If you're facing eviction in Indiana, what do you need to know?

Indiana has a housing crisis, and a lot of it has to do with eviction.

As of June 1, the State of Indiana has seen 28,449 eviction filings in 2025, including 5,747 in the last month alone, according to data collected by Eviction Lab.

Eviction moves quickly, and it's important Hoosiers know what to expect and know their rights.
 

What is an eviction? 

An eviction is a court order for a tenant to vacate or move out of a rental property, according to Indiana Legal Services.
 

I got an eviction notice. What should I do first? 

Read over the notice carefully. It's important to understand why the landlord is pursuing eviction as well as the deadline to respond to the notice. Remember, evictions move quickly.

Find out if the landlord plans to file an eviction or if they might be willing to work out a repayment plan or apply for rental and utility assistance.

Next, seek legal help. An attorney will help determine if the eviction is justified. If the landlord files the eviction with the courts, tenants have the right to file a written answer explaining why they should not be evicted.

Indiana Legal Help, Indiana Legal Services and Indianapolis Legal Aid Society offer options for free and low cost legal assistance. Organizations such as Horizon House, Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI) and Outreach Indiana, Inc. will often refer tenants facing eviction and unhoused individuals and families to legal services as well as housing assistance programs.
 

How long do I have to vacate?

Landlords have to provide tenants with at least 10 days' notice to vacate or pay rent before they file for eviction with the courts. If the eviction lawsuit has already been filed, the notice will include a court summons with information on when and where the hearing will occur.

However, unless there is a court order to vacate, the tenant does not have to move out, according to FHCCI. As long as a tenant has not abandoned the home, the landlord cannot change the locks, turn off utilities or do anything to prevent tenants from entering the home. They also cannot remove any personal belongings from the home.

If a tenant has received a court order to vacate, they must leave the property.
 

Will I have to go to court?

Yes, if the landlord files an eviction lawsuit. It is important to show up for the hearing, even if a tenant is likely to lose the case.

Indiana has two types of eviction hearings: possession hearings and damages hearings. First, a judge will determine if the tenant must vacate during a possession hearing. Then, at a later date, the damages hearing will determine whether or not the tenant is responsible for money owed in rent or damages.
 

Why am I being evicted? 

The number one reason for evictions in Indiana is tenant lease violations — most commonly nonpayment of rent. However, this could also include lease or property policy violations such as having unauthorized animals or occupants, property destruction or excessive noise, according to FHCCI.

Indiana is one of six states where there is no grounds for withholding rent, even when the reason is because the landlord hasn't fixed an outstanding maintenance issue.

Again, the eviction process moves very quickly, so it's essential that tenants reach out to their landlords or utility companies if they're having difficulty paying rent or bills to prevent the possibility of eviction. There are rental and utility assistance programs available across Marion County — 211 is a good place to start.

Always communicate with landlords and utility companies in writing and save all emails, texts, receipts or record phone calls.
 

What if I have nowhere to go? 

There are a variety of organizations across Marion County with resources ranging from legal aid to rental and utility assistance and housing referrals for individuals, families, youth and survivors of domestic violence.

Here are just a few:

Coburn Place (domestic violence shelter) 
317-923-5750 
coburnplace.org

City of Indianapolis Tenant Help Desk Hotline (Thursday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) 
317-973-1673

Damien Center (HIV/AIDs service organization) 
317-632-0123 
damien.org/services/housing

Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana  
317-644-0673 
fhcci.org

Firefly Children and Family Alliance 
317-264-2700 
fireflyin.org

Horizon House (day shelter) 
317-423-8909 
horizonhouse.cc

Indianapolis Housing and Community Development Agency 
in.gov/ihcda/homeowners-and-renters

Indiana Legal Help 
info@indianalegalhelp.org 
indianalegalhelp.org

Indiana Legal Services 
317-631-9410

Indianapolis Legal Aid Society 
317-635-9538 
indylas.org

John Boner Neighborhood Centers 
317-633-8210 
jbncenters.org/family-housing

Outreach Indiana, Inc. 
317-699-1994 
outreachindiana.org/housing

For more information about tenant and renter rights, visit housing4hoosiers.org.

Email Indianapolis Recorder Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at chloegm@indyrecorder.com or contact her at 317-762-7848.