License required; fee; exempt activities.
Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 987-102
in effectSec. 987-102. - License required; fee; exempt activities.
(a) It shall be unlawful for a person to engage in transient merchant activity in the city without first having obtained a license therefor from the license administrator. The annual fee for registration of transient merchant activity shall be provided in section 131-501 of the Code.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a person is not required to obtain a license under this article if the person's transient merchant activity consists solely of the following:
(1) Transient merchant activity that is authorized by a license obtained under this article by another person;
(2) The operation of a licensed vendor cart, any other activity authorized under Chapter 961 of the Code, or any activity associated with an encroachment license issued under Chapter 645 of the Code;
(3) The operation of a food vending vehicle that meets the requirements of section 611-501 et seq. of the Code;
(4) The sale of goods or services to benefit a charitable cause, organized and conducted by an organization that is exempt from the Indiana gross retail tax under IC 2.5-5-26, provided that:
a. The sale of goods or services occurs for no more than thirty (30) days in a calendar year;
b. Each person who engages in the sale of goods or services has in his or her possession a card or letter that identifies that person as being authorized by the organization to engage in such sales;
(5) A garage sale, as provided under Article II of this chapter;
(6) An auction of goods or services that originate primarily on the property where the auction occurs, and that were not moved to the property from another location for the purpose of sale at the auction, conducted by an auctioneer licensed under IC 25-6.1;
(7) The sale of goods or services on commercial property that occurs during the regular hours of operation of the business located on the property;
(8) The sale of newspapers; or
(9) The transient merchant activity is occurring during a special event within a special event zone and the person or entity engaging in such activity has obtained a limited duration license from the division of construction and business services pursuant to Chapter 986 of the Code.
(c) If the transient merchant activity described in subsections (b)(4) and (b)(7) of this section occurs on private property, it shall not be exempt from the license requirement unless the person engaged in the transient merchant activity has written consent, dated and signed by the property owner, to use the property.
(G.O. 183, 1997, § 17; G.O. 87, 2004, § 18; G.O. 63, 2009, § 174; G.O. 25, 2010, § 36; G.O. 33, 2011, § 9; G.O. 41, 2016, § 2)
Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIVBUCORELI_CH987TRMEACGASA_ARTITRMEAC_S987-102LIREFEEXACFetched: 10/27/2026