Indiana Code

Ind. Code § 32-24-1-3 (2026)

Entry on land; purchase before instituting proceedings; surveys by public utilities or pipeline companies

✓ current as of May 2026
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     Sec. 3. (a) Any person that may exercise the power of eminent domain for any public use under any statute may exercise the power only in the manner provided in this article, except as otherwise provided by law.

     (b) Except as provided in subsection (g), before proceeding to condemn, the person:

(1) may enter upon any land to examine and survey the property sought to be acquired; and

(2) must make an effort to purchase for the use intended the land, right-of-way, easement, or other interest, in the property.

     (c) The effort to purchase under subsection (b)(2) must include the following:

(1) Establishing a proposed purchase price for the property.

(2) Providing the owner of the property with an appraisal or other evidence used to establish the proposed purchase price.

(3) Conducting good faith negotiations with the owner of the property.

     (d) If the land or interest in the land, or property or right is owned by a person who is an incapacitated person (as defined in IC 29-3-1-7.5) or less than eighteen (18) years of age, the person seeking to acquire the property may purchase the property from the guardian of the incapacitated person or person less than eighteen (18) years of age. If the purchase is approved by the court appointing the guardian and the approval is written upon the face of the deed, the conveyance of the property purchased and the deed made and approved by the court are valid and binding upon the incapacitated person or persons less than eighteen (18) years of age.

     (e) The deed given, when executed instead of condemnation, conveys only the interest stated in the deed.

     (f) If property is taken by proceedings under this article, the entire fee simple title may be taken and acquired.

     (g) This subsection applies to a public utility (as defined in IC 32-24-1-5.9(a)) or a pipeline company (as defined in IC 8-1-22.6-7). If a public utility or a pipeline company seeks to acquire land or an interest in land under this article, the public utility or pipeline company may not enter upon the land to examine or survey the property sought to be acquired unless either of the following occur:

(1) The public utility or the pipeline company sends notice by certified mail to the affected landowner (as defined in IC 8-1-22.6-2) of the public utility's or the pipeline company's intention to enter upon the landowner's property for survey purposes. The notice required by this subdivision must be mailed not later than fourteen (14) days before the date of the public utility's or the pipeline company's proposed examination or survey.

(2) The public utility or the pipeline company receives the landowner's signed consent to enter the property to perform the proposed examination or survey.

An affected landowner may bring an action to enforce this subsection in the circuit court, superior court, or probate court of the county in which the landowner's property is located. A prevailing landowner is entitled to the landowner's actual damages as a result of the public utility's or the pipeline company's violation. In addition, the court may award a prevailing landowner reasonable costs of the action and attorney's fees.

[Pre-2002 Recodification Citation: 32-11-1-1.]

As added by P.L.2-2002, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.163-2006, SEC.5; P.L.110-2007, SEC.2; P.L.84-2016, SEC.143.

