Posey County, Indiana

Towns in Posey County

• Cynthiana
• Mount VernonLocal guides: Water Damage
• New Harmony
• Poseyville

Permits

Building department: Posey County Building Commissioner (unincorporated Posey County; the City of Mount Vernon has its own Building Commissioner)

• County building permit jurisdiction. The Posey County Building Department issues construction permits within Posey County except inside the city limits of Mt. Vernon, New Harmony, Poseyville, and Griffin, which handle their own permits. Source
• Mount Vernon city building permits. Inside the City of Mount Vernon, the city's Building Commissioner issues building permits and makes inspections for property owners and contractors (Building Commissioner Brandon Bullard, 812-455-5027). Source
• Where to get a Mount Vernon building permit. The City of Mount Vernon says to get a building permit by visiting Sherry Willis in the Mayor's Office at 520 Main Street; the city's forms page does not list separate plumbing or HVAC permit forms, so check with the Building Commissioner about water heater or furnace replacements. Source
• Improvement Location Permit. For county permits, the first stop is the Area Plan Commission for an Improvement Location Permit, but the county says that permit is not necessary for improvements that do not change the building's present footprint. Source
• County required inspections. Required county inspection stages include underground plumbing, rough plumbing, rough-in electrical and rough-in mechanical, and a final inspection and certificate of occupancy are required before occupancy. Source
• County plumbing permit fee. Posey County's building fee schedule lists a $30 plumbing permit for one- and two-family housing. Source
• County heating/AC permit fees. Posey County's building fee schedule lists heating and/or air conditioning permits for one- and two-family dwellings at $30, a gas meter with new furnace at $80, and a gas meter with new furnace and air conditioning unit at $100 (check with the Building Commissioner for current fees). Source
• Septic/sewer permits. Septic and sewer permits in the county are obtained from the Posey County Health Department. Source

Rules change, so check with the department before work starts. A provider can usually tell you whether they pull the permit.

Utilities and rebates

• Electric utility (CenterPoint Energy Indiana South). Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company d/b/a CenterPoint Energy is authorized by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to provide electric service in all or parts of Pike, Gibson, Dubois, Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, and Spencer Counties, to about 150,000 customers in southwestern Indiana. Source
• Mount Vernon water utility. The City of Mount Vernon Water Department (123 College Avenue, 812-838-2136) provides city water and says it uses a Trident filtration system. Source
• Mount Vernon sewer utility. The City of Mount Vernon Wastewater Department (410 Old Hwy 69, 812-838-3396) runs the city's sewer treatment plant. Source
• CenterPoint furnace rebates (2026). CenterPoint Energy's 2026 Indiana Residential Rebate Program lists $200 for a 96% AFUE natural gas furnace, $250 for a 97%+ AFUE furnace, and $50 for a furnace tune-up. Source
• CenterPoint water heater rebates (2026). CenterPoint Energy's 2026 Indiana Residential Rebate Program lists $500 for a natural gas heat pump water heater, $200 for a natural gas tankless water heater, and $100 for a natural gas water heater rated 0.67+ EF. Source
• CenterPoint boiler rebate (2026). CenterPoint Energy's 2026 Indiana Residential Rebate Program lists $300 for a 90%+ AFUE natural gas boiler. Source
• CenterPoint thermostat rebates (2026). CenterPoint Energy's 2026 Indiana Residential Rebate Program lists $30 for a qualifying smart thermostat and $30 for a Wi-Fi thermostat, limit two per account; new construction and dual-fuel homes that are not CenterPoint gas and electric customers are not eligible for these. Source
• CenterPoint rebate deadlines. Under CenterPoint Energy's 2026 Indiana program, qualifying products must be installed before Dec. 31, 2026 and rebates applied for within 60 days of installation at CenterPointEnergy.com/SmartSavings; some contractors offer instant discounts on gas furnaces, central air conditioners and heat pumps (866-240-8476). Source
• Solid waste: Electronics drop-off: Posey County SWMD. The Posey County Solid Waste Management District in Mount Vernon (Brown Street) is listed by IDEM as a registered Indiana E-Cycle collector for electronics such as TVs and computers. Source
• Solid waste: Poseyville recycling center. The Posey County Solid Waste District runs a recycling center at 207 S. St. Francis Ave. in Poseyville (open Tuesdays 2-6 pm and Saturdays 9 am-noon) and a yard waste site for limbs, leaves, and brush that closes from mid-December to early March. Source

Flooding

• Ohio River at Mount Vernon flood stage (minor). 35 ft Source
• Ohio River at Mount Vernon flood categories. NWS flood categories for the Ohio River at Mount Vernon gauge are action 28 ft, minor 35 ft, moderate 45 ft, and major 52 ft. Source
• Ohio River at Mount Vernon record crest (Feb. 1, 1937). 59.2 ft Source
• Recent Ohio River crests at Mount Vernon. Recent major crests on the Ohio River at Mount Vernon include 51.8 ft on May 5, 2011 and 50.1 ft on April 13, 2025, both among the gauge's highest on record. Source
• Ohio River flood impacts in Posey County. NWS says that at 45 ft on the Mount Vernon gauge large portions of Point Township in Posey County are flooded, and at 52 ft many homes and businesses will require evacuation. Source
• Wabash River at New Harmony flood stage (minor). 15 ft Source
• Wabash River at New Harmony crests and impacts. The Wabash River at New Harmony's record crest is 27.7 ft on March 31, 1913; it reached 23.67 ft on May 4, 2011, and NWS says parts of northern New Harmony begin to flood and sandbagging becomes necessary at 20 ft. Source
• County floodplain ordinance and FIRM. Posey County's floodplain ordinance applies to flood hazard areas in unincorporated Posey County, the City of Mount Vernon, and the towns of Cynthiana and Poseyville, using the Posey County, Indiana and Incorporated Areas FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map dated November 5, 2014 and later revisions. Source
• Floodplain development permit. A Floodplain Development Permit is required before any development in a Special Flood Hazard Area; the Executive Director of the Posey County Area Plan Commission is the Floodplain Administrator. Source
• Mechanical equipment elevation in floodplain. In the floodplain, new construction and substantial improvements must have heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning equipment, utility meters and electrical equipment at or above the Flood Protection Grade (regulatory flood plus two feet) or designed to keep water out. Source
• Wabash River at New Harmony flood categories. NWS flood categories for the Wabash River at New Harmony gauge are action 10 ft, minor 15 ft, moderate 20 ft, and major 23 ft. Source
• Wabash River bottomland flooding. NWS says that at 19 ft on the New Harmony gauge Harmonie State Park is closed and surrounding bottomland is flooded, and at 21 ft the river is 3 miles wide at I-64. Source
• New Harmony floodplain zones. New Harmony's comprehensive plan says significant portions of the town are in the Wabash River floodplain (FEMA Zones A and AE), that construction in the floodway requires a permit from the Indiana DNR Division of Water, and that flood mapping was under way in 2025. Source