Indiana gun laws let any eligible adult own a handgun, rifle, or shotgun and carry a handgun in public — openly or concealed — without a state permit. That permitless carry framework has been in place since 2022. Eligibility hinges on a statutory test called “proper person,” and a handful of locations, weapons, and situations still trigger criminal penalties even for legal owners. The state also gives gun owners broad self-defense rights and blocks cities and counties from adding their own firearm rules.
Who Can Legally Own a Firearm in Indiana
Indiana ties firearm eligibility to its “proper person” definition in state code. You are disqualified if any of these apply:
- A conviction for any crime that could have carried more than a year in prison, a domestic violence conviction, a resisting law enforcement conviction within the past five years, or any firearms-related offense within the past five years.
- An involuntary commitment to a mental institution beyond a temporary evaluation hold, a court finding of mental incompetence, or a not-guilty verdict by reason of insanity.
- A court designation as dangerous under the state’s red flag statute, or any court order prohibiting handgun possession.
- A documented record of alcohol or drug abuse as defined by state law.
- Documented evidence supporting a reasonable belief that you have a propensity for violent or emotionally unstable conduct.
The full statute lists 14 disqualifiers, and additional ones apply to applicants under 23 who had juvenile adjudications for acts that would be felonies if committed by an adult.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-1-7 – Proper Person
Serious Violent Felons
A stricter ban applies to anyone classified as a “serious violent felon.” That category covers murder, attempted murder, voluntary manslaughter, reckless homicide not involving a vehicle, battery charged as a Level 2 through Level 5 felony, and other listed offenses. A serious violent felon who possesses any firearm commits a Level 4 felony,2Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-4-5 – Serious Violent Felon punishable by two to twelve years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-50-2-5.5 – Level 4 Felony
Federal Bars That Also Apply
Federal law layers its own restrictions on top of state ones. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9), a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence triggers a lifetime firearms ban. Under § 922(g)(8), a qualifying domestic violence protective order — one issued after a hearing that either finds a credible threat or explicitly prohibits force — also bars possession.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts These apply regardless of what Indiana’s rules say, and a violation is a separate federal crime punishable by up to ten years.
Permitless Carry and When You Still Want a License
House Enrolled Act 1296, effective in 2022, eliminated Indiana’s handgun license requirement. If you meet the proper person standard and are not federally prohibited, you can carry a handgun openly or concealed without a permit.5Indiana State Police. ISP – Firearms Licensing Indiana law treats open and concealed carry the same in public spaces where firearms are allowed.
People who do not qualify as a proper person face far tighter rules. They may possess a handgun only on property they own or control, inside their own locked vehicle with the handgun unloaded and secured in a case out of reach, at shooting ranges, or in firearms training courses.6Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2-1 – Carrying a Handgun Without Being Licensed
The Optional License to Carry
Indiana still issues a License to Carry a Handgun for anyone who wants one, and the main reason to get it is reciprocity. Many other states will honor an Indiana permit but will not recognize permitless carry status from another state. The Indiana State Police offers both a five-year and a lifetime license, and every applicant must complete fingerprinting and a background check to confirm proper person eligibility.5Indiana State Police. ISP – Firearms Licensing The licenses themselves carry no state fee. Applicants pay a $12.95 fingerprinting fee and a small online processing charge.7Indiana State Police. Firearms Handgun Licensing Application Fees
No Duty to Inform
Indiana does not require you to volunteer that you are carrying a firearm during a traffic stop or other police encounter. You do have to answer direct questions truthfully, but there is no statutory duty to disclose the gun on your own.
Buying and Transferring Firearms
Buying from a federally licensed dealer requires a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The dealer runs the check after you complete ATF Form 4473.8Federal Bureau of Investigation. Firearms Checks (NICS) Federal minimum ages govern dealer sales: 18 for a rifle or shotgun, 21 for a handgun.9Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Minimum Age for Gun Sales and Transfers
Private sales between individuals in Indiana are legal without a background check. The seller still has a legal duty not to transfer a firearm to someone they know is prohibited. Knowingly providing a gun to an ineligible person, or to someone who intends to use it in a crime, is criminal transfer of a firearm — a Level 5 felony carrying one to six years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.10Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2.5-16 – Criminal Transfer of a Firearm11Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-50-2-6 – Level 5 Felony The charge escalates to a Level 3 felony if the buyer uses the firearm to commit murder. Running a voluntary NICS check through a dealer before the sale, and receiving approval, is a recognized defense.
Indiana does not require you to report a lost or stolen firearm to law enforcement. Filing a report anyway creates a paper trail if the gun later turns up somewhere it should not.
