Indiana business license guide
Last checked: April 26, 2026
Indiana does not use one single statewide business license for every business. Instead, your steps usually depend on your business structure, what you sell, whether you have employees, your industry, and your city or county rules.
This guide explains the Indiana state layer first, then the county and city layer, so you can check the right office before you spend money on the wrong filing.
The short answer
Indiana does not have one all-purpose state business license. Most businesses start by checking whether they need to form or register an entity through INBiz, register tax accounts with the Indiana Department of Revenue, and then check local zoning, local permits, and industry rules.
If you sell taxable goods or tangible personal property in Indiana, the state says you need to register to collect Indiana sales tax and obtain a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate. If you operate under a name that is not your legal name, Indiana uses the term Assumed Business Name.
The hard part is usually local. Cities and counties may handle zoning, signage, local contractor rules, food permits, transient merchant rules, certificates of occupancy, building permits, and local activity-based licenses.
Quick start checklist for Indiana
- Write down your business details. Include your business activity, legal name, trade name, address or service area, whether you sell products, whether you have employees, and whether you are home-based, mobile, online, or in a storefront.
- Decide whether you need a state business entity filing. LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and similar formal entities file with the Indiana Secretary of State through INBiz. A sole proprietor using only the owner’s legal name may not need an entity filing.
- Check your business name. If you use a different public name, check whether you need an Indiana Assumed Business Name filing with the Secretary of State or with the county recorder.
- Check Indiana tax registration. Retail sellers, employers, lodging businesses, motor vehicle rental businesses, tire sellers, food and beverage businesses in certain areas, and other businesses may need Indiana Department of Revenue accounts.
- Check your industry. Food, alcohol, tobacco, cosmetology, real estate, plumbing, health occupations, pesticide work, child care, security, environmental activity, and some transportation activity may need a specific license or permit.
- Check the city and county before you open. Ask about zoning, home occupation rules, signage, building permits, fire review, health permits, local contractor rules, and any local business license for your activity.
Indiana facts box
| Question | Indiana answer | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Does Indiana have one general statewide business license? | No. Indiana’s Business Owner’s Guide says Indiana does not have one single, comprehensive business license. | IN.gov Business Owner’s Guide |
| What is the main state portal? | INBiz is Indiana’s one-stop portal for business filings, taxes, fees, and workforce management links. | INBiz |
| Who handles LLCs and corporations? | The Indiana Secretary of State Business Services Division handles formal business entity filings through INBiz. | Indiana Secretary of State Business Services |
| What does Indiana call a DBA? | Indiana commonly uses the term Assumed Business Name. | IN.gov Assumed Business Name FAQ |
| What is Indiana’s sales tax permit called? | For retail sales, Indiana issues a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate, often shortened to RRMC. | Indiana DOR sales tax |
| Do local rules still matter? | Yes. Indiana cities and counties may control zoning, signage, local contractor licensing, transient merchant rules, and other local approvals. | IN.gov local regulation section |
Federal, state, county, and city layers are different
Do not treat every filing as a “business license.” In Indiana, the thing you need may be a tax account, an entity filing, an assumed name, a professional license, a health permit, a zoning approval, or a local activity permit.
| Layer | What it may cover | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | Federal tax ID numbers and federally regulated industries | IRS EIN, alcohol manufacturing, firearms, aviation, commercial fisheries, interstate transport |
| Indiana state | Entity filings, state tax accounts, state professional licenses, state-regulated industries | INBiz, Secretary of State, Department of Revenue, Professional Licensing Agency, Alcohol and Tobacco Commission |
| County | County recorder filings, local health permits, local building or zoning offices in some areas | Assumed name filing for some sole proprietors and general partnerships, county health department food permits |
| City or town | Zoning, signage, local business licenses, local contractor licensing, local vending or peddler permits | Home occupation approval, certificate of occupancy, mobile vendor permit, transient merchant permit |
| Private platform | Rules from a marketplace, payment processor, landlord, insurer, or event organizer | Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, farmers market rules, commercial lease rules, festival vendor rules |
Important: Forming an LLC is not the same as getting all licenses and permits. An LLC creates or registers a legal entity. It does not replace Indiana tax registration, local zoning approval, health permits, professional licenses, or city permits.
Indiana state registrations to check first
1. Business entity filing through INBiz
If you want to form an Indiana LLC, corporation, nonprofit corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or similar formal entity, start with the Indiana Secretary of State Business Services Division. The state points business owners to INBiz for online business filings.
The Secretary of State’s business forms page lists common filings such as Articles of Organization for domestic LLCs, Articles of Incorporation for corporations, foreign registration statements, entity reports, registered agent changes, and assumed business name filings.
