Indiana has no statewide general contractor license, and it does not license electricians or HVAC contractors at the state level either; those trades are regulated city by city.
Requirements checked against the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, Indiana Plumbing Commission published requirements on October 8, 2026.
| Licensing board | No state general contractor license (licensed only by city or county); the Indiana Plumbing Commission under IPLA licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors statewide |
|---|---|
| License required when | No state threshold; general contractor licensing happens only at the city or county level with rules set by each jurisdiction |
| What the state calls the qualifier | State plumbing: an officer or employee holding a valid plumbing contractor license, designated in the application and named in the corporation's license |
| NASCLA exam accepted | no |
| Reciprocity and endorsement | None at state level; Indianapolis's own electrical Board reciprocates with a defined list of Indiana cities and counties plus the Illinois cities Belleville, Waukegan, Granite City and Rock Island (city level only; needs a sponsoring jurisdiction letter confirming a Prometric exam passed at 75 percent or higher) |
| Exam waivers | State plumbing: an out of state license plus four years of experience replaces the Indiana apprenticeship but the PROV exam is still required, an experience bridge rather than an exam waiver |
| Experience required | None for general contracting; state Plumbing Contractor four years; Indianapolis electrical six years; Indianapolis HVAC five years |
| Application and exam fees | State Plumbing Contractor application fee 50 dollars |
| Renewal | State Plumbing Contractor: expires December 31 of odd numbered years, 100 dollar renewal fee |
| Time to license | No statewide timeline; no published turnaround for state plumbing; Indianapolis Electrical and HVAC boards need the packet at least ten business days before their monthly meeting |
| Bond and financial requirements | No statewide bond or net worth test; state plumbing has no financial requirement; Indianapolis GC needs 500000 dollars general liability and a 10000 dollar surety bond |
| Penalty for unlicensed work | Not stated |
| Time to replace a qualifier | Not stated |
| Companies one qualifier may qualify | State plumbing cap not published; Indianapolis electrical Craft License Holder cannot be connected to more than one partnership, LLC or corporation at a time |
Facts checked on August 5, 2026.
Each line was checked against the state board’s published requirements on the date shown. Not stated means the board material we reviewed did not state it, so we do not guess. Boards change rules; confirm the current figure with the board before you file.
The one construction trade Indiana licenses statewide is plumbing, through the Indiana Plumbing Commission under the Professional Licensing Agency. Local licensing does the real gatekeeping: Indianapolis licenses general, electrical, heating and cooling, and wrecking contractors through its Department of Business and Neighborhood Services, and other cities and counties run their own programs. Indiana has no qualifying agent, qualifying party, or RME requirement at the state level.
Indiana has no statewide general contractor license; cities and counties license general contractors locally. Plumbing is the only trade licensed statewide, through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, which requires an individual holding an active Plumbing Contractor license to oversee a Plumbing Corporation. Local requirements depend on where the work occurs.
Indiana has no state general contractor classification system. At the local level, Indianapolis BNS issues a general Building Contractor license with no monetary tier structure.
Indiana has no statewide qualifying individual model for general contracting, because there is no state general contractor license to qualify for. For the state plumbing license, a Plumbing Corporation must be overseen by an individual who already holds an active Indiana Plumbing Contractor license (secure.in.gov/pla). The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's own plumbing licensing page does not specify a cap on how many corporations a single licensed plumbing contractor may be associated with. Confirm this directly with the agency at 317 232 2960 before relying on a specific number.
This is not applicable for general contracting statewide, since no statewide qualifier model exists. For the state plumbing license, Indiana provides a Temporary Plumbing Contractor license for business continuity when the primary licensee dies or becomes incapacitated, issued in six month increments for a maximum of two years (secure.in.gov/pla). The plumbing licensing page does not address what happens, or what the deadline is, if a qualifying plumbing contractor leaves a company voluntarily rather than dying or becoming incapacitated. Confirm this directly with the agency before relying on it.
For the state licensed plumbing contractor and journeyman credentials, the current exam vendor is PROV, accessed at Prov (PROV exam portal), as confirmed on the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's own plumbing licensing information page (secure.in.gov/pla). A candidate may sit the plumbing exam up to seven times within a two year period (secure.in.gov/pla).
Even a contractor holding the NASCLA credential will still need to separately meet whatever license each county or city requires. One local nuance is in Allen County, where contractor licenses obtained through a national exam administered by ICC or Prometric, specifically not NASCLA, PSI, or ProV, may be eligible for reciprocation from another jurisdiction (allencounty.in.gov). This detail should be confirmed with the county before it is used with a client.
