How to Start a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Business in Indiana

Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is the ride a patient takes to a doctor visit, dialysis appointment, pharmacy, or hospital when the trip is not a 911 emergency. In Indiana, much of this work is paid through Medicaid, and the trips usually reach you through a broker rather than directly from the state. That changes your first moves. You form the business, understand how Indiana Medicaid NEMT is arranged, and then get enrolled so you can receive trips.

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Before you sign broker contracts, buy insurance, or choose a tax election, talk with a qualified Indiana attorney and a CPA.

Start with the license question

Many people search for an indiana nemt license expecting one state permit that covers everything. In our research we did not find a stand-alone Indiana NEMT license. Indiana Medicaid transportation is brokered, so most small operators work in one of two ways: as subcontractors to a broker, or as enrolled Medicaid transportation providers that a broker can dispatch to. Confirm this with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) and the Indiana Health Coverage Programs (IHCP) before you spend money, because program rules change.

In practice, your "license" is a set of requirements, not one document: a registered Indiana business entity, vehicles and drivers that meet broker and local rules, insurance the broker accepts, and enrollment as a transportation provider. The steps below cover each piece in the order most owners find easiest.

What you need before you start

Gather these items before you file anything or call a broker:

• A business name that is distinguishable on the Indiana Secretary of State's records. Search the public database at bsd.sos.in.gov before you settle on a name.
• The $95 filing fee for an LLC or a corporation, paid through INBiz.
• A registered agent with a physical Indiana street address. A P.O. Box is not enough unless it comes with a rural route reference.
• A federal employer identification number (EIN) from the IRS.
• A business bank account, so business revenue and expenses stay separate from personal money.
• A vehicle list with year, make, model, seating capacity, and wheelchair configuration for each unit.
• A driver roster with motor vehicle records and any training documents the broker or local authorities require.
• Insurance quotes from a carrier that writes passenger transportation coverage in Indiana. Ask the broker for its minimum coverage before you buy a policy.
• Current contact information for WellTrans, Verida, and IHCP provider enrollment. Confirm each contact on the official agency pages, because brokers and vendors change.

The state costs you will face in the formation stage are below. Confirm any fee not listed here on the agency page before you pay it.

Item	Cost	Where to pay or file
Articles of Organization, Domestic LLC (State Form 49459)	$95	INBiz
Articles of Incorporation, Domestic Corporation (State Form 4159)	$95	INBiz
Name reservation (holds the name for 120 days)	$10	INBiz
Certificate of Assumed Business Name (DBA), filed online	$20 per name	INBiz
Business Entity Report (every other year)	$32 online	INBiz
Registered Retail Merchant Certificate (only if selling taxable goods)	$25	Indiana Department of Revenue

Step 1: Choose the service you will actually run

Indiana's Medicaid transportation structure distinguishes between types of providers, and the choice affects your equipment, insurance, and broker options. The IHCP Transportation Services module lists these transportation provider specialties:

• Ambulance (specialty 260)
• Air ambulance (261)
• Taxi (263)
• Transportation network company, or TNC (267)
• Other, including bus (262)

Most startups begin with ambulatory rides in a sedan, minivan, or accessible van, or with wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Ambulance and air ambulance are different operations with different equipment and staffing needs, so do not assume a van business can add ambulance trips later without new requirements.

Not confirmed: Some sources state that ambulance NEMT was taken out of the broker system on July 1, 2023. We could not confirm that date in the material we reviewed, and the IHCP module states its policies as of September 1, 2023. Do not rely on the carve-out date. Ask IHCP directly whether ambulance trips are brokered for your intended service before you buy an ambulance.

Write down the service lane, the vehicle types, and the counties you plan to serve. Brokers ask for these details during credentialing, and a clear answer saves a round of back-and-forth.

Step 2: Pick a legal structure and file it

Most owners form a limited liability company (LLC). File the Articles of Organization for a Domestic Limited Liability Company (State Form 49459) through INBiz at inbiz.in.gov. The filing fee is $95. The name must include the words "Limited Liability Company" or an abbreviation of them. A corporation files Articles of Incorporation (State Form 4159) for the same $95 fee.

