Administrative overview · FIPS 18013
Brown 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
Brown County Building Department / Planning & Zoning Office
For a project in or near Brown 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
812-988-5490
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
201 Locust Lane, 2nd Floor, Nashville, IN 47448
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Review expectation
Ask the agency for its current review estimate
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 Brown County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Brown County Building Department / Planning & Zoning Office 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 812-988-5490 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
A typical review timeline was not verified. Ask the agency for its current completeness and review estimate.
How are inspections scheduled?
Brown County uses a one-permit system for incorporated-area construction. Required inspections include footings before concrete, foundations before backfill, rough-in before drywall/insulation, and final inspection before occupancy; request inspections with at least 48 hours' notice. Same-day requests are discretionary. A Certificate of Occupancy is issued after final inspection.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Indiana Building Code and Indiana Residential Codes, with county minimum building standards; the county's July 2026 notice requires licensed Indiana engineer/architect structural stamps for pole-structure residences, barndominiums, additions, and barn conversions used for habitation, designed for applicable wind, snow, live, and dead loads. The county's building-permit information lists limited exempt work, including certain one-story detached accessory buildings used for lawn and garden tools, playhouses, and shelters; separate plumbing, electrical, or mechanical permits may still be required. Agricultural accessory pole structures used as barns, storage barns, garages, or workshops are excluded from the July 2026 residential-engineering-stamp requirement.