City of Indianapolis and the Indy Chamber launches beta of new permitting and licensing tool powered by OpenCounter

Indy Chamber News Archives

The City of Indianapolis and the Indy Chamber are proud to announce the beta launch of OpenCounter Indy. A web based tool designed around the citizen experience, OpenCounter Indy strives to make complex projects, like opening the doors to your business, easier to understand and navigate. 

OpenCounter Indy supports the Indianapolis Business Acceleration Team (IBAT), an initiative introduced by Mayor Greg Ballard in 2014 to assist small businesses navigate city agencies related to permitting. The online tool, available in both English and Spanish, provides businesses with a customized guide outlining the permits and licenses needed to open the doors of their business, while simultaneously collecting data that the Department of Code Enforcement (DCE) can use to monitor trends to improve efficiencies. Businesses are encouraged to visit Indianapolis.OpenCounter.com to begin using the tool during its beta testing stage. 

By moving this information to an easy-to-use online process, the City and Chamber will be able to provide feedback on licensing and permitting costs and timing to entrepreneurs available 24/7, and give DCE staff a new level of insight into economic trends in the community. OpenCounter Indy will allow the Indy Chamber’s regulatory and permitting ombudsman to preemptively assist businesses in the approvals of permits and licenses. Potential delays like zoning, inspection reports, and architectural features can be mitigated through the work of the ombudsman, a free service in collaboration with the Indianapolis Department of Code Enforcement.  

Access the online tool at: Indianapolis.opencounter.com

For more information, contact Jim Rawlinson, regulatory and permitting ombudsman, at [email protected].