The Secretary of State's Business Services Division publishes no processing-time standard for new formations, and no expedited option is listed for a domestic LLC. The Articles are completed and paid in one online INBiz session, so plan your launch date around the filing, not a promised turnaround.

If you operate as a sole proprietor or general partnership, you do not file with the state for the entity itself. Instead, you record any assumed name with the county recorder where the business is located. Recorder fees are set by each of Indiana's 92 counties, so check the county's fee schedule.

Tax treatment matters for planning. Indiana has no franchise tax. An LLC's income generally passes through to its owners, who pay the individual adjusted gross income tax (2.95% for 2026, scheduled to fall to 2.90% in 2027) plus their county local income tax. An LLC that elects corporate treatment pays the corporate adjusted gross income tax of 4.9%. Ask a CPA which structure fits your expected income, owner count, and plans for hiring.

Step 3: Appoint a registered agent

Every Indiana business entity must maintain a registered agent and a registered office in the state. The agent receives legal and tax documents on the company's behalf. The agent can be an Indiana resident whose business office matches the registered office, or a business entity authorized to operate in Indiana. The registered office must be a street address. Your business cannot serve as its own registered agent, and the entity can have only one agent at a time.

Many owners use a commercial registered agent service, which costs extra each year. Compare the price and the response process before you choose one, and confirm the arrangement with your attorney if you are unsure.

Step 4: Reserve the name if you need time

If your formation paperwork is not ready but you want to lock a name, reserve it through INBiz for $10. The reservation holds the name for 120 days. Use the reservation only if you plan to file within that window. You can start the process at inbiz.in.gov/start-business/step-one.

Also check that the name is distinguishable from existing records. Under the Secretary of State's rules, different punctuation, capitalization, plurals, possessives, or entity identifiers such as Inc. or LLC do not make a name distinguishable. A name that looks different to you may still be rejected.

Step 5: Set up insurance, vehicles, and drivers

Insurance is where most new NEMT operators get stuck. A personal auto policy almost never covers paid passenger transportation. Ask your insurer about commercial auto and passenger liability coverage, and ask the broker what minimum limits it requires before you request quotes. We did not find a single published Indiana NEMT insurance figure in the material we reviewed, so the broker contract and your carrier set the requirements you must meet.

For vehicles and drivers, confirm the following with the broker and your local authorities: vehicle age and inspection rules, wheelchair securement equipment and certification, driver background screening, drug testing, training, and whether a dispatch office needs a local permit or zoning approval. Indiana does not have one comprehensive business license, but cities and counties may still require permits or zoning approval for an office or a vehicle storage lot.

Keep your driver files complete from day one. Brokers and auditors ask for them, and a missing record can stop a driver from taking trips.

Step 6: Learn which broker serves your riders

Indiana Medicaid's broker map changes, so use the current IHCP bulletin and module as your reference. Per IHCP Bulletin BT202608, dated January 15, 2026:

• Effective January 1, 2026, MDwise is no longer a managed care plan option for Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) or Hoosier Healthwise.
• Modivcare no longer provides NEMT for MDwise members.
• HIP and Hoosier Healthwise members assigned to Anthem, CareSource, or Managed Health Services receive NEMT through the broker WellTrans.
• Fee-for-service members use Verida, as described in the IHCP Transportation Services module.

Older materials may still refer to Southeastrans. The IHCP module now refers to Verida, but we did not confirm the exact date of that change, so do not state one in your own materials. Ask IHCP which vendor handles the members in your service area.

Call or write to each broker that serves your target riders. Ask how it credentials new transportation providers, whether it works with subcontractors, what trip volume you can expect, how it pays and on what schedule, and what documentation it audits. Get the answers in writing where you can.

Step 7: Apply to the broker and enroll with IHCP

Apply through the broker that serves your region and go through the IHCP provider enrollment process. Expect a screening phase. The documents, checks, and timelines depend on your specialty, your ownership, and the broker's rules, so ask each agency which steps apply to you and how long they take. We did not confirm enrollment fees or processing times, so verify both with IHCP and the broker before you budget for them.

