Vanderburgh County, Indiana

Towns in Vanderburgh County

• Darmstadt
• EvansvilleLocal guides: Pest Control
• Highland
• Melody Hill

Permits

Building department: Building Commission (serves the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County), 1 NW Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Civic Center Complex, Room 310, Evansville, IN 47708; (812) 436-7885

• One permit office for city and county. The Building Commission serves the residents of the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, so one office handles building permits for both the city and the county. Source
• When a permit is required. A building permit is required for work on existing structures including electrical, plumbing and HVAC work, and for removal of any part of an electrical, plumbing or HVAC system, and it must be obtained before work starts. Source
• Licensed contractors required. Evansville and Vanderburgh County ordinances require permits, inspections and licensed contractors for work done on buildings. Source
• Penalty for working without a permit. Under Evansville Municipal Code 15.05.430(B), if work requiring a permit is started before the permit is obtained, the permit fee is tripled. Source
• Water heater replacement permit fee. The posted fee schedule lists a residential water heater or fixture replacement plumbing permit at $25.00. Check the current fee with the Building Commission. Source
• HVAC permit fees. The posted fee schedule lists HVAC new unit heat at $1.50 per 10,000 BTU (residential line $30.00), a $30.00 minimum fee for any HVAC permit, and $25.00 for a residential same-type, same-size air conditioner replacement. Check current fees with the Building Commission. Source
• Homeowner exception. A homeowner (or immediate family) may get a permit without a license to work on their own current residence, or on a one- or two-family home they will live in for at least two years after the work. The owner must sign an affidavit saying who will do the work, and the inspector can require a licensed contractor if the work is not done properly. Source
• Contractor licensing requirements. Locally licensed contractors and tradesmen must pass a written exam and verification of experience and provide proof of insurance, bond and workers' compensation insurance. Source
• Plumber registration. Plumbers licensed under Indiana state law do not need a separate local plumbing license, but they must get a local certificate of registration by paying the fee. A Master Plumber must be registered to contract for water supply, fixture and drain piping work that requires a permit. Source
• HVAC and boiler license categories. Gravity or forced-air heating and air conditioning work falls under the local Master Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioner Installer license, while boilers and steam or hot-water heating systems fall under the Master Steam Fitter license. Source
• How to request a permit. Permits can be requested online (not all permit types are available online), by email to permit@evansville.in.gov, by phone at (812) 436-7879 or (812) 435-5788, or in person. No inspections can be scheduled until the permit is paid for and issued. Source
• Indiana statewide building codes. Building codes in Indiana are adopted at the state level and are the same across the state. As a general rule, local governments cannot adopt codes more restrictive than the state codes. Source
• Inspection requests. Contractors ready for an inspection can call (812) 436-7867 or email inspectionrequests@evansville.in.gov. Source
• Area Plan Commission covers Darmstadt. The Area Plan Commission is the land use planning agency for the City of Evansville, Vanderburgh County and the Town of Darmstadt. Its staff issue Improvement Location Permits for all new buildings, additions, homes, accessory structures, pools and business signs. Source

Rules change, so check with the department before work starts. A provider can usually tell you whether they pull the permit.

