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Elkhart County

Elkhart County Planning and Development — Building Department

In short

Elkhart County Planning and Development — Building Department issues 5 permits we publish for Elkhart County, last verified 2026-10-15. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Class A Electrical Contractor's License (Elkhart County)only if it applies to youElkhart County Planning and Development — Building Department$100 a year, calendar-year basis; the first year's fee is prorated by the calendar months remaining, renewals are not prorated (Elkhart County Code 113.08(B), Ord. 03-119); plus a non-refundable examination fee equal to the testing designee's charge (113.09)calendar year; expires December 31 following issue and is renewed annually; a license 30 days delinquent is issued as a new license (County Code 113.08(B))2026-10-15
Commercial Building Permit (Elkhart County Building Department)only if it applies to youElkhart County Planning and Development — Building DepartmentCommercial building application fee by floor area: first 25,000 sq ft $200; 25,001–50,000 sq ft $400; 50,001–100,000 sq ft $500; over 100,000 sq ft $500 plus $0.02 per sq ft over 100,000. Plus, per item: construction plan review $100; site plan review $100; base plumbing fee $40 plus $5 for each fixture drain line; mechanical $50 for each heating, cooling, make-up air or refrigeration unit; gas lines $50; electrical service up to 100 A $35, up to 200 A $40, up to 400 A $50, up to 800 A $100, up to 2,000 A $200, over 2,000 A $400; footings and structural first 25,000 sq ft $50, 25,000–50,000 $75, 50,000–100,000 $100, over 100,000 $150 plus $0.02 per sq ft over 100,000; fire suppression or sprinkler system up to 150 heads $50, 151–300 $100, over 300 $200; extension of permit $200. Work started before the permit: civil penalty equal to twice the normal fee.expires one year after issuance if construction has not reached final inspection; commercial permits may be extended for six months (County Code 151.06(E))2026-10-15
Data Management (GIS) Fee on Nonresidential Building Permits (Elkhart County)only if it applies to youElkhart County Planning and Development — Building Department$50 per new nonresidential (commercial/industrial) building permit; $25 for a nonresidential addition, a new nonresidential non-building structure or another new nonresidential building, as set in Elkhart County Code 41.131(A) (Ord. 03-238; Ord. 07-78); collected with the permit applicationone-time, with each permit application2026-10-15
Certificate of Occupancy (Elkhart County Building Commissioner)only if it applies to youElkhart County Planning and Development — Building Department$35 per certificate of occupancy, as set in Elkhart County Code 151.11 Table IV (Ord. 2015-214); re-inspections $35 for the first, $50 for the second and $65 for each later one, paid before the certificate is issuedone-time, issued after final inspection2026-10-15
Sign Permit (Elkhart County Building Commissioner)only if it applies to youElkhart County Planning and Development — Building DepartmentStationary signs, non-lighted / lighted or illuminated: first 100 sq ft $40 / $80; 101–200 sq ft $50 / $100; 201–300 sq ft $60 / $120; 301–500 sq ft $70 / $140; over 501 sq ft $80 / $160. Each viewable face counts toward the total area. Portable sign for commercial use with zoning clearance $40 (maximum three weeks); civil penalty for a portable sign without a permit, zoning clearance or within the time limit $100.expires if work has not begun within 12 months of issuance (Elkhart County Development Ordinance 158.11(O)(3)); a portable sign permit lasts up to three weeks2026-10-15

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Class A Electrical Contractor's License (Elkhart County)

Elkhart County Code 113.06 provides that no person, firm or corporation may install, maintain, alter or repair electrical equipment unless the work is performed or supervised by the holder of a Class A electrical contractor's license, the single license class the chapter creates (113.07); employees working under a Class A licensee are covered, and listed minor work such as replacing switches, receptacles and lamps is exempt. Under 113.17 the County Building Department issues electrical permits only to a license holder unless the installation is exempt. The applicant applies in writing to the Electrical Examining Board at least 30 days before an examination date, paying a non-refundable examination fee equal to the testing designee's charge (113.09); examination dates are the first Monday of January, April, July and October (113.03(A)). On the Board's approval the Building Commissioner issues the license (113.08(A)). As set in 113.08(B) (Ord. 03-119), the license fee is $100 a year on a calendar-year basis, prorated by remaining months in the first year only; licenses expire December 31, and one 30 days delinquent is issued as a new license. The Building Department's page links Electrical Contractor License Ordinance No. 03-119. A violation is a Class A infraction carrying $100 to $1,000.

