To get a concealed carry permit in Indiana, you apply online through the Indiana State Police Firearms Licensing Portal, get electronically fingerprinted by IDEMIA for $12.95, and visit your local police department or sheriff’s office — all within 90 days of submitting the online application.1Indiana State Police. IN Application The license itself is free. You do not actually need one to carry inside Indiana anymore: since July 1, 2022, any adult 18 or older who can legally possess a handgun may carry openly or concealed statewide without a permit.2Indiana State Police. Permitless Carry Website Messaging The license still matters because roughly 31 other states honor it through reciprocity.3IN.gov. Which States Honor My Indiana Handgun License?
Do You Still Need a Permit?
Not to carry inside Indiana. Permitless carry covers concealed and open carry equally, as long as you are legally eligible to possess a handgun. The reason to apply anyway is travel. Without an Indiana license, the moment you cross a state line you fall under the destination state’s rules, and many of those states still require a permit for concealed carry. A valid Indiana license opens roughly 31 states to you through reciprocity agreements.3IN.gov. Which States Honor My Indiana Handgun License? Those agreements change, so check the current list before any trip.
Who Can Apply
You must be at least 18 and qualify as a “proper person” under Indiana Code 35-47-1-7, which broadly means no disqualifying criminal history, mental health adjudications, or other legal barriers.4IN.gov. What Is the Definition of a Proper Person as It Pertains to Applying for a Handgun License? Indiana residency is required for most applicants. Non-residents with a regular place of business or employment in Indiana can apply, but they are limited to a four-year license instead of the five-year or lifetime options offered to residents.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2-3
Federal law adds its own disqualifiers on top. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), you cannot possess a firearm if you have been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, are a fugitive, use controlled substances illegally, have been adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution, are subject to certain domestic violence protective orders, have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, received a dishonorable discharge, or renounced U.S. citizenship.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 These federal bars apply even if your Indiana record looks clean.
Which License to Choose
Residents pick between two options. The Qualified License is good for five years. The Unlimited License is a lifetime permit. Both allow concealed and open carry on the same terms; the only real difference is whether you want to renew every five years.
Neither carries a state fee. The five-year license became fee-exempt on July 1, 2020, and the lifetime license followed on July 1, 2021.7Indiana State Police. Indiana Firearms Permit and Permitless Carry Information Your only out-of-pocket cost is the $12.95 IDEMIA fingerprinting fee.8Indiana State Police. ISP Fees Because the lifetime license costs the same as the five-year one, most applicants take the Unlimited.
The Three Steps to Apply
Everything runs through the Indiana State Police Firearms Licensing Portal and your local law enforcement agency. Once you submit the online application, you have 90 days to complete every remaining step, including the local agency’s part. Miss the window and the application expires.1Indiana State Police. IN Application
Step 1: File the Online Application
Create an account at the ISP Firearms Licensing Portal and complete the application. You will enter personal details, addresses for the past five years, employment history, and criminal history disclosures, and choose Qualified or Unlimited. Submitting the application starts your 90-day clock.9Indiana State Police. Firearms Licensing
Step 2: Get Fingerprinted
Schedule an electronic fingerprinting appointment with IDEMIA online. ISP does not accept mailed fingerprint cards.9Indiana State Police. Firearms Licensing Pay the $12.95 fee at the appointment. Your prints go directly to the state for the background check.8Indiana State Police. ISP Fees
Step 3: Visit Your Local Law Enforcement Agency
Go to the police department or sheriff’s office that covers your residence. Bring your application identification number and proof of residency. The agency reviews your application, may run its own background inquiry, and forwards a recommendation to ISP. Some local agencies used to charge a processing fee; most dropped it when the state fees went away. Call ahead to confirm.
What Happens Next
ISP runs a background check that includes the National Instant Criminal Background Check System along with state and local records.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2-3 With a clean record and a complete application, expect the license roughly 60 days after your local agency transmits the file to ISP.1Indiana State Police. IN Application Hits on your criminal history or missing information stretch the timeline. Notification comes by mail or email, and an approved license is mailed to the address on your application.
If You’re Denied
A denial letter explains the reason. Common causes are a disqualifying conviction the applicant didn’t realize counted, an outstanding warrant, or a mental health adjudication. You can submit a written appeal to the ISP Firearms License Unit following the process on the ISP website, and you should include documentation supporting eligibility, such as court records showing an expungement or restoration of rights.10Indiana State Police. Appeal Process Applicants whose rights were lost to a felony conviction may need a pardon or successful expungement before reapplying.
Renewals, Address Changes, and Replacements
The Unlimited License never needs to be renewed. Five-year Qualified License holders should start renewal online through the ISP portal before the license expires, and the renewal also carries a 90-day completion window.11Indiana State Police. ISP Renew a License to Carry
Whichever license you hold, notify ISP of any name or address change within 60 days.12IN.gov. How Do I Update My Name or Address on My Handgun License? Name and address updates are free through the online portal. A replacement for a lost or damaged license costs $20.13Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2-4
Where a License Doesn’t Let You Carry
Having a license, or carrying under permitless authority, does not open every door. Possessing a firearm on school property or a school bus is a Level 6 felony in Indiana, with a narrow exception for a firearm kept locked in a vehicle’s trunk, glove compartment, or otherwise out of plain sight in a locked vehicle in a school lot. Leaving a firearm visible in a vehicle on school grounds is a Class A misdemeanor.14Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-9-2
Federal law bars firearms in federal facilities, including courthouses, Social Security offices, VA buildings, and IRS offices, and in post offices and their parking lots, and past airport security.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 930 Those federal restrictions override your Indiana license.
Private property is different. Indiana does not give “no firearms” signs on private businesses the force of law, so a sign alone doesn’t make carrying a criminal offense. But a property owner can ask you to leave, and refusing exposes you to trespassing charges.