Indiana's service animal statute is short and tracks the ADA closely, then adds three things the federal rule doesn't have: access for dogs in training, a state fine for businesses that refuse or charge you, and felony-level penalties when someone seriously hurts a working dog. Indiana also passed one of the country's first emotional support animal housing laws, which matters if your dog is an ESA rather than a service dog. Here's all of it in plain English, with section numbers for when you need them.
Federal law applies underneath. For the ADA baseline, see our service dog requirements guide; for how Indiana compares to other states, the 50-state guide.
What Counts as a Service Animal in Indiana
IC 16-32-3-1.5 defines a service animal as a dog or miniature horse individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. That's the ADA definition with miniature horses written in. Psychiatric service dogs count. Emotional support animals don't count in public places, though Indiana gives them specific housing protections, below. No certification, registration, or ID exists or is required.
Where You Can Go, and What It Costs a Business to Refuse
Under IC 16-32-3-2, a person who refuses access to a public accommodation, or charges a fee for access, to an individual with a disability because they're accompanied by a service animal commits a Class C infraction, which carries a fine of up to $500. The companion chapter, IC 16-32-3.5, spells out what a public accommodation must do: modify its policies to allow the animal, admit it everywhere the public goes, and not require documentation or charge a deposit. The ADA's two-question limit applies: a business may ask whether the dog is a service animal required because of a disability and what task it performs, and nothing more.
When a Business Can Say No
The same rules as the ADA: the animal is out of control and the handler doesn't take effective action, or the animal isn't housebroken. Even then, the business must still serve you without the dog. Allergies, fear of dogs, and "health code" are not reasons.
If a Business Denies You
- Indiana Civil Rights Commission. Disability is a protected class in public accommodations under Indiana's civil rights law, and the Commission investigates service animal refusals. File within 180 days, online, by phone, or in person. It's free, and the Commission can order remedies.
- The infraction. The Class C infraction is enforced like a ticket, through local law enforcement or the prosecutor. Worth reporting, rarely the main event.
- Federal DOJ complaint under the ADA, and an ADA lawsuit for an injunction and attorney's fees. See our complaint guide.
Interfering With or Harming a Service Dog
IC 35-46-3-11.5 makes it a Class A misdemeanor (up to one year and $5,000) to knowingly or intentionally interfere with the actions of a service animal or to mistreat one, when the person knows it's a service animal. If the act results in serious permanent disfigurement, unconsciousness, permanent or protracted loss of a bodily function, or death of the animal, it's a Level 6 felony, which carries six months to two and a half years. Indiana's statute reaches interference with the handler-and-dog team, not just physical harm to the dog, which is unusual.
Housing: The Fair Housing Act Plus Indiana's ESA Law
For a service dog, the federal Fair Housing Act controls: no refusal, no pet fees or deposits, no breed or weight limits applied to the animal, and a landlord may ask for reliable documentation only when your disability and need aren't obvious. IC 22-9-6-5 separately bars landlords from refusing tenants because of a guide dog.
Indiana went further for emotional support animals with IC 22-9-7, passed in 2020. A landlord may require documentation of the disability-related need from a health care provider who has an actual relationship with the tenant, may not charge fees for the ESA (IC 22-9-7-13), and a person who falsely claims an ESA commits a Class A infraction (IC 22-9-7-12), which can reach $10,000. The law was written to stop letter mills without touching real handlers. Housing complaints go to the Civil Rights Commission within 180 days or to HUD within one year.
Licensing and Local Rules
Dog licensing in Indiana is set by counties and cities, and many waive the fee for service dogs on proof the dog is one. Indianapolis-Marion County does. Check with your local animal care agency. Leash ordinances apply to service dogs except where the leash would interfere with the dog's work.
Air Travel From IND
State law stops at the aircraft door. The Indianapolis International terminal is covered by the ADA and Indiana law; on the plane, the Air Carrier Access Act governs and airlines may require the DOT form. IND has post-security relief areas in both concourses. Our flying guide has the forms and airline policies.
Quick Reference: Indiana Service Dog Laws
| Topic | Indiana rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Dog or miniature horse trained to perform tasks | IC 16-32-3-1.5 |
| Public access | All public accommodations; no documentation; no fees | IC 16-32-3-2; IC 16-32-3.5 |
| Dogs in training | May accompany their trainer; no fee | IC 16-32-3; ICRC guidance |
| Refusal or charging a fee | Class C infraction (up to $500) | IC 16-32-3-2 |
| Interference or mistreatment | Class A misdemeanor; Level 6 felony if serious injury or death | IC 35-46-3-11.5 |
| Housing, service dog | No refusal, no fees; documentation only if need isn't obvious | IC 22-9-6-5; FHA |
| Housing, ESA | Provider documentation allowed; no fees; faking is a Class A infraction | IC 22-9-7 |
| State complaint | Indiana Civil Rights Commission within 180 days | IC 22-9-1 |
The Bottom Line
Indiana's rules are the ADA's rules with a state fine attached, trainer access added, and a felony waiting for anyone who seriously hurts your dog. Know the two questions, know that no fee or paper can be required, and remember the Civil Rights Commission's 180-day clock. Everything else is here when you need it.