Event Planning Permit Requirements in Indianapolis, IN

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if operating as a business entity (LLC or corporation) or if you have employees. Free from the IRS. You will need an EIN to open a business bank account and sign vendor contracts professionally.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Indiana Business Registration

   Event planning businesses operating in Indiana register with the Indiana Secretary of State (through INBiz) if they are an LLC, corporation or limited partnership. Sole proprietors and general partnerships trading under a name other than the owner's must instead record a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the COUNTY RECORDER for the county where the business is located — not a county clerk and not the state. An LLC provides personal liability protection, which matters when coordinating large events.

   Official government source

   Secretary of State entity filing fees vary by entity type. County Recorder assumed-name recording fees are set locally under IC 36-2-7-10: $25 in Allen County and Vanderburgh County, $35 in Marion County·INBiz entity filings are processed online; a DBA is recorded on submission in person at the Recorder's office

   Secretary of State entity filing fees vary by entity type. County Recorder assumed-name recording fees are set locally under IC 36-2-7-10: $25 in Allen County and Vanderburgh County, $35 in Marion County

   INBiz entity filings are processed online; a DBA is recorded on submission in person at the Recorder's office

2. Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (Sales Tax)

   Indiana taxes tangible personal property, not services, so event-planning and coordination fees are not subject to sales tax. If you sell or resell tangible goods — decorations, florals, favors, rented tangible items — you must hold a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (RRMC) and collect Indiana's flat 7% state sales tax (no local sales tax exists). Register through INBiz using the BT-1 business tax application.

   Official government source

   $25 registration fee per business location; renews automatically every two years at no charge·Immediate (online via INBiz)

   $25 registration fee per business location; renews automatically every two years at no charge

   Immediate (online via INBiz)

1. Indianapolis General Business License

   Indianapolis (Marion County) does not require a general business license. DBNS licenses only specific business types by ordinance; event planning is not among them. (A separate Special Event Permit may be required for specific events — see the Special Event Permit entry.)

   Official government source

   N/A — no license required for the planning business itself·N/A

   N/A — no license required for the planning business itself

   N/A

2. Indianapolis Special Event Permit (for events in public spaces)

   A Special Event Permit is required only when an Indianapolis event (public or private property) draws over 250 participants/spectators AND involves street closure, blocking public ways, temporary structures (tents/stages), or temporary signage. Applications and fees must be submitted at least 30 days before any qualifying event. Required materials include a site plan and a certificate of insurance.

   Official government source

   $75 (250–2,500 attendees, or $175 if fire dept. services needed); $268 (over 2,500 attendees, or $368 with fire dept. services)·Apply at least 30 days before the event (all sizes)

   $75 (250–2,500 attendees, or $175 if fire dept. services needed); $268 (over 2,500 attendees, or $368 with fire dept. services)

   Apply at least 30 days before the event (all sizes)

3. Indianapolis Special Event Permit (no separate Marion County permit)

   Indianapolis and Marion County operate under a consolidated city-county government, so there is no separate "Marion County Temporary Use Permit." Large outdoor events fall under the city's Special Event Permit, required for events on public or private property drawing more than 250 participants or spectators that also involve closing or restricting a street, sidewalk, or alley, setting up tents, stages, bleachers, or other temporary structures, or putting up temporary signs or banners. Events under 250 people that need a road closure apply for a right-of-way permit instead, and block parties requesting a road closure always need a special event permit. The excluded cities of Lawrence, Beech Grove, Speedway, and Southport permit separately.

   Official government source

   $40 application fee plus $75 for 250–2,500 anticipated participants or $268 for over 2,500. Add $100 if the event requires a fire inspection or fire services. Limited duration licenses are $75 each. No fee for a block party. Blocked parking meters cost $27–$32 per meter per day depending on zone.·Applications and fees must be submitted at least 30 days before the event starts, and residents and businesses in and around the event zone must be notified two weeks in advance. You may be asked to present at the Events Advisory Board, which meets the first Thursday of each month.

   $40 application fee plus $75 for 250–2,500 anticipated participants or $268 for over 2,500. Add $100 if the event requires a fire inspection or fire services. Limited duration licenses are $75 each. No fee for a block party. Blocked parking meters cost $27–$32 per meter per day depending on zone.

   Applications and fees must be submitted at least 30 days before the event starts, and residents and businesses in and around the event zone must be notified two weeks in advance. You may be asked to present at the Events Advisory Board, which meets the first Thursday of each month.

Official Sources

• Indianapolis Business Licensing
• Indiana Secretary of State — Business Registration
• IRS EIN Application

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