2. Foreign businesses doing business in Indiana
If your business was formed in another state and is doing business in Indiana, you may need to register as a foreign entity with the Indiana Secretary of State. Do not assume that an out-of-state LLC or corporation can operate in Indiana without checking the foreign registration rules.
3. Indiana tax accounts
Many Indiana businesses need to register with the Indiana Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue says the online Business Tax Application, also called BT-1, is used to set up appropriate tax accounts. The department also says registration must be completed for each location unless a business qualifies and chooses consolidated sales tax filing.
The DOR BT-1 checklist asks for details such as email address, EIN or federal ID number when needed, legal name, business contact information, organization type, Indiana Secretary of State control number for many entities, mailing address, NAICS code, responsible officer information, DBA or trade name, business location address, and the tax types being registered.
4. Ongoing state filings
Formal entities should also check ongoing Indiana Secretary of State filing requirements, such as entity reports, changes to registered agent information, address changes, and name changes. These are not usually “licenses,” but missing them can still cause business problems.
Tip: Keep your INBiz login, Secretary of State control number, EIN confirmation, DOR account details, and local permit records in one folder. Many later applications ask for the same information.
Assumed Business Name, DBA, and trade name rules in Indiana
Indiana commonly uses the term Assumed Business Name for what many people call a DBA or “doing business as” name.
The filing office depends on your business structure:
- Corporations, LLCs, nonprofit corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and similar entities: If the business was filed with the Indiana Secretary of State and uses a name different from the name on record, the state FAQ says the assumed name filing is made with the Secretary of State through INBiz.
- Sole proprietors and general partnerships: If an individual or general partnership is doing business under a name other than the real name of the owner or partnership, the state FAQ says the assumed name is filed with the County Recorder in each county where the business is situated.
Do not file in the wrong place. An LLC that files with the Secretary of State generally does not file its assumed name at the county. A sole proprietor or general partnership may need the county recorder instead.
Sales tax and the Indiana Registered Retail Merchant Certificate
If your business sells goods or tangible personal property in Indiana, the Indiana Department of Revenue says you need to register to collect Indiana sales tax. Once registration is completed and processed, the state issues a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate, often called an RRMC.
The Department of Revenue says you need one certificate on display for each business location if you have more than one retail address. The state also says RRMCs are updated automatically if the business has no outstanding liabilities or missing returns.
Remote sellers and online sellers
Online-only does not always mean tax-free or license-free. Indiana’s remote seller page says sellers must get a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate and collect and remit applicable sales tax if gross revenue from sales into Indiana exceeds $100,000 in the previous or current calendar year. Indiana also says that, effective January 1, 2024, Indiana only has the $100,000 threshold for remote sellers.
Marketplace sellers
If you sell through a marketplace, check both Indiana DOR rules and the marketplace’s own tax collection rules. A marketplace may collect some sales tax for you, but that does not automatically answer every Indiana tax, local license, income tax, or permit question.
If you hire employees in Indiana
If you hire employees, check federal, Indiana tax, and Indiana workforce requirements before payroll starts.
- IRS EIN: The IRS says you can apply for an EIN directly from the IRS for free. The IRS also warns that you never have to pay a fee for an EIN.
- Indiana withholding: Employers may need Indiana Department of Revenue withholding tax registration.
- Unemployment insurance: Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development handles unemployment insurance. Employers use the Uplink Employer Self Service system to register as a new employer, maintain unemployment insurance account information, submit quarterly reports, and make payments.
- New hire reporting: Indiana employers should also check new hire reporting requirements.
- Workers’ compensation: Check Indiana workers’ compensation rules before hiring. Coverage questions can depend on your worker type and business situation.
Industry licenses and permits to check in Indiana
Some Indiana businesses need a state or local license because of what they do. This is separate from forming an LLC or registering for sales tax.
