Johnson, Hendricks, Boone, Hancock and Bartholomew County Business Licenses: Central Indiana Suburbs
Johnson, Hendricks, Boone, Hancock and Bartholomew County Business Licenses: Central Indiana Suburbs
Most new owners in Greenwood, Columbus, or the growing suburbs around Indianapolis expect to apply for one business license and be done. Indiana does not work that way. The state has no single comprehensive business license, so what you need depends on your trade, what you sell, and which city or county you operate in. This guide covers the state filings that apply everywhere, the county and city tax rows that matter in Johnson, Hendricks, Boone, Hancock and Bartholomew counties, and the local licensing questions we could not settle.
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only. It is not legal or tax advice. Entity choice, tax treatment and licensing for your specific business should be reviewed with a qualified attorney or CPA, especially if you have multiple owners, employees, or a business that sells regulated services.
Indiana has no single business license
The state's Business Owner's Guide states that Indiana does not have one comprehensive business license. Depending on your business, you may still need three kinds of approval:
- A profession-specific license from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency if your work is regulated.
- A Registered Retail Merchant Certificate from the Indiana Department of Revenue, $25, if you sell taxable goods.
- Local permits or zoning approval from your city or county. This is where the differences between the five counties show up.
The first step for almost every business is the state entity filing with the Indiana Secretary of State's Business Services Division. The filing is completed and paid for in one online session through INBiz.
County comparison: income tax and food and beverage tax
The table uses the county income tax rates effective January 1, 2026 (Department of Revenue Departmental Notice #1) and the county and city food and beverage tax rows on the DOR table. Read the income tax column carefully. The county income tax follows the owner's county of residence, not the business address. An owner who lives in one county and runs a business in another pays the rate of the county where they live.
| County | County income tax rate (2026) | County food and beverage tax | City rows on DOR table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson | 1.40% | 1% (since August 1, 2005) | Greenwood: 1% (since March 1, 2020) |
| Hendricks | 1.70% | 1% (since August 1, 2005) | Avon (since July 1, 2005); Brownsburg (since August 1, 1995); Danville (since September 1, 2019); Plainfield (since August 1, 1995) |
| Boone | 1.70% | 1% (since August 1, 2005) | Lebanon (since November 1, 2005); Zionsville (since November 1, 2005); Whitestown (since June 1, 2021) |
| Hancock | 1.94% | 1% (since August 1, 2005) | None listed |
| Bartholomew | 1.75% | No county row found on the DOR table | No Columbus row found on the DOR table |
Two notes on the food and beverage tax. First, it applies to food and beverages sold for consumption, so it matters most to restaurants, caterers and bars. Second, the DOR footnote for Johnson County says that before July 1, 2026, the tax was collected at the county level except for marketplace facilitators. The footnote does not describe what applies after that date. Ask DOR how collection works now before you price a menu or open a location.
Johnson County and Greenwood
Johnson County carries a 1.40% county income tax and a 1% food and beverage tax. Greenwood has its own 1% food and beverage row, effective March 1, 2020.
If you are searching for a Greenwood, Indiana business license, the state filing described above applies in Greenwood too, but the local question is separate. A general Greenwood business license was not found in our research. That is not the same as confirming that none exists. Before you sign a lease or order signs, call the City of Greenwood planning or permits office and ask whether any local registration, zoning approval or sign permit applies to your business. The Johnson County business license status was also not confirmed here, so ask the county the same question.
Hendricks County: Avon, Brownsburg, Danville and Plainfield
Hendricks County has a 1.70% county income tax rate and a 1% county food and beverage tax, effective August 1, 2005. Four cities in the county have their own rows on the DOR table, each with a different effective date:
- Avon: effective July 1, 2005
- Brownsburg: effective August 1, 1995
- Danville: effective September 1, 2019
- Plainfield: effective August 1, 1995
Because the city rows sit alongside the county row, confirm with DOR which rule applies to your location, especially if you are near a city boundary. Your city planning or zoning office is the place to start for local permits.
Boone County: Lebanon, Zionsville and Whitestown
Boone County has a 1.70% county income tax rate and a 1% county food and beverage tax, effective August 1, 2005. The DOR table lists three city rows: Lebanon and Zionsville, both effective November 1, 2005, and Whitestown, effective June 1, 2021. Food and beverage sellers in those cities should confirm the rule for their location with DOR and check local zoning with the city.
Hancock County
Hancock County has the highest county income tax rate of the five counties in this guide, at 1.94%. Its county food and beverage tax is 1%, effective August 1, 2005. No city rows appear for Hancock County in this comparison. Check with the city or town where your business will operate, and with the county, for zoning and permit requirements before you open.