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 16 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 2002–2026 · leading case: Wagler v. West Boggs Sewer Dist., Inc., 898 N.E.2d 815 (Ind. 2008).
Wagler v. West Boggs Sewer Dist., Inc., 898 N.E.2d 815 (Ind. 2008). · cites it 6× “” I.C. § 32-24-1-3. A subsequent provision in Article 24 grants condemnation authority to a “person, firm, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation” authorized to perform certain explicit functions.”
Palmer v. Atl. Coast Pipeline, LLC, 801 S.E.2d 414 (Va. 2017). “3 ; Indiana, Ind. Code Ann. § 32-24-1-3 ; Iowa, Iowa Code Ann.”
Wymberley Sanitary Works v. Batliner, 904 N.E.2d 326 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 9× “§ 32-24-1-3 (2002). Since that time, the General Assembly has amended the statute, which now requires, among other things, that the effort to purchase include "providing the owner of the property with an appraisal or other evidence used to establish the proposed purchase price.”
Util. Ctr., Inc. d/b/a Aqua Indiana, Inc. v. City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, 985 N.E.2d 731 (Ind. 2013). · cites it 2× “4 Among other things this procedure relieves the municipality from the burden of: first making an offer to purchase the property before proceeding to condemn it, see I.C. § 32-24-1-3; filing a complaint in court if the property owner does not agree with the amount of the offer,…”
Jensen v. City of New Albany, 868 N.E.2d 525 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 4× “See I.C. § 32-24-1-3(b)(2) (Before exercising the power of eminent domain the acquirer "must make an effort to purchase for the use intended the land, right-of-way, easement, or other interest, in the property.”
John A. Hutchinson v. The City of Madison, 987 N.E.2d 539 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 2× “See Ind.Code § 32-24-1-3(b). An effort to purchase must include establishing a proposed purchase price for the property, providing the owner with an appraisal or other evidence used to establish the proposed purchase price, and conducting good faith negotiations.”
State v. Bishop, 775 N.E.2d 335 (Ind. Ct. App. 2002). · cites it 2× “[3] Now Ind.Code § 32-24-1-3(b)(2) (Burns. Code Ed.”
Herbert C. Haggard & Alice M. Haggard v. State of Indiana & Jerry L. Hillenburg & Morgan Cnty., Indiana (Ind. Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 6× “Ind. Code § 32-24-1-3 (b)(2), (c)(3). If the condemnor does not agree with the owner concerning the damages sustained by the owner, the condemnor may file a complaint for the purpose of acquiring the property with the clerk of the circuit court of the county where the property…”
Town of Clarksville, Indiana v. Clarks Landing Enter. Investments LLC (S.D. Ind. 2024). · cites it 6× “Code § 32-24-1-5 )); see also Ind. Code § 32-24-1-3 ("The effort to purchase .”
Indus. High. Corp. v. Gary Chicago Int'l Airport Auth. (N.D. Ind. 2020). · cites it 5× “Indiana Code § 32-24-1-3 provides that “any person that may exercise the power of eminent domain for any public use .”
Green Fields LTD v. Hancock Cnty., Indiana, acting by & through The Bd. of Commissioners of Hancock Cnty., Indiana (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 4× “” Ind. Code § 32-24-1-3 (b). An offer to acquire land prior to condemnation proceedings is considered a good faith offer as a matter of law if (1) the offer is based on the fair market value of the property as determined by an independent appraisal, (2) the offer is set forth in…”
Daniel Enter., L.P. v. City of Portage, Indiana (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 3× “Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 18A-PL-1594 | December 12, 2018 Page 4 of 7 [9] Daniel’s objections concerned the City’s alleged non-compliance with Indiana Code Sections 32-24-1-3 and -5. Indiana Code Section 32-24-1-3(b) requires that the condemner must first…”
— Ind. Code § 32-24-1-3(a) — 2 cases
Wymberley Sanitary Works v. Batliner, 904 N.E.2d 326 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009). “§ 32-24-1-3 (2002). Since that time, the General Assembly has amended the statute, which now requires, among other things, that the effort to purchase include "providing the owner of the property with an appraisal or other evidence used to establish the proposed purchase price.”
Green Fields LTD v. Hancock Cnty., Indiana, acting by & through The Bd. of Commissioners of Hancock Cnty., Indiana (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2017). “” Ind. Code § 32-24-1-3 (b). An offer to acquire land prior to condemnation proceedings is considered a good faith offer as a matter of law if (1) the offer is based on the fair market value of the property as determined by an independent appraisal, (2) the offer is set forth in…”
— Ind. Code § 32-24-1-3(b) — 2 cases
John A. Hutchinson v. The City of Madison, 987 N.E.2d 539 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013). “See Ind.Code § 32-24-1-3(b). An effort to purchase must include establishing a proposed purchase price for the property, providing the owner with an appraisal or other evidence used to establish the proposed purchase price, and conducting good faith negotiations.”
Daniel Enter., L.P. v. City of Portage, Indiana (mem. dec.) (Ind. Ct. App. 2018). “Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 18A-PL-1594 | December 12, 2018 Page 4 of 7 [9] Daniel’s objections concerned the City’s alleged non-compliance with Indiana Code Sections 32-24-1-3 and -5. Indiana Code Section 32-24-1-3(b) requires that the condemner must first…”
— Ind. Code § 32-24-1-3(b)(2) — 3 cases
Jensen v. City of New Albany, 868 N.E.2d 525 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007). “See I.C. § 32-24-1-3(b)(2) (Before exercising the power of eminent domain the acquirer "must make an effort to purchase for the use intended the land, right-of-way, easement, or other interest, in the property.”
Wymberley Sanitary Works v. Batliner, 904 N.E.2d 326 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009). “§ 32-24-1-3 (2002). Since that time, the General Assembly has amended the statute, which now requires, among other things, that the effort to purchase include "providing the owner of the property with an appraisal or other evidence used to establish the proposed purchase price.”
State v. Bishop, 775 N.E.2d 335 (Ind. Ct. App. 2002). “[3] Now Ind.Code § 32-24-1-3(b)(2) (Burns. Code Ed.”
— Ind. Code § 32-24-1-3(c) — 2 cases
Wymberley Sanitary Works v. Batliner, 904 N.E.2d 326 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009). “§ 32-24-1-3 (2002). Since that time, the General Assembly has amended the statute, which now requires, among other things, that the effort to purchase include "providing the owner of the property with an appraisal or other evidence used to establish the proposed purchase price.”
Indus. High. Corp. v. Gary Chicago Int'l Airport Auth. (N.D. Ind. 2020). “Indiana Code § 32-24-1-3 provides that “any person that may exercise the power of eminent domain for any public use .”
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