| Business activity | Possible Indiana agency or office | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Retail sales of goods or tangible personal property | Indiana Department of Revenue | Registered Retail Merchant Certificate, sales tax filing, location-specific registration |
| Restaurants, catering, grocery, food trucks, mobile food, temporary food events | Local or county health department, or Indiana Department of Health depending on the situation | Retail food establishment rules, plan review, registration, inspections, mobile or temporary food permits |
| Home-prepared cottage food-style products | Indiana Department of Health and local health department | Indiana Home-Based Vendor rules, allowed foods, labeling, where sales are allowed, local questions |
| Alcohol or tobacco | Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission | Business permits, employee permits, alcohol permits, tobacco certificates, county or local board steps when applicable |
| Cosmetology, barbering, real estate, massage therapy, health professions, plumbing, security, and many other professions | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency | Professional license, business license, facility license, renewal, verification, discipline history |
| Pesticide application, pesticide distribution, fertilizer, animal feed, seed | Office of Indiana State Chemist | Pesticide business license, applicator credentials, fertilizer or product rules |
| Building, remodeling, certain Class 1 structures, fire and building safety matters | Indiana Department of Homeland Security and local building department | Building plan review, construction design release, local permits, fire review, certificate of occupancy |
| General contracting, HVAC, electrical, roofing, or similar trades | Often city or county, with state rules for some trades such as plumbing | Local contractor license, registration, bond, insurance, permit-pulling rules, inspections |
Tip: Indiana’s Business Owner’s Guide says some service businesses do not need a state occupational license, but it also warns that omission from a list does not mean no license is required. Always check your exact activity.
Home-based and online businesses in Indiana
Home-based businesses
A home business may still need city or county zoning approval. Local governments may restrict customer visits, employees, signs, parking, outdoor storage, noise, deliveries, commercial vehicles, or certain equipment. Ask your city or county planning office about home occupation rules before you start.
Home-based food businesses
Indiana has a Home-Based Vendor law for certain food products made in a home kitchen. The Indiana Department of Health FAQ says Indiana’s law defines requirements for home-based vendors and tells readers to contact the local health department with questions. The FAQ lists examples of products that may be sold by a home-based vendor, including certain baked items, candy and confections, whole and uncut produce, tree nuts and legumes, honey, molasses, sorghum, maple syrup, and traditional high-acid full-sugar jams, jellies, and preserves.
Food rules can change and can depend on the exact product, labeling, sales channel, event, and county. Do not assume that all homemade food can be sold from home.
Online businesses
An online business may still need Indiana tax registration, an assumed name filing, an entity filing, a home occupation approval, a local permit, or an industry license. For example, an online seller with taxable Indiana sales may need an RRMC. A remote seller outside Indiana may also have Indiana sales tax duties if it crosses Indiana’s remote seller threshold.
City and county checks in Indiana
Indiana’s state guide says cities and counties have jurisdiction over many areas that affect small business. It specifically points to zoning, signage, local contractor licensing for contractors other than plumbers, transient merchant licenses, and other rules for people doing business without an established business location.
Before signing a lease, opening a storefront, running a business from home, parking a food truck, selling door-to-door, putting up a sign, or doing paid work at customer locations, check the local rules where the work is done.
Ask local offices about these items
- Zoning approval for your address or service area
- Home occupation rules if you work from home
- Certificate of occupancy or change-of-use approval for a storefront, office, warehouse, salon, restaurant, or studio
- Building permits, fire inspection, or plan review
- Sign permits
- Local contractor licensing or registration
- Food establishment permits through the county health department
- Mobile vendor, peddler, transient merchant, street vendor, or special event permits
- Short-term rental or lodging rules if you rent rooms or property
Indiana city links
Use city pages for local rules. State filings do not replace city or county zoning, food, building, or activity permits.
BusinessLicenseGuide city pages currently available
Official local starting points for larger Indiana cities
| City | Official starting point | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis / Marion County | indy.gov business licenses | Indianapolis lists local business license application instructions and licenses by type. |
| Fort Wayne | City of Fort Wayne how to start a business | Fort Wayne points new businesses to local steps, permits, licenses, taxes, plans, and zoning resources. |
| Evansville | Evansville city license and permit applications | Evansville lists activity-specific local permits such as street vendor, e-scooter, carriage, lodging, pawnbroker, and peddler permits. |
| South Bend | Doing business in South Bend | South Bend provides business license links and lists local license types, fees, and expiration dates for many specific activities. |
Common mistakes to avoid in Indiana
- Calling everything a business license. In Indiana, the actual requirement may be an RRMC, assumed name filing, tax account, zoning approval, professional license, health permit, or local permit.
- Forming an LLC and stopping there. An LLC filing does not replace Indiana tax registration, local zoning, industry licensing, or county health permits.
- Filing an assumed name with the wrong office. Secretary of State entities and sole proprietors/general partnerships follow different assumed name filing paths.
- Skipping the city or county. Indiana’s local layer is important. Zoning, signage, local contractor rules, food permits, and mobile vendor permits may be local.
- Assuming online sales do not count. Online sellers may still need Indiana sales tax registration, especially if they sell taxable goods or cross the remote seller threshold.
- Starting a food business before health review. Restaurants, food trucks, caterers, groceries, mobile food, and many temporary food vendors should contact the local health department early.
- Using a paid EIN site by mistake. The IRS says EIN applications are free when you apply directly through the IRS.