Bartholomew County and Columbus
Columbus is in Bartholomew County, which has a 1.75% county income tax rate. The DOR table had no county or Columbus food and beverage row when we read it. Confirm with DOR whether a food and beverage tax applies to a Columbus restaurant or caterer rather than assuming it does not.
For a Columbus, Indiana business license question, the local answer depends on your trade. The Bartholomew County Code Enforcement page indicates a county-level master electrician license and joint code enforcement for Columbus and Bartholomew County. We did not confirm the license details or fees. Not confirmed. Contact the Bartholomew County building or code enforcement office before you bid work.
Contractor licensing: what we could and could not confirm
Not confirmed. None of the items below were confirmed in our research, and no fee is stated for any of them.
- Bartholomew County and Columbus: The Bartholomew County Code Enforcement page indicates a county-level master electrician license and joint code enforcement for Columbus and Bartholomew County. Confirm the license scope, fees and application steps with the county.
- Greenwood and the other Johnson, Hendricks, Boone and Hancock jurisdictions: Contractor licensing was not found in our research. Ask each county building or code enforcement office, and the relevant city office, whether a contractor license or registration is required for your trade.
Some trades also need a license from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. That state license does not replace a local requirement, so confirm both.
How to start a business in Columbus, Indiana
The state steps are the same in Columbus as anywhere else in Indiana. This is the order that works for most owners.
- Choose your structure and file with the Secretary of State. A domestic LLC files Articles of Organization (State Form 49459) for $95. A corporation files Articles of Incorporation (State Form 4159) for $95. Both are filed through INBiz at https://inbiz.in.gov/. The Secretary of State does not offer an expedited option for LLC formation and does not publish a processing time.
- Reserve a name if you need time. A name reservation costs $10 and holds the name for 120 days, at https://inbiz.in.gov/start-business/step-one. An LLC name must include Limited Liability Company or an abbreviation, and it must be distinguishable on Secretary of State records. Inc., LLC and punctuation do not make a name distinguishable.
- Appoint a registered agent in Indiana. The agent must have an Indiana street address. A P.O. Box is not sufficient unless it is accompanied by a rural route reference. A business cannot serve as its own registered agent.
- Register for taxes. If you sell taxable goods, register for a sales tax permit with the Department of Revenue. The state sales tax rate is 7%, and a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate costs $25. Indiana has no franchise tax. An LLC's income passes through to its owners, who pay the 2.95% individual adjusted gross income tax for 2026 plus county local income tax based on their residence. An LLC that elects corporate treatment pays the 4.9% corporate adjusted gross income tax.
- File a DBA only if you need a different name. An assumed business name costs $20 per name online through INBiz. Sole proprietors and general partnerships record it with the county recorder instead, and those county fees are set by each county.
- Confirm local permits before you open. Contact the City of Columbus and Bartholomew County about zoning approval, sign rules and any permit tied to your trade.
State fees at a glance
| Item | Cost | Where to file or pay |
|---|---|---|
| LLC Articles of Organization (State Form 49459) | $95 | Secretary of State, through INBiz |
| Corporation Articles of Incorporation (State Form 4159) | $95 | Secretary of State, through INBiz |
| Name reservation (120 days) | $10 | INBiz |
| Assumed business name (DBA), online | $20 per name | INBiz |
| Business Entity Report (every other year) | $32 | Secretary of State, through INBiz |
| Business Entity Report by paper | $50 | Secretary of State |
| Registered Retail Merchant Certificate | $25 | Department of Revenue |
The Business Entity Report is due every other year, by the end of the month in which the business was formed or registered. The first report is due two years after formation. County and city permit fees are not in this table because we did not confirm them for these jurisdictions, so confirm them with each office.
Where to confirm each number
- Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division: https://www.in.gov/sos/business/
- INBiz filing portal: https://inbiz.in.gov/
- Public business search: https://bsd.sos.in.gov/publicbusinesssearch
- Indiana Department of Revenue: https://www.in.gov/dor/
- Indiana Small Business Development Center: https://isbdc.org/
- SBA resources for Indiana: https://www.sba.gov/district/indiana
For local questions, contact the planning, zoning and code enforcement offices in your city and county. Ask for written confirmation of any permit requirement before you commit money to a build-out or signage. If your business involves regulated work, multiple owners or locations in more than one county, a local attorney or CPA can help you avoid an expensive mistake. This guide is informational, not legal or tax advice.