Indiana Gun Laws

In 2022, Indiana repealed its law that required a person carrying a handgun in public to obtain a license. As of July 1, 2022, anyone 18 years-of-age or older who is not prohibited from possession by state or federal law may carry a handgun in public.

Who is prohibited?

The following persons may NOT carry a handgun:

  • A person who is less than eighteen (18) years of age
  • A person who is less than twenty-three (23) years of age and has an adjudication as a delinquent child for an offense that would be considered a felony if committed by an adult
  • A person who has been Convicted of a State or Federal offense Punishable By A Term Of Imprisonment Exceeding One (1) Year
  • A person who has been Convicted of a Crime of Domestic Violence, Domestic Battery or Criminal Stalking (and Firearms Rights NOT Restored)
  • A person Restrained by an Order of Protection
  • A Fugitive From Justice
  • A person under Indictment (felony charges filed by a prosecutor)
  • A person who has been adjudicated dangerous, a mental defective; or committed to a mental institution
  • A person dishonorably discharged from military service or the National Guard
  • A person who renounces their United States citizenship
  • An alien (defined as someone who has entered the United States without inspection and authorization by an immigration officer; and has not been paroled into the United States under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act; a nonimmigrant whose authorized period of stay has expired, or who has violated the terms of the nonimmigrant category under which the person was admitted; a person paroled under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act whose period of parole has expired; or been terminated; and a person subject to an order of deportation, exclusion, or removal, or to depart the United States voluntarily), regardless of whether or not the person has left the United States

Purchase

  • An adult cannot sell or transfer a gun to someone younger than 18, unless there is a parent-child or guardian relationship present.
  • Persons under 18 are also prohibited from selling or providing a firearm to another person under 18.
  • You also cannot legally sell or transfer ownership of a handgun to someone ineligible to purchase one from a dealer or someone who intends to use it to commit a crime.

Possession

  • A person under 18 may not possess a firearm except when supervised and at his or her residence or on property owned by a parent or guardian, or, for purposes of hunting, target shooting or safety training.
  • You don't need a permit to own a rifle, shotgun, or handgun in Indiana. There's also no requirement to register a gun in Indiana.
  • A "serious violent felon" or a person convicted of domestic battery may not possess a firearm in Indiana.
  • A domestic violence offender can have his or her right to own a gun legally restored after petitioning a court, but that can occur no sooner than five years after a conviction.
  • A "serious violent offender" is described as someone who has been convicted of a crime, such as murder, voluntary manslaughter, battery, kidnapping, rape, or robbery, or has attempted to commit or conspired to commit such a crime.

Places where gun owners cannot carry

  • Private businesses may prohibit guns on their premises.
  • No one can carry a gun on school property (including preschools), on a school bus, or on property being used for a school function, unless that person has been authorized to do so by the school board.
  • There are other places where even licensed gun owners cannot carry a weapon, such as aircrafts or in controlled access areas of airports, riverboat casinos, the Indiana State Fair, and at courthouses and the Indiana Statehouse and Government Center — as well as any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law.

Extreme Risk Protection Orders

Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs)—often known as “red flag laws”— provide a proactive way to stop mass shootings and other tragedies by temporarily intervening to suspend a person’s access to firearms if they show clear warning signs of violence. In Indiana, this is known as the “Jake Laird” law.

In many instances of gun violence, family members or friends noticed warning signs that people close to them were at significant risk of harming themselves or others. Those family members or friends may provide that information to a law enforcement officer to request a seizure of firearms. If a court finds probable cause, within 14 days of the seizure, the court must hold a hearing to determine whether the firearms will be retained or returned. If the court orders the firearms retained, the individual may file a petition after 180 days seeking a finding that they are no longer at significant risk of harming themselves or others.

Quick Reference Guide

Gun Safety Policies

The Marion County Youth Violence Prevention Coalition (MCYVPC) advocates for gun safety and gun violence prevention measures to ensure all children have access to a safe future.

  • Universal Background Checks: Current law does not require background checks for gun sales at gun shows, on the internet, or between private individuals. Universal background checks are essential to close deadly loopholes in our laws that allow millions of guns to end up in the hands of individuals at an elevated risk of committing violence each year.
  • Firearm Access for High-Risk Groups: We must keep guns out of the hands of those who would use them to harm children, families, and communities. Young adults are also at elevated risk of attempting suicide and engaging in violent behaviors. Our laws contain notable gaps that allow individuals who are at high risk of violence to possess firearms.
  • Child Access Prevention Laws: Child and teen gun deaths are preventable. Comprehensive child access prevention and safe storage laws are incredibly effective tools to curb gun deaths and injuries among children and teens.
  • Assault Weapons & Large Capacity Magazines: Assault weapons with large-capacity magazines have become the weapon of choice for assailants seeking to perpetrate mass casualty attacks. These uniquely dangerous firearms are equipped with features that facilitate mass shootings and must be regulated accordingly.
  • Preemption of Local Laws: When it comes to gun violence, local laws serve the important purpose of addressing the unique issues and dangers facing the community. Preemption in Indiana does not allow Marion County to pass local gun laws, which hamstrings them from taking any action to address the public health danger of gun violence.
  • Gun Violence Prevention Research: Increased funding for data infrastructure and research is also crucial to better understand risks and protective factors for firearm violence, which can then inform effective prevention interventions.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/02/20/indiana-gun-laws-what-you-need-know/355384002/
https://giffords.org/lawcenter/state-laws/concealed-carry-in-indiana/
https://giffords.org/lawcenter/state-laws/minimum-age-to-purchase-possess-in-indiana/