Do not start running trips for Medicaid members until you have written confirmation that you are credentialed to the broker. Trips taken before enrollment may not be paid.

Step 8: Handle state tax registration and local permits

A Registered Retail Merchant Certificate costs $25 from the Indiana Department of Revenue and is required when you sell taxable goods. Most ride services are not sales of goods, but a transportation business that sells taxable items, such as merchandise or certain supplies to customers, may need it. Ask a CPA whether any part of your revenue is subject to Indiana sales tax. The state sales tax rate is 7%, but whether it applies to your receipts is a classification question for a professional.

Check city and county requirements for a dispatch office, parking, and vehicle storage. If your business requires a profession-specific license from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, confirm that with the agency. Indiana does not require a general business license for every company.

Step 9: Calendar your Business Entity Report

The Business Entity Report is required every other year, due by the end of the month in which your business was formed or registered. The first report is due two years after formation. The online filing fee is $32. A paper filing costs $50. Put the due date on your calendar the day you form the entity, because a missed report creates avoidable trouble with the state.

Step 10: Build the records brokers and auditors will ask for

Set up trip logs before the first ride. For each trip, record the member's trip authorization, pickup and drop-off times, mileage, the driver, the vehicle, and any assistance provided. Keep copies of driver files, vehicle maintenance records, and insurance certificates in one place. Brokers and auditors review these records, and clean files make payment disputes easier to resolve.

Tips and common mistakes to avoid

• Searching for a state license that may not exist. Confirm the requirements with FSSA and IHCP first, then build your paperwork around them.
• Using the wrong broker map. Verify which broker serves each member group, using the current IHCP bulletin, before you market to a population.
• Buying the wrong insurance. A personal auto policy does not replace commercial passenger coverage. Get the broker's minimums in writing before you sign a policy.
• Buying an ambulance too early. Ambulance and air ambulance are separate specialties. Confirm the brokered status of ambulance trips before you buy equipment.
• Running trips before enrollment. Do not carry Medicaid members until you have written broker credentialing.
• Forgetting the registered agent. Your business cannot act as its own agent, and a P.O. Box alone is not enough.
• Skipping the Business Entity Report. Put the biennial Business Entity Report on the calendar the day you form the company.
• Relying on old materials. Some documents still name Southeastrans, and older sources may give dates that were never confirmed. Check each date with the agency.

What results to expect

A carefully set-up NEMT business may be positioned to receive broker referrals once enrollment is complete, but volume depends on the broker's network, your service area, your vehicle lane, and your reliability. Owners who keep complete driver, vehicle, and trip records may be better placed to handle audits and payment questions. No setup step guarantees a set number of trips or a specific income level. Plan your first year with conservative assumptions and revisit them after your first months of billing.

Where to confirm the details

• Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division: in.gov/sos/business
• INBiz filing portal: inbiz.in.gov
• Public business search: bsd.sos.in.gov/publicbusinesssearch
• Indiana Department of Revenue: in.gov/dor
• Indiana Small Business Development Center: isbdc.org
• SBA resources for Indiana: sba.gov/district/indiana
• FSSA and IHCP, for NEMT program rules, broker assignments, and provider enrollment: confirm the current contact and web address directly with the agencies, since we did not verify a current IHCP link for this article.

Final checklist

1. Confirm with FSSA and IHCP that no stand-alone state NEMT license applies to your service.
2. Choose your service lane and confirm whether it is brokered.
3. File the LLC or corporation through INBiz for $95, or record a DBA with the proper office.
4. Appoint a registered agent with an Indiana street address.
5. Get an EIN and open a business bank account.
6. Obtain commercial insurance that meets the broker's written minimums.
7. Confirm vehicle, driver, and local permit requirements with the broker and local authorities.
8. Apply to the broker serving your riders and complete IHCP provider enrollment.
9. Set up trip logs and driver files before the first trip.
10. Calendar the biennial Business Entity Report, first due two years after formation.

Reminder: this article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Program rules, broker assignments, and fees change. Confirm each detail with the agency named above, and consult a qualified Indiana attorney and CPA before you form the company or sign any contract.