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Indiana Opening Checklist (Printable)

Print-friendly checklist with statewide baseline and municipality-specific notes.

State section — Indiana

Municipality section — Indiana practical runbooks

MunicipalityLocal authorityFiling method, forms, inspections, maps, and variation notes
Indianapolis / Marion CountyBNS + MCPHD + Indianapolis FireFile city zoning/building intake and county health plan review in parallel; include building application, food establishment plan review, menu/process, equipment cuts, and suppression plans; inspections typically run trade rough/finals → suppression acceptance → health pre-op; verify jurisdiction with city GIS/property map; downtown sites often get tighter life-safety and utility review.
Fort Wayne / Allen CountyFort Wayne Building + Allen County Health + FireStart with city pre-application then county health filing; submit zoning/use forms, building permit set, fixture/finish schedule, and food permit packet; inspections generally city building + fire final then county health pre-opening; confirm city-vs-county address using Allen County parcel/GIS map; mailing-address mismatches are a common delay source.
Evansville / Vanderburgh CountyBuilding Commission + County Health + Fire + Sewer utilitySubmit construction and health packets early with grease details; required forms usually include commercial permit forms, food establishment application, cut sheets, plumbing/isometric, and interceptor sizing docs; expect MEP/plumbing, fire/suppression, then health pre-op inspections; verify district boundaries with Evansville/Vanderburgh map layers; grease/wastewater approvals frequently control schedule.
South Bend / St. Joseph CountySouth Bend Building + St. Joseph County Health + FireConfirm use path with city first, then county health plan review using identical drawing sets; include building forms, menu/process narrative, sanitation finishes, and fire permit documents where hooded cooking exists; inspection flow usually trade/final inspections → fire clearance → health pre-op; use county GIS and city maps to confirm jurisdiction; mixed city/county handoffs can add a review cycle.
Carmel / Hamilton CountyCarmel Community Services + Hamilton County Health + Carmel FireRun tenant-fit/change-of-use intake with Carmel while filing county food permit review; submit city permit set, architectural/MEP plans, food application, equipment specs, and grease forms if triggered; inspections typically city trade/final + fire, then county health pre-op; confirm boundaries via Carmel/Hamilton parcel and zoning maps; high-design corridor projects often face longer multi-department comments.

Opening task checklist

DoneTaskOwnerDate
Zoning/use verification complete____________________________
Plan review package submitted____________________________
Health/building/fire permits issued____________________________
Final inspections passed____________________________

Notes

Signature: ________________________

Date: ________________________