Where Firearms Are Prohibited
Permitless carry does not mean carry anywhere. Some locations are off-limits regardless of your status. Possessing a firearm on school property or a school bus is a Level 6 felony,12Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-9-2 – Possession of Firearms on School Property or a School Bus punishable by six months to two and a half years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.13Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-50-2-7 – Level 6 Felony
State law also bans firearms in the secure areas of airports, on commercial or chartered aircraft, in casinos, at the Indiana Government Center, on the State Fairgrounds (unless the gun is present for sale or trade at an event), and in penal institutions. Local governments can prohibit firearms in buildings that contain a courtroom.14Indiana Attorney General. Gun Owners’ Bill of Rights
Private Property and “No Firearms” Signs
Businesses and property owners can prohibit firearms on their premises, often with posted signs. Ignoring a sign is not itself a crime in Indiana. The legal risk starts when you are asked to leave and refuse; at that point you commit criminal trespass, a Class A misdemeanor.15Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-43-2-2 – Criminal Trespass The practical rule: if you are told to leave, leave.
Restricted Weapons and Ammunition
Indiana imposes very few restrictions on the types of firearms and accessories you can own. There is no state ban on specific platforms, and no limit on magazine capacity.
Suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and machine guns are legal to own in Indiana but fall under the federal National Firearms Act. Each requires a $200 federal tax stamp and registration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.16Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. National Firearms Act
The one significant state-level ammunition restriction targets armor-piercing rounds. Possessing, manufacturing, selling, or delivering armor-piercing ammunition is a Level 5 felony,17Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-5-11.5 – Armor-Piercing Ammunition carrying one to six years and up to a $10,000 fine.11Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-50-2-6 – Level 5 Felony Law enforcement and military use are exempt.
Self-Defense and Use of Force
Indiana’s self-defense law is among the more protective in the country. The state has both a castle doctrine and a stand-your-ground provision, and together they cover you essentially everywhere you have a legal right to be.
You can use reasonable force against another person when you reasonably believe it is necessary to protect yourself or a third person from the imminent use of unlawful force. Deadly force is justified, with no duty to retreat, when you reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent serious bodily injury or the commission of a forcible felony. The no-retreat rule applies at home, in your car, at work, or in public.18Justia. Indiana Code 35-41-3-2 – Use of Force to Protect Person or Property
Inside your home, the protection expands. You can use reasonable force, including deadly force, without a duty to retreat, to prevent or stop someone’s unlawful entry into your dwelling, its curtilage, or an occupied vehicle. The same statute extends similar protections to prevent hijacking of an aircraft.18Justia. Indiana Code 35-41-3-2 – Use of Force to Protect Person or Property
Civil Immunity After a Justified Use of Force
If your use of force is legally justified, Indiana gives you complete civil immunity from any lawsuit filed by the person you used force against or their estate. If you were not criminally prosecuted, that creates a legal presumption that your force was justified, shifting the burden onto anyone trying to sue you. If you win on summary judgment based on this immunity, the court awards you reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.19Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 34-30-31-1 – Justified Use of Force
Firearms at Work
Indiana law protects your ability to keep a firearm in your vehicle while parked at work. Employers cannot adopt or enforce any policy prohibiting an employee from possessing a firearm or ammunition in a locked vehicle, provided the firearm is stored in the trunk, the glove compartment, or out of plain sight.20Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 34-28-7-2
The protection has carve-outs. Employers at these types of locations can still restrict employee firearms in vehicles:
- Child care centers and child caring institutions.
- Postsecondary educational institutions.
- Domestic violence shelters.
- Facilities subject to Department of Homeland Security chemical anti-terrorism standards and licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Public utility properties that generate and transmit electric power.
- Penal facilities, though firearms may still be kept locked and secured in the vehicle.
The statute does not stop an employer from banning firearms inside the workplace building itself. The protection covers only the locked personal vehicle in the parking lot.
Red Flag Seizures
Indiana was among the first states to adopt a red flag law, and its process is driven by law enforcement rather than by private civil petition. A police officer who believes someone is dangerous and has a firearm can seek a court warrant to search for and seize that person’s guns. The officer must submit a sworn affidavit explaining the basis for the belief, detailing interactions with the person or credible witnesses, and identifying where the firearms are.21Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-14-2 – Warrant to Search for Firearm
A judge must find probable cause that the person is both dangerous and in possession of a firearm before issuing the warrant. After seizure, a hearing determines whether the person meets the statutory definition of dangerous and whether law enforcement can keep the firearms or must return them. A court designation as dangerous also knocks the person out of the proper person standard, so they cannot legally carry or possess firearms until the designation is lifted.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-1-7 – Proper Person
Local Rules Cannot Add Restrictions
Indiana enforces strong statewide preemption over firearms regulation. Any local ordinance, resolution, policy, or rule dealing with matters covered by the state’s firearms statutes is void, no matter when it was enacted.22Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-11.1-3 – Voidance of Political Subdivision Regulations Cities and counties cannot require their own permits, ban specific firearms, or create gun-free zones beyond what state law already sets. The limited exception is that local governments can prohibit firearms in buildings that contain courtrooms. In 2026, the state expanded preemption further to block local governments from using zoning or land-use rules to restrict shooting ranges or from imposing permit requirements on ranges that are stricter than state law.