Indiana's $150 written-contract rule

Indiana's consumer protection laws include the Indiana Home Improvement Contract Act, also known as HICA, which requires a written contract with specific provisions for home improvement projects priced above $150. In 2026, $150 doesn't go far, so many projects that used to be settled with a handshake technically require more work to be enforceable.

While the law was written to protect consumers, contractors are also more protected with more specific contracts. A clear contract that you and your customer understand is the best way to prevent confusion about terms and payment down the line.

This is a summary of the statute, not legal advice.

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This code applies to

• Residential property, not commercial. If you only have commercial contracts, the requirements for you are different.
• Existing construction, not new construction. If you only work on new construction projects, this code does not apply to you.
• Alteration, repair, replacement, reconstruction, or other modification to residential property, interior and exterior.
• The price for services, materials, and work. It doesn't include financing, taxes, government fees, or anything not related to home improvement.
• All contractors, regardless of if they are licensed or permitted.

Does that sound broad? It is, on purpose. The law was written to cover many deceptive and unethical cases at once. If you're working on existing residential homes in Indiana, you're probably affected by the law.

What is a valid contract?

In order for a home improvement contract to be enforceable in Indiana, it needs to have the following terms:

1. The name of the customer
2. The address of the property
3. The name, address, and email address of the contractor
4. The name, phone number, and email address of whoever the customer should contact with questions or concerns
5. The date the contract was given to the customer and the expiration time of the contract, if there is one
6. A "reasonably detailed" description of the work - or a statement that a description of the work will be provided to the customer before the work starts, and the work won't start until the customer signs & dates the description
7. The total contract price
8. The approximate start & end dates of the project
9. A description of anything that might change the approximate completion date
10. Signature lines for both the contractor and the customer with printed names for each next to the signature lines

You're required to give a copy of the contract to the customer immediately after the customer signs the contract.

If there are any change orders or modifications to the work after the first contract is signed, they must be agreed to with the same requirements.

There are additional requirements if the contract is related to an insurance claim. If you're frequently doing work related to insurance claims, you'll need additional information in your contract.

What happens if my contract isn't valid?

Violating the terms of HICA is a "deceptive act" under the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales law. That doesn't automatically mean that the contract is invalid - courts have found that the law "aims to protect consumers from abuse, not to provide an escape from legitimate contractual obligations" (Paul v. Stone Artisans, Ltd., 20 N.E.3d 883, 886 (Ind. Ct. App. 2014)). But a HICA-compliant contract makes it easy for you to prove your side in court, without having to worry about technicalities.

How do I write HICA-compliant contracts for every service?

A text message isn't enough to be compliant, but it's tough to find the time to write out full contracts for every service, especially when you're doing multiple per day.

Crowfly quotes carry all ten terms by default. Your business details and a complaints contact come from your settings, the submitted and valid-until dates are filled in automatically, and the specifications, third-party, and insurance statements are standard language you set once. When you write a quote, you add the work, the price, the approximate dates, and anything that could move them. The customer sees the whole contract above the line items, on their phone, before they sign.

The customer signs on their screen. The moment they do, the quote is frozen, a signed PDF is stored, and a copy goes to both of you by email. That covers the "give the customer a copy immediately" requirement without you doing anything.

On your side, the quote shows who signed, when, and how, with the signed PDF one click away. If the scope changes after signing, Crowfly won't let the original be edited. You start a new quote for the change, prefilled from the old one, and the customer signs that too, which is exactly what the law asks for on change orders.