Indiana — Code Adoption Summary
Adoption model: Statewide-mandatory via the Fire Prevention & Building Safety Commission. Electrical is mid-transition: commercial/general moving to NEC 2023, but 1-2 family dwellings still lag on NEC 2017. Last verified: 2026-07-03 Confidence: verified Primary sources: IN Dept. of Homeland Security, Codes & Standards — https://www.in.gov/dhs · ICC IN
Statewide adopted codes — current (2026)
| Code family | Adopted edition | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building | Indiana Building Code (confirm current IBC base cycle) | Commission-adopted | in.gov/dhs |
| Residential | 2012 IRC (statewide minimum) | locals may adopt newer | in.gov/dhs |
| Electrical (NEC) | "Indiana Electrical Code, 2026 Edition" = NEC 2023 (general/commercial) | 1–2 family dwellings: NEC 2017 + state amendments (transition to 2023 in progress via sub-committee) | in.gov/dhs Electrical-Code-Table.pdf |
| Plumbing | IPC-based (confirm current edition with Commission) | in.gov/dhs | |
| Energy | Indiana Energy Code (ASHRAE 90.1-based for commercial) | confirm residential IECC edition | in.gov/dhs |
Key trap: Indiana runs two different NEC tracks simultaneously — general/commercial has moved to NEC 2023, while one- and two-family dwellings remain on NEC 2017 + amendments until the Commission finishes updating that track. Always ask "dwelling or commercial?" before citing an edition.
Adoption model & precedence
- Codes are adopted statewide by the Fire Prevention & Building Safety Commission; local jurisdictions may adopt more recent editions than the state minimum (e.g., IRC).
- AHJ = local building department, applying state code or its own newer adoption.
Major cities / counties
| Jurisdiction | County | Notes | Building dept. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | Marion | state code + local admin | indy.gov |
| Fort Wayne | Allen | state code + local admin | fortwayne.in.gov |
| Evansville | Vanderburgh | state code + local admin | evansvillegov.org |
AHJ fallback (when local adoption is unverified)
- State baseline: commercial/general NEC 2023; 1–2 family dwellings NEC 2017; 2012 IRC minimum (locals often exceed).
- Action: confirm which NEC track applies (dwelling vs. commercial) and whether the local jurisdiction has adopted a newer IRC/IBC than the state minimum.
Change log
- 2026-07-03 — created; verified split NEC tracks (2023 general vs. 2017 dwellings), 2012 IRC state minimum.