Utilities and rebates

• Water and sewer provider. Evansville Water and Sewer Utility draws water from the Ohio River and serves Vanderburgh County, plus parts of Gibson, Posey and Warrick counties through wholesale customers (Gibson Water, German Township Water District and the Town of Elberfeld). Source
• Gas and electric provider (CenterPoint Energy Indiana South). Southern Indiana Gas & Electric Company, doing business as CenterPoint Energy Indiana South, is the utility whose infrastructure case the IURC heard from the public in Evansville in September 2023. Source
• CenterPoint electric service area. CenterPoint Energy's Indiana electric utility, formerly Vectren, serves seven southwestern Indiana counties. Source
• CenterPoint Indiana South territory. CenterPoint Energy Indiana's March 2026 presentation to the IURC lists Indiana South as its natural gas and electric territory and compares Indiana South electric bills to Vanderburgh County median household income. Source
• Furnace rebates (2026). CenterPoint's 2026 residential rebates list $200 for a 96% AFUE natural gas furnace, $250 for a 97%+ AFUE furnace, and $50 for a furnace tune-up. Source
• Water heater rebates (2026). CenterPoint's 2026 residential rebates list $500 for a natural gas heat pump water heater, $200 for a natural gas tankless water heater, $100 for a natural gas water heater rated 0.67+ EF, and $500 for an electric heat pump water heater. Source
• Thermostat rebates (2026). CenterPoint's 2026 residential rebates list $30 for a smart thermostat on the Qualified Product List and $30 for a Wi-Fi thermostat, limited to two per account. New construction is not eligible for thermostat rebates. Source
• Rebate deadlines. Qualifying products must be installed before Dec. 31, 2026, and rebate applications must be sent within 60 days of installation through CenterPointEnergy.com/SmartSavings or by mail, email or fax. The program line is 866-240-8476. Source
• Rebate eligibility. CenterPoint rebates apply to homes in CenterPoint Energy's Indiana service territory. For natural gas rebates, a furnace or boiler must be the home's primary heat source, and dual-fuel systems are not eligible. Source
• Who owns the sewer lateral. Sanitary sewer backups can happen in the City's main lines or in private sewer service lines, which the property owner owns and maintains. EWSU's Sewer Department (812-421-2130) has emergency crews on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Source
• German Township Water District. German Township Water District served 850 customers in northwest Vanderburgh County (German Township) in 1976 and has since extended lines into eastern Posey County. All of its water is purchased from the City of Evansville under a 50-year contract. Source
• EWSU septic waste acceptance ending. 14 News reported in February 2026 that Evansville Water & Sewer Utility would stop accepting raw septic waste on July 1, 2026, leaving septic haulers looking for another disposal site; a proposed private septic receiving tank near Skylane Airport was denied rezoning by the Area Plan Commission. Source
• Solid waste: Household hazardous waste: Tox-Away Days. The Vanderburgh County Solid Waste District's free Tox-Away Days (spring and fall; 2026 dates March 28 and October 31, 8 am to noon, former Roberts Stadium parking lot) take household chemicals such as oil-based paint, motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze, pesticides, pool chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, propane tanks, and fire extinguishers from county households; appliances, electronics, and latex paint are not accepted. Source
• Solid waste: Electronics recycling days. The district runs free electronics recycling collections for Vanderburgh County households twice a year (2026: April 11 and November 14, 8 am to noon), taking computers, laptops, printers, monitors, TVs, DVD players, DVRs, digital cameras, and cell phones; copy machines and appliances, including microwaves, are not accepted. Source
• Solid waste: Evansville heavy trash (bulk item) pickup. City of Evansville trash customers can schedule a curbside heavy trash pickup as often as every two weeks (except during fall leaf collection, November to mid-December), one item per pickup or a pair such as a mattress and box spring; appliances are accepted, but a refrigerator or freezer must have its refrigerant removed and tagged by a certified professional, and tires, batteries, electronics, and hazardous materials are not taken. Source

Flooding

• Ohio River flood stage at Evansville. 42 ft Source
• Flood categories. NWS flood categories for the Ohio River at Evansville are 24 ft action stage, 42 ft minor flooding, 48 ft moderate flooding and 52 ft major flooding. Source
• Record crest (1937). The record crest for the Ohio River at Evansville is 53.75 ft on Jan. 31, 1937. Source
• April 2025 crest. The Ohio River at Evansville crested at 47.67 ft on April 12, 2025, one of the highest crests on the NWS historic list for this gauge. Source
• Flood impacts by stage. NWS impact statements say that at 40 ft, basements along the riverfront begin to fill and flooding begins along Pigeon Creek. At 26 ft, the levee authority closes the downtown flood gates. Source
• Evansville levee system. After the 1937 flood, a federally funded $55 million levee project was started in 1939. It includes 79,183 feet of earth levee, 8,175 feet of concrete wall, 20 pumping stations and 24 movable closures. Source
• Levee pumping begins at 26 ft. When the river reaches 26 ft, the Evansville-Vanderburgh Levee Authority District starts round-the-clock pumping of rain and storm water into the river. Source
• How often the river floods. Since 1940, the Ohio River at Evansville has been above flood stage (42 ft) 41 times. Source
• Floodplain permits. A Floodplain Development Permit is required before any development in a special flood hazard area. The Building Commission keeps floodplain maps and helps residents with floodplain locations and flood insurance questions. Source
• Combined sewer overflows. When Evansville's sewers get too full from heavy rain or snowmelt, untreated stormwater and wastewater overflow into the Ohio River and Pigeon Creek (combined sewer overflows), averaging 50 overflows a year. The 25-year Renew Evansville plan aims for no more than four a year. Source