Indiana - IN Gun Laws

No state permit or license is required to buy a rifle, shotgun, or handgun in Indiana. Dealer purchases run through the standard federal NICS background check (Form 4473), with federal age minimums of 18 for a long gun and 21 for a handgun. There's no state waiting period and no state-added purchase restrictions beyond what federal law already requires.

Indiana does not require a background check for private, face-to-face firearm sales between people who can legally possess firearms. Federal law still applies — a private seller may not knowingly transfer to someone they believe is a prohibited possessor.

Indiana follows the standard federal prohibited-persons categories: felony conviction, certain domestic violence convictions or active protective orders, unlawful drug users, individuals adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution, fugitives from justice, dishonorable military discharge, undocumented immigration status, and renunciation of U.S. citizenship. Indiana adds one notable state-specific mechanism: under the "Jake Laird Law" (IC 35-47-14, enacted 2005), law enforcement can petition a court to seize firearms from a person found to present an imminent risk of injury to themselves or others, based on a civil finding rather than a criminal conviction. This was one of the earliest laws of its kind in the country, predating most other states' red-flag statutes.

Legal without a permit for anyone 18 or older who can otherwise legally possess a firearm. State preemption specifically bars local governments from restricting open carry, so it's treated the same in Indianapolis as in any rural county.

Permitless since July 1, 2022 (IC 35-47-2-1, as amended by HEA 1296) — anyone 18 or older who can legally possess a firearm may carry concealed without a license, background check at the point of carry, or training requirement. Indiana still issues a free License to Carry Handgun (lifetime or 5-year) through Indiana State Police on a shall-issue basis, mainly useful for reciprocity when traveling to states that don't recognize Indiana's permitless standard.

No permit or license is required to carry a firearm, loaded or unloaded, concealed or openly, in a vehicle in Indiana — the state's permitless carry framework covers vehicle transport the same as carrying on foot, provided the carrier is not otherwise prohibited from possession. The main restrictions are the same sensitive-location rules that apply anywhere else (see Restricted Locations) and the standard prohibition on possession by someone legally disqualified.

Indiana prohibits firearms in K-12 schools, daycares, colleges and universities, on school buses, in airports (secured areas), and in riverboat casinos — these restrictions apply even to License to Carry holders. An exception allows a lawful gun owner to keep a firearm in a locked vehicle on school property, stored out of plain sight, including while dropping off or picking up a student. Federal restrictions still apply regardless of state law — federal buildings and other federal property remain off-limits under federal statute.

Indiana does not set a comprehensive statewide minimum age for possessing a firearm beyond the federal purchase-age framework (18 for long guns, 21 for handguns through a dealer). Supervised possession and use by minors below these ages — for hunting, target shooting, or firearms safety instruction under adult supervision — is common practice and not separately restricted by a dedicated state age-floor statute.

None. Indiana has no magazine capacity limit and no assault weapons ban, and state preemption law (IC 35-47-11.1-2) blocks any city or county from creating one locally.

Indiana's castle doctrine has been codified since 2006 (IC 35-41-3-2). A person is justified in using reasonable force, including deadly force, without a duty to retreat, when they reasonably believe it's necessary to prevent serious bodily injury to themselves or a third person, or to stop the commission of a forcible felony. This applies broadly, not just inside the home, making Indiana a genuine stand-your-ground state.

Indiana has strong state preemption under IC 35-47-11.1-2 — political subdivisions of the state cannot create their own firearm, ammunition, or accessory restrictions. Narrow exceptions allow law enforcement agencies to set rules for their own officers, employers to regulate employee firearms during official duties, and generally applicable zoning or business ordinances to apply to firearms businesses like any other business.

Indiana State Police, firearms licensing resources: in.gov/isp/firearms-licensing
Indiana Code, Title 35, Article 47 (full text): iga.in.gov
Your local police department or county Sheriff: for optional License to Carry Handgun applications
ATF: for federal NFA questions — Indiana does not add state-level restrictions on suppressors beyond federal requirements