Do You Need a Gun License in Indiana Anymore?

You do not need a gun license in Indiana to carry a handgun. Since July 1, 2022, any adult 18 or older who qualifies as a “proper person” under state law can carry a handgun openly or concealed without a permit. The state still issues an optional License to Carry a Handgun (LTCH), and there are practical reasons some people still get one, but it is no longer legally required.

What the 2022 Law Actually Changed

Before July 2022, anyone carrying a handgun in public in Indiana had to hold an LTCH. House Enrolled Act 1296 removed that requirement.¹ If you can legally buy a handgun, you can carry it without applying for anything. Police can no longer demand a handgun license as a condition of lawful carry.

Two things did not change. The law covers handguns only; long guns were never subject to the carry-license rule. And the categories of people barred from possessing a firearm at all are still on the books. Permitless carry is not the same as unrestricted carry, and carrying while prohibited is still a crime.

Who Can Legally Carry Without a License

Indiana’s rules turn on a statutory concept called being a “proper person.”² If you fall outside that definition, carrying is illegal whether a license is required or not. The disqualifiers, listed in Indiana Code 35-47-2-1.5 and the proper-person statute, are broader than most people expect.

Criminal History

A felony conviction is the most common disqualifier. Anyone convicted of a federal or state offense punishable by more than one year in prison cannot carry a handgun.³ A domestic violence conviction also bars you from carrying, though you can petition a court to restore your firearm rights no earlier than five years after the conviction. The court considers whether you remain subject to a protective order, whether you completed required treatment, and whether you still pose a threat to the victim.⁴

The proper-person definition also excludes anyone convicted of resisting law enforcement in the past five years, anyone convicted of a crime showing an inability to safely handle a handgun, and anyone who violated Indiana’s firearms statutes in the past five years.²

Other Bars

Several non-criminal factors also make carrying illegal:

Fugitive status: fleeing a state to avoid prosecution or to avoid testifying in a criminal proceeding.
An active civil protective order against you under Indiana’s protection order statute.
Involuntary commitment to a mental institution (other than a temporary hold for observation), a court finding of mental incompetence, or a current designation as dangerous after a court hearing.
A dishonorable discharge from the military or National Guard.
Not being lawfully present in the United States.
Being under 18, or being under 23 with a juvenile adjudication for an act that would be a felony for an adult.
A documented record of alcohol or drug abuse, or documented evidence of a propensity for violent or emotionally unstable conduct.

One quirk worth knowing if you are between 18 and 20: Indiana lets you carry, but federal law prohibits licensed dealers from selling a handgun to anyone under 21.⁵ To acquire a handgun legally in that window, you would need a private sale.

What Happens if You Carry When You Shouldn’t

A prohibited person who knowingly carries a handgun commits unlawful carrying, a Class A misdemeanor. That carries up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000. The charge jumps to a Level 5 felony in two situations: carrying on school property, within 500 feet of it, or on a school bus; or having a prior unlawful carrying conviction or any felony conviction within the past 15 years.³ A Level 5 felony carries one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Places You Still Cannot Carry

Being a proper person is not enough by itself. Certain locations are off-limits regardless of whether you hold a license.

Possessing a firearm on school property or a school bus is a Level 6 felony. A narrow defense applies if the firearm is locked in your vehicle’s trunk, glove compartment, or otherwise out of plain sight in your locked car. Leaving a firearm visible in a car parked at a school is itself a Class A misdemeanor.⁶

Entering a secured area of an airport with a firearm is a Class A misdemeanor.⁷ The line is drawn at the security checkpoint, not the airport itself.

Indiana authorizes local governments to prohibit firearms in buildings containing a courtroom.⁸ In practice, nearly every courthouse enforces this with metal detectors. The Indiana Statehouse and Government Center campus are also off-limits, as are riverboat casinos and the state fairgrounds during the annual state fair.⁹

Federal buildings, military installations, and post offices operate under federal rules that generally prohibit firearms, and violations are federal offenses. Private property owners and businesses can also ban firearms on their premises. Indiana does not impose a specific criminal penalty for ignoring a “no firearms” sign at a private business, but refusing to leave after being asked can lead to trespassing charges.

Reasons to Get the License Anyway

Indiana still issues the LTCH, and two benefits make it worth considering even though it is optional.

Carrying in Other States

Approximately 31 states honor an Indiana handgun license through reciprocity agreements.¹⁰ Without an LTCH, you are limited to the smaller group of states that allow non-residents to carry without a permit. If you travel across state lines with any regularity, a license expands where you can legally carry. Each state sets its own rules, so verify before you go.

Faster Firearm Purchases

A valid Indiana LTCH issued within the past five years serves as an alternative to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check when buying from a licensed dealer.¹¹ The Indiana State Police has confirmed that both the five-year and lifetime licenses qualify.¹² That can shorten the purchase process, particularly when NICS is running behind.

The application itself also includes a background check. Completing it successfully gives you documented confirmation that you meet the proper-person standard, which some applicants find reassuring if they are unsure about a past incident.

How to Apply and What It Costs

Applications go through the Indiana State Police online portal. Indiana offers both five-year and lifetime licenses, and the state has eliminated the state and local licensing fees for both. The license itself is free.¹³

The process is not entirely costless. New applicants pay a $12.95 fee for IDEMIA electronic fingerprinting, and every application carries an IN.gov processing fee that varies by license type.¹³ Check with your local police department or sheriff’s office about any local fee that cannot be paid through the online portal.

Approval is not automatic. If a background check turns up any disqualifier, the application will be denied. A denial does not create new legal liability on its own, but it is a clear signal that carrying a handgun would be illegal for you under current law.

1
Indiana Senate Republicans. Permitless Carry in Indiana – HEA 1296-2022
2
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-1-7 – Proper Person
3
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-2-1.5 – Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun
4
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-4-7 – Restoration of Right to Possess Firearm
5
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Minimum Age for Gun Sales and Transfers
6
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-9-2 – Possession of Firearms on School Property
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Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-6-1.3 – Firearm, Explosive, or Deadly Weapon
8
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-47-11.1-4
9
IN.gov. Are There Places Where It Is Illegal to Carry a Handgun Even Though I Have a Valid Handgun License
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IN.gov. Which States Honor My Indiana Handgun License
11
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Brady Permit Chart
12
IN.gov. ISP Firearms Licensing
13
IN.gov. ISP Fees