- Not saving proof. Keep copies of state filings, RRMC, tax registration confirmations, local permits, inspection approvals, and email responses from agencies.
What to ask when you contact the agency
Before you call or email, have your business details ready. Include your business type, address or service area, city, county, legal name, public business name, ownership type, products or services, whether you sell taxable goods, whether you have employees, and whether you are home-based, mobile, online, or in a storefront.
Phone or email script
Hello. I am starting or operating a [business type] in [city], [county], Indiana. The business will be [home-based / mobile / storefront / online] and will sell or provide [products or services]. I am trying to confirm which registrations, licenses, permits, zoning approvals, tax accounts, or inspections apply before I begin. Can you tell me which office handles this, the exact name of the license or permit if one is required, where to apply, whether there is a fee page, and whether I should also contact another state, county, city, health, zoning, building, or professional licensing office?
If you are not sure who to call first, start with the city or county office that handles planning, zoning, or business licensing for your location. For state tax questions, start with the Indiana Department of Revenue. For entity and assumed name filings, start with INBiz or the Indiana Secretary of State. For food, start with your local health department. For licensed professions, start with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency or the board that covers your occupation.
- Write down the agency name and office name.
- Write down the name of the license, permit, registration, tax account, or zoning approval.
- Ask whether the rule is state, county, city, or federal.
- Ask whether the answer changes for home-based, online, mobile, event-based, or storefront operations.
- Ask for the official application link and fee page.
- Ask whether inspections, plan review, certificate of occupancy, or fire review are needed.
- Ask whether another office must approve your business before you apply.
- Save the date, the person or office you spoke with, and the answer you received.
Official sources used and where to verify
- IN.gov Business Owner’s Guide
- INBiz
- Indiana Secretary of State Business Services Division
- Indiana Secretary of State business forms
- IN.gov Assumed Business Name FAQ
- Indiana Department of Revenue: Register a Business
- Indiana Department of Revenue: BT-1 checklist
- Indiana Department of Revenue: Sales Tax
- Indiana Department of Revenue: Remote Sellers
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development: Employers
- Indiana DWD Uplink Employer Self Service
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
- Indiana PLA professions list
- Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission
- Indiana Department of Health: How to Start a Retail Food Business
- Indiana Home-Based Vendors FAQ
- Office of Indiana State Chemist: Pesticide Section
- Indiana Department of Homeland Security: Building Plan Review
- IRS: Get an EIN
- U.S. Small Business Administration: Apply for licenses and permits
Review note
This page was last checked against official Indiana, federal, and local sources on April 26, 2026. Business license, tax, zoning, fee, permit, and renewal rules can change. Always verify important details with the official agency before filing, paying, signing a lease, or opening.
FAQ
Does Indiana have a statewide general business license?
No. Indiana does not have one single, comprehensive statewide business license. Many businesses still need state tax registration, an entity filing, an assumed business name filing, an industry license, or local city or county approval.
What is INBiz?
INBiz is Indiana’s main online business portal. It connects business owners to Secretary of State filings, tax registration, fees, business search tools, and workforce-related links.
What is an Indiana Registered Retail Merchant Certificate?
An Indiana Registered Retail Merchant Certificate, often called an RRMC, is the certificate issued after a business registers to collect Indiana sales tax. Businesses that sell goods or tangible personal property in Indiana should check this requirement with the Indiana Department of Revenue.
Where do I file a DBA in Indiana?
Indiana usually calls a DBA an Assumed Business Name. Secretary of State entities such as LLCs and corporations generally file assumed names with the Secretary of State through INBiz. Sole proprietors and general partnerships generally file with the County Recorder in each county where they are situated.
Can I run a business from home in Indiana?
Maybe. Indiana does not give one statewide answer for every home business. You should check city or county zoning, home occupation rules, signage, parking, customer visits, employees, deliveries, and any industry permit that applies to your work.
Do online sellers need an Indiana business license?
Online sellers may need Indiana tax registration, an assumed business name filing, an entity filing, a home occupation approval, or an industry permit depending on what they sell and where they operate. Remote sellers should also check Indiana’s sales tax threshold rules.
Do Indiana cities and counties have their own business rules?
Yes. Indiana cities and counties may handle zoning, signage, local contractor rules, transient merchant rules, health permits, building permits, certificates of occupancy, and activity-specific local licenses.
Plain-English disclaimer
This guide is for general information only. It is not legal, tax, financial, insurance, employment, safety, zoning, or professional advice. Rules, fees, forms, portals, deadlines, and agency procedures can change. Confirm important details with the official agency or a qualified professional before you act.