results.

Retake policy: Failed exam parts may be re-taken individually by paying a new ICC fee. Each application typically remains valid for one year.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

Licensure is conditioned on filing a $10,000 contractor license surety bond with the BNS.

General liability

Indianapolis BNS requires $300,000 minimum general liability for Class A Building Contractors and $100,000 for Class B. Most other Indiana cities require $300,000 minimum.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory in Indiana under IC 22-3 for any business with one or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

Indianapolis Class A Building Contractor requires a $10,000 surety bond. Class B requires $5,000. No statewide net worth standard exists.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$200
Examination	$220
Initial license	$200
Renewal (every year)	$200

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Indiana General Contractor (Municipal — No State License) comes due every year. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $200. Indianapolis Building Contractor licenses renew annually. Other Indiana cities follow similar one- or two-year cycles.

Continuing education: Indianapolis BNS does not require continuing education for general building contractors. Some specialty endorsements have CE requirements.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by Indiana for this classification.

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

Indiana has no statewide general contractor license and therefore no state-level reciprocity. Each Indiana city operates its own registration program. A contractor licensed in Indianapolis must still register separately in Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, or any other Indiana city where they perform work.

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

Application Process, Step by Step

Identify the jurisdiction. Indiana licenses general contractors municipally. Determine which city or county each project is in and register there. Indianapolis / Marion County BNS is the dominant authority.
Choose the Indianapolis class. Class A Building Contractor (no project value cap) or Class B Building Contractor (residential only, limited scope). Each has its own exam and bond.
Document two years of experience. Indianapolis BNS requires two years of qualifying construction experience for the qualifying individual.
Pass the ICC business and law plus trade exam. Both parts must be passed at 70% before BNS will issue the license.
Post the surety bond and insurance. $10,000 bond and $300,000 general liability for Class A; $5,000 bond and $100,000 GL for Class B.
Submit the BNS application. File with the qualifying individual designation, exam results, bond, insurance certificates, and application fee.
Register in additional Indiana cities. Fort Wayne, Evansville, and South Bend each require separate municipal registration. There is no Indiana reciprocity.

Document Checklist

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

☐ Indianapolis BNS Building Contractor application with $200 fee
☐ Two years of documented qualifying construction experience
☐ ICC business and law exam pass certificate at 70%+
☐ ICC trade exam pass certificate at 70%+
☐ $10,000 surety bond (Class A) or $5,000 (Class B)
☐ General liability certificate ($300,000 Class A; $100,000 Class B)
☐ Workers compensation certificate for any employees

Recommended References

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

International Building Code (current Indiana-adopted edition) — International Code Council. Primary technical reference for the trade exam.
International Residential Code (current Indiana-adopted edition) — International Code Council. Required for Class B residential work.
Indianapolis Revised Code Chapter 875 — City of Indianapolis. Local licensing law and rules.

Frequent Application Errors

Drawn from the board instructions and sources cited on this page, the pitfalls below are the ones most likely to slow down or sink a Indiana General Contractor application.

Assuming Indiana has a state license

Indiana has no state GC license. Contractors arriving from neighboring states often miss this and end up working unlicensed in their first Indiana city.

Registering in only one Indiana city

Each Indiana city is a separate jurisdiction. An Indianapolis license does not cover Fort Wayne, Evansville, or South Bend.

Choosing the wrong Indianapolis class

A Class B contractor performing commercial work is operating outside the licensed scope. Upgrading requires a new application, exam, and bond.

Missing the workers compensation requirement

Indiana requires workers compensation for any business with one or more employees. The threshold is stricter than many neighboring states.

Using a borrowed qualifying individual

The qualifying individual must be a full-time employee, owner, or officer of the business under Indianapolis BNS rules.

Other Indiana Trade Licenses

If the General Contractor license is not the right fit, the following published Indiana trade guides are also covered by CLR:

Questions Applicants Ask

Does Indiana have a state general contractor license?

No. Indiana is one of the few states without a statewide general contractor license. Contracting authority is granted municipally by each city or county. Indianapolis / Marion County BNS is the dominant licensing authority.

Which Indiana cities license general contractors?

Indianapolis (Marion County), Fort Wayne (Allen County), Evansville (Vanderburgh County), South Bend (St. Joseph County), and many smaller cities each operate their own contractor registration programs. Rules and exams vary.

What is the difference between Indianapolis Class A and Class B?

Class A Building Contractor authorizes commercial and residential building work with no project value cap and requires a $10,000 bond and $300,000 GL. Class B is residential-limited with a $5,000 bond and $100,000 GL.

Does an Indianapolis license cover the rest of Indiana?

No. Each Indiana city is a separate jurisdiction. A contractor licensed in Indianapolis must register separately in Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, or any other Indiana city where they perform work.

How often does the Indianapolis Building Contractor license renew?

Annually. Renewal requires payment of the renewal fee and proof of continued insurance and bond coverage.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-30 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-28