There is no process to register a gun in Indiana, because the state does not maintain a firearm registry. Indiana requires no registration for any firearm, and since July 2022 it does not even require a license to carry a handgun. If you legally own a gun and are not prohibited under federal or state law from possessing one, you are already compliant: no form, no filing, no state record. The only firearms that must be registered anywhere are a narrow category of federally regulated items (suppressors, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and machine guns), and that registration goes to the ATF, not to Indiana.
Most people searching for how to register a gun in Indiana are really asking one of three things: do I need to do something after buying a gun, should I get a handgun license, or how do I handle a suppressor or similar item. Each has a different answer.
What Indiana Actually Requires
Indiana’s permitless carry statute, IC 35-47-2-1, lets anyone who is not federally prohibited from possessing a firearm carry a handgun openly or concealed without a license.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2-1 – Carrying a Handgun Without Being Licensed; Construction of Chapter If you bought a handgun from a dealer, the dealer already ran a NICS background check and filed ATF Form 4473 at the point of sale. Nothing further is filed with the state. Indiana keeps no record of the firearm itself.
Private sales between Indiana residents require no background check and no paperwork. If you buy a handgun from a neighbor or from a non-dealer at a gun show, nothing has to be reported to the state. The prohibited-person rules still apply: you cannot sell a handgun to someone under 18 or to anyone you know is barred from possessing firearms. Indiana also does not require you to report a lost or stolen firearm, though doing so helps with insurance claims and creates a record if the gun turns up in a crime.
If a buyer lives in another state, federal law takes over. An out-of-state buyer cannot take possession directly from an Indiana seller; the transaction must route through a federally licensed dealer in the buyer’s home state, who runs the background check and completes Form 4473.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922
Why People Still Get an Indiana Handgun License
The license is optional, but useful for two reasons. Roughly 30 states recognize Indiana’s handgun license under reciprocity agreements, so if you travel and carry, the license keeps you legal across state lines. And a valid five-year or lifetime Indiana handgun license serves as an alternative to the NICS check when you buy a firearm from a dealer, which can speed things up at the counter.3IN.gov. ISP: Firearms Licensing
Indiana is a shall-issue state. The Indiana State Police must approve your application if you meet the legal requirements; the superintendent cannot deny based on personal judgment. You will be disqualified if you have a felony conviction, are under 18, are under 23 and were adjudicated delinquent for an act that would be a felony for an adult, have had a previous handgun license suspended and not reinstated, have been arrested for a serious felony where a court found probable cause, or are federally prohibited from possessing firearms.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2-3 – License Requirement; Application; Procedure Federal law in 18 U.S.C. 922(g) layers on more categories, including convictions for crimes punishable by more than one year, qualifying domestic violence restraining orders, and dishonorable discharges from the military.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922
Applying for the Handgun License
Indiana offers a five-year license and a lifetime license, with identical carry privileges. The application has three steps, all of which must be completed within 90 days or the application is purged and you start over.5Town of Hamilton, Indiana. Firearms License App Process
First, complete the online application through the Indiana State Police handgun licensing portal. You will enter personal information and answer questions about your criminal history, including prior arrests and charges that did not result in convictions.6IN.gov. Apply for a New License to Carry – ISP False statements are a criminal offense.
Second, schedule electronic fingerprinting with IdentoGO, the state’s approved vendor. Instructions appear at the end of the online application. The fee is about $12 and the prints are submitted electronically for ISP and FBI background checks.7IN.gov. Gun Permit Instructions
Third, visit your local law enforcement agency, usually the county sheriff or municipal police. Bring a valid photo ID and your IdentoGO paperwork. The agency verifies your identity and forwards the application to the ISP.8indy.gov. Apply for a Gun Permit This step is where applications most often stall; miss the 90-day window and the whole file is voided.
Indiana eliminated the application fee for both license types. The statute specifies that after June 30, 2021, the law enforcement agency accepting the application “shall not collect a fee” from the applicant.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2-3 – License Requirement; Application; Procedure Your only out-of-pocket cost is the roughly $12 IdentoGO fee.9IN.gov. Fees – ISP Most applicants receive a decision within four to six weeks, and approved licenses are mailed to the address on the application.5Town of Hamilton, Indiana. Firearms License App Process
Five-year license holders renew electronically through the same portal, and no new fingerprints are required; the ISP uses the prints already on file. Lifetime holders do not renew. Name and address changes must be reported to the ISP superintendent in writing within 60 days; changes that could affect eligibility, such as an arrest or qualifying restraining order, must be reported within 30 days.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2-3 – License Requirement; Application; Procedure
One boundary worth noting: even with a license or under permitless carry, Indiana bans firearms in certain places. Carrying on school property or a school bus is a Level 6 felony.10Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-9-2 – Possession of Firearms on School Property Airports, commercial aircraft, and riverboat casinos are also off-limits, and private property owners and some government buildings can restrict firearms as well.11IN.gov. Are There Places Where It Is Illegal to Carry a Handgun Even Though I Have a Valid Handgun License?
Federal Registration for Suppressors and Other NFA Items
The only firearms-related items that must be registered are those regulated under the National Firearms Act: suppressors, rifles with barrels under 16 inches, short-barreled shotguns, and machine guns. These must be listed in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record maintained by the ATF.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 5841 – Registration of Firearms
You register by filing ATF Form 1 to build the item yourself, or ATF Form 4 to purchase or receive one by transfer. Both forms require fingerprints and a background check. As of January 1, 2026, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminated the $200 tax stamp that previously applied; the fee is now zero. Every other part of the process remains the same: file the form, submit prints, pass the background check, and wait for ATF approval before taking possession.
Processing times run short compared with past years. As of early 2026, individual Form 4 eForm applications averaged about 10 days, and Form 1 eForm applications averaged around 36 days.13ATF. Current Processing Times Possessing an unregistered NFA item is a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, so the paperwork is not optional for anything in that category.
For every other firearm you own in Indiana, there is nothing to file. Keep your receipt for your own records if you want, but the state has no registry waiting on your paperwork.