Administrative overview · FIPS 18005
Bartholomew County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Columbus/Bartholomew County Department of Technical Code Enforcement
For a project in or near Bartholomew County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
812-379-1535
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
440 Third Street, Room 302, Columbus, IN 47201
Operating hours
Operating hours not verified
Review expectation
Residential guidance asks applicants to allow 3-5 days for permit review.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Bartholomew County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Columbus/Bartholomew County Department of Technical Code Enforcement is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact 812-379-1535 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
Residential guidance asks applicants to allow 3-5 days for permit review.
How are inspections scheduled?
All inspections require 24-hour advance scheduling by calling 812-379-1535, generally by 4:30 p.m. the day before. Footing inspection is scheduled the prior day and confirmed by phone between 8:00-9:00 a.m. on inspection day; inspectors work between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Final inspection requires all fees and fines paid, and occupancy is prohibited before final approval.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Current Indiana codes listed by the department: 2014 Indiana Building Code (2012 IBC with Indiana amendments); 2020 Indiana Residential Code (2018 IRC with amendments); 2012 Indiana Plumbing Code (2006 IPC with amendments); 2009 Indiana Electrical Code (2008 NEC with amendments); 2014 Indiana Mechanical Code (2012 IMC with amendments); 2010 Indiana Energy Conservation Code; Indiana Swimming Pool Code; 2014 Indiana Fire Code (2012 IFC with amendments); and 2014 Indiana Fuel Gas Code (2012 IFGC with amendments). A permit is required before construction, alteration, or repair costing more than $300. Most improvements require permits, including buildings, sheds, garages, pools, decks, porches, remodeling, roofing, siding, windows, tanks, demolition, house moving, and signs. The department does not publish a broader cosmetic-work exemption list.