For the state licensed plumbing contractor credential, the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency requires four years of documented plumbing experience, satisfied through an approved apprenticeship, four years working under a licensed contractor, an out of state plumbing license with employer verification, or four years of business ownership or management experience in plumbing (secure.in.gov/pla). No statewide financial statement, net worth, or working capital requirement exists for general contracting, because Indiana has no statewide general contractor license.
Because Indiana has no statewide general contractor license, there is no statewide processing timeline for general contracting. A processing timeline for Indianapolis BNS licenses is not stated in the board materials reviewed for this page. Confirm turnaround time directly with BNS at 317 327 1291 or contractors@indy.gov.
The only reciprocity identified is local and narrow: Allen County's reciprocation pathway for contractors licensed through a national ICC or Prometric exam from another jurisdiction. This detail should be confirmed with the county before being treated as current.
Plumbing is the one trade licensed at the state level statewide, through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's Plumbing Commission (secure.in.gov/pla, confirmed directly on the agency's own site). Electrical and HVAC are not licensed at the state level anywhere in Indiana. They are regulated purely locally, and requirements vary sharply by city or county.
Indiana's Home Improvement Contracts Act, known as HICA, requires a written contract for residential repair, renovation, or improvement work over 150 dollars in total project value, covering roofing, siding, remodeling and similar owner occupied home work. It does not apply to new construction (maylorber.com, corroborated by inbar.org and psrb.com). This is a contract law requirement layered on top of whatever local license applies; it is not itself a license.
There is no material change to report. Indiana remains a local licensing state for general contractors, with plumbing as the only trade licensed at the state level. The core facts on this page, the local licensing structure, the state plumbing license through the Professional Licensing Agency, the absence of NASCLA acceptance, and the absence of a state qualifying individual model for general contracting, remain the same. The Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services fee and bond figures below should be confirmed directly with the City of Indianapolis (City of Indianapolis).
No. Indiana has no statewide general contractor license. General contracting authority is delegated to cities and counties, so the licensing board that applies depends on the jurisdiction where the work happens. Plumbing is the only trade licensed statewide, through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. Electrical and HVAC are not licensed at the state level anywhere in Indiana; they are regulated purely locally.
HVAC is not licensed at the state level anywhere in Indiana. It is regulated purely locally, and requirements vary sharply by city or county. Plumbing is the one trade licensed statewide, through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's Plumbing Commission. Confirm HVAC licensing requirements directly with the city or county where the work will occur.
Because Indiana has no statewide general contractor license, licensing depends on the local authority where the work occurs, such as Indianapolis BNS, which issues a general Building Contractor license with no monetary tier structure, or Allen County's Building Department. Only plumbing is licensed statewide, through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency.
Electrical work is not licensed at the state level anywhere in Indiana. Like HVAC, it is regulated purely locally, with requirements varying by city or county. Plumbing is the only trade licensed statewide, through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's Plumbing Commission. Confirm specific electrical licensing requirements with the local jurisdiction where the work occurs.
HVAC licensing in Indiana is handled entirely at the local level, since the state does not license this trade. Requirements vary by city or county, so a contractor must check with the local authority where work will be performed. Plumbing is the only trade Indiana licenses statewide, through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, which uses PROV as its exam vendor.
Indianapolis BNS issues a general Building Contractor license with no monetary tier structure, since Indiana has no statewide general contractor classification system. Confirm turnaround time directly with BNS at 317 327 1291.
Indiana has no statewide general contractor license. General contracting authority is delegated to cities and counties, so the licensing board that applies depends entirely on the jurisdiction where the work happens.
In Fort Wayne and Allen County, the Allen County Building Department handles contractor and trade licensing, including a reciprocation process for contractors who already hold a license through a national exam vendor from another jurisdiction (allencounty.in.gov). The reciprocation mechanics on that page should be confirmed with the county directly before being quoted to a client.
Other jurisdictions, including Evansville and Vanderburgh County and South Bend, have their own local licensing authorities.
Official Licensing Authority
All contractor license applications, renewals, and qualifying agent changes must go through this board.
We place a licensed qualifying agent with your company as a full time W-2 employee and prepare the qualifier filing with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, Indiana Plumbing Commission. Tell us your trade and what you have going on, and pick a time for a discovery call. Or call 615-219-2110.
Provide your information for a compliance assessment.
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