Commercial Building Permit (Elkhart County Building Department)

Elkhart County Code 151.06(B)(2) provides that no one may construct, alter, repair, remodel or add to a building, or do plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilation or air conditioning work, before the Building Commissioner approves a written application and issues a permit; painting and routine maintenance that does not affect those systems or structural stability are exempt (151.06(B)(4)). A Class 1 structure needs the state's construction design release first, and its plans may be filed on paper or as PDF (151.06(B)(1), (3)). As set in County Code 151.11 Table II (Ord. 2015-214, passed July 6, 2015, effective August 1, 2015, and reproduced in the Building Department Fee Schedule on the Planning and Development site), commercial, industrial and multi-family buildings pay an application fee of $200 for the first 25,000 square feet, $400 to 50,000, $500 to 100,000 and $500 plus $0.02 a square foot above that, plus item fees such as $100 construction plan review, $100 site plan review, $40 base plumbing plus $5 a fixture drain line, $50 a mechanical unit, $50 gas lines and $35 to $400 for electrical service. The county Building Code ordinance applies in the unincorporated area of Elkhart County and in any municipality that elects by ordinance to be subject to it. Permits expire after one year without final inspection, with a six-month commercial extension (151.06(E)). Work started before the permit carries a civil penalty of twice the normal fee.

Data Management (GIS) Fee on Nonresidential Building Permits (Elkhart County)

Elkhart County Code 41.131(A) assesses a data management fee on each listed permit processed by the county planning department, in addition to the permit's own fee. As set in that section (Ord. 03-238, passed June 16, 2003; Ord. 07-78, passed February 26, 2007), the fee is $50 on a building permit for a new nonresidential (commercial/industrial) building, and $25 on a permit for a nonresidential addition, a new nonresidential non-building structure or another new nonresidential building; a demolition permit carries $25. Under 41.131(B) the fee is a supplementary fee added to the fees set by the county's other ordinances, and it is paid and collected when the permit application is made. A business building, adding to or demolishing a commercial building in the area covered by the county Building Department therefore pays this fee alongside the commercial building permit fees of County Code 151.11.

Certificate of Occupancy (Elkhart County Building Commissioner)

Under Elkhart County Code 151.06(D), no building for which a permit is required may be used or occupied, other than to complete the work, until the Building Commissioner has issued both an occupancy permit and a utility service hook-up authorization, and after final inspection the Building Commissioner issues a certificate of occupancy. The Elkhart County Development Ordinance, section 158.11(P), adds that no land or building may be occupied or used, and no change of use made, without a Certificate of Occupancy; that the certificate is applied for at the same time as the Improvement Location Permit; and that the Zoning Administrator recommends and the Building Commissioner decides. As set in County Code 151.11 Table IV (Ord. 2015-214), the certificate of occupancy costs $35. Re-inspections caused by code violations, uncorrected violations or lock-outs cost $35 for the first, $50 for the second and $65 for each one after that, and when a certificate is requested those fees must be paid before it is issued.

Sign Permit (Elkhart County Building Commissioner)

Under the Elkhart County Development Ordinance, section 158.11(O), no sign may be erected, constructed, altered, moved, extended or enlarged without the owner or operator first obtaining a Sign Permit; changing a sign face without increasing its area or height or changing its type needs none. The Zoning Administrator reviews the application and recommends, and the Building Commissioner approves, approves with conditions or denies it; the permit expires if work has not begun within 12 months. As set in Elkhart County Code 151.11 Table V (Ord. 2015-214), a stationary sign or billboard application includes a site plan, the sign's location, a footing or foundation plan and the sign specifications, and every viewable face counts toward the area. The fee runs from $40 for the first 100 square feet of a non-lighted sign to $80 above 501 square feet, and from $80 to $160 for a lighted or illuminated sign. A portable commercial sign needs zoning clearance and costs $40 for up to three weeks, and one without a permit or clearance, or kept beyond the time limit, carries a $100 civil penalty.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Elkhart County
Phone
Not verified — use the website

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Building (department page, incl. Electrical Contractor License Ordinance No. 03-119)Elkhart County Planning and Development · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
  2. Building Department Fee Schedule — Commissioner Ordinance No. 2015-214 (effective August 1, 2015)Elkhart County Planning and Development · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
  3. Elkhart County Building Code Ordinance 2013-330Elkhart County Planning and Development · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
  4. Elkhart County Code 151.06, Permits (Ord. 08-400; Ord. 2013-330)Elkhart County, Indiana (codified by American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
  5. Elkhart County Code 151.11, Fee Schedule (Ord. 2015-214, passed July 6, 2015)Elkhart County, Indiana (codified by American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
  6. Elkhart County Code 41.131, Data Management Fees (Ord. 03-238; Ord. 07-78)Elkhart County, Indiana (codified by American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
  7. Elkhart County Code chapter 113, Electrical Contractors (Ord. 03-119)Elkhart County, Indiana (codified by American Legal Publishing) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
  8. Elkhart County Development Ordinance (adopted April 22, 2024; effective June 1, 2024; amended May 18, 2026)Elkhart County Planning and Development · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15

Other offices serving Elkhart County

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