Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
Chapter 881 DANCE PERMITS AND LICENSES*
*Cross references: Amusement locations and machines,ch.831.

Sec. 881-2.  Activities exempted from this chapter.

Sec. 881-3.  Application for permit or license.

Sec. 881-4.  Liability insurance.

Sec. 881-5.  Denial; grounds.

Sec. 881-6.  Scope of permit and license; hours of operation.

Sec. 881-7.  Fees.



Sec. 881-1.  Permit or license required.

It shall be unlawful for any person to hold any dance, or to own, operate or allow the operation of any
building or premises in the city open generally to the public, where dancing is indulged in or permitted,
and where music therefor is performed live or reproduced by any type of electronic or mechanical device,
without first obtaining a dance permit or annual dance license therefor from the controller.


(G.O. 81, 1997, §1)




Sec. 881-2.  Activities exempted from this chapter.

The permit or annual license required by this chapter shall not be required under the following circumstances:

(1) For a dance held by a fraternal, educational, governmental, charitable or religious  organization or a bona
fide club, as long as admission to the dance is limited to members and invited guests and as long as the club or
organization is not merely a subterfuge to avoid the requirements of this chapter;

(2) For a dance which is not advertised in any manner and not open to the general public, and
for which there is no admission fee or cover charge;

(3) For a dance which is located on premises which are licensed (as defined in IC 7.1-1-3-20) for
the sale of alcoholic beverages and where entry is limited to persons who are eighteen (18)
years of age or older;

(4) For dances which are performed as an exhibition or theatrical production, or part thereof,
for the entertainment or benefit of an audience which is not expected or encouraged to
participate in the dance;

(5) For any school or class, the purpose of which is to teach dancing; or

(6) For every person who holds a hotel license issued pursuant to Chapter 901, and who holds
a dance on the licensed premises.

(G.O. 81, 1997, §1)



Sec. 881-3.  Application for permit or license.

All applications for a permit or annual license required by this chapter shall be in writing on
a form designated by the controller, and shall contain the following information and be signed
by the applicant:


(1) The name, mailing address and telephone number of the applicant, and the names and
addresses of all partners if a partnership, all officers if a corporation, and all other persons
who will be associated in the operation of the business;


(2) On dance permit applications, the date and hours when, and address where, each dance
will be held, and if a single application is for more than one (1) dance permit, it shall state
the date, location and hours of each dance;


(3) On annual dance license applications, the location, hours, and maximum number of
days per week that dances will be held;


(4) Whether the dance or dances will be open to the public, and whether there will be an
admission charge, or any age or other restrictions on who may be admitted;


(5) Whether the applicant, including partners in a partnership and officers of a corporation,
have ever been convicted of a felony; and


(6) Any other information required by the Code or deemed appropriate by the controller.

(G.O. 81, 1997, §1)




Sec. 881-4.  Liability insurance.

(a) The applicant shall procure, and maintain throughout the term of the permit or license, a
policy of general premises liability insurance which names the City of Indianapolis as an
"additional insured" party, and which would protect the permittee or licensee and the city
from any claims which may arise out of or result from the operation of the dance or dances.
The applicant shall file a certificate of insurance with the controller before a permit or license can
be issued.

(b) The limits of liability upon any insurance required by this section shall in no instance be less
than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) per occurrence.

(G.O. 81, 1997, §1)



Sec. 881-5.  Denial; grounds.

(a) The controller shall not issue a dance permit or annual dance license to any person who
has not reached the age of twenty-one (21) years, or who has been convicted of a felony.

(b) In addition to any other reasons stated in this Code, the controller may refuse to issue a
permit or license required by this chapter for any of the following reasons:

(1) The application was not made at least three (3) business days prior to the time of
commencement of the dance;

(2) The applicant has been found in violation of any law relating to alcoholic beverages,
narcotics, or disorderly or immoral conduct; or

(3) The applicant permitted violations of law to occur at a prior dance held by him, without
stopping the violations or reporting them to the police.

(G.O. 81, 1997, §1)



Sec. 881-6. Scope of permit and license; hours of operation.

(a) Each permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall allow the permittee to hold one (1) dance at
one (1) location for a continuous period, and a separate permit shall be required for each dance.


(b) In lieu of obtaining separate dance permits pursuant to this chapter, a license with a term
of one (1) year may be obtained from the controller. Annual dance licenses shall be issued for
specific numbers of dance days per week, and separate dance permits shall be required only in
the event that an annual licensee desires to hold more dance days in any given week than are
allowed by the license.


(c) Under no circumstances may any part of a permitted or licensed dance be held between the
hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.


(G.O. 81, 1997, §1)




Sec. 881-7. Fees.

(a) A separate fee of seventeen dollars ($17.00) shall be paid for each permit issued pursuant
to this chapter.

(b) The fee for an annual license obtained pursuant to this chapter shall be twenty-three dollars
($23.00).


(G.O. 81, 1997, § 1)



For the latest information go to:
http://www6.indygov.org/corp_counsel/municode.html

for Questions or further information contact

City Controller's Office

General inquiries may be directed to the following address/phone number M-F 8:00am-5:00pm


200 East Washington Street, Suite 2222
Indianapolis, IN 46204   (317) 327-4310