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IndianaWhite County

Administrative overview · FIPS 18181

White 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

White County Building Inspector's Office / Area Plan Office

For a project in or near White 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

Building Inspector 574-583-4809; Area Plan Office 574-583-7355; Trent Whitaker 574-583-1644

Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.

Permit counter

White County Government Center, Second Floor, 110 North Main Street, Monticello, IN 47960

Operating hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., closed on holidays

Review expectation

N/A; submitted information is held for a maximum of 90 days and may need to be resubmitted if the application is not completed.

Compliance workbench

Choose the next project decision.

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 White County

Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?

White County Building Inspector's Office / Area Plan 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?

Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact Building Inspector 574-583-4809; Area Plan Office 574-583-7355; Trent Whitaker 574-583-1644.

How long might review take?

N/A; submitted information is held for a maximum of 90 days and may need to be resubmitted if the application is not completed.

How are inspections scheduled?

Use the county's online building-permit application and inspection-notification resources, or contact the Building Inspector at 574-583-4809. Applications generally require a completed form, property record card, scaled site plan, construction drawings, septic/health confirmation when applicable, and driveway approval.

Which codes and exemptions should I review?

White County Building and Planning requirements, White County Zoning Ordinance, floodplain rules, and applicable Indiana building, residential, fire, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, energy, and accessibility codes. The county publishes a Building Codes Enforced resource; a specific 2026 technical code edition was not identified. The county pages require permits and Improvement Location review for covered residential, commercial, structural, floodplain, and land-use work. A complete current minor/cosmetic exemption list was not exposed in the reviewed public material; confirm reroofing, siding, interior remodeling, fencing, and accessory-structure requirements with the Building Inspector.

Before contacting the permit counter

Have the project facts ready.

A productive call starts with a clear description of the property and proposed work. Keep the site address, parcel or assessor number, project valuation, existing occupancy, approximate square footage, structural scope, contractor information, and desired start date in front of you. Those facts help the Authority Having Jurisdiction route the question to building, planning, fire, environmental health, or another reviewing discipline.

Questions worth asking

  • • Is the parcel inside an incorporated city or county service area?
  • • Does this scope require building, trade, zoning, fire, or site permits?
  • • What plans and supporting documents make the submittal complete?
  • • How much lead time is needed for each inspection?