Do I need a permit for patio cover or carport in South Bend?

Most likely yes. Patio cover or carport usually requires a permit in Indiana. Confirm the specifics with South Bend.

Indiana's residential code deletes the IRC's permit, exemption, inspection, and fee sections (R105 and R108 to R114), so whether this job needs a permit is set by the local ordinance of the city, town, or county, not by the model IRC exemption list. Indiana's residential code states that appendix provisions are not enforceable unless specifically adopted, so ask the local office which rules it applies to patio covers. Under Indiana's Section R309.6 and Table R309, detached garages, carports, and accessory structures must be built to the residential code, with reduced foundation rules only for portable structures up to 200 square feet and monolithic-slab structures up to 721 square feet. The state does not issue permits for or inspect one- and two-family dwellings; if the local unit has no building permit ordinance, no state office issues one instead, but the 2020 Indiana Residential Code still applies to the work. This patio cover attaches to the house or will have solid walls or windows. Attaching a roof ties into the home's walls or roof framing, and enclosing it with solid walls can turn it into a room addition. Both normally need a building permit with a framing plan, and an enclosed room may also have to meet energy, electrical and egress rules for living space.