To obtain a gun permit in Indiana, you must meet the following criteria:
INDIANA RESIDENTS
Must be at least 18 years old who:
- does not have a conviction for resisting law enforcement under IC 35-44.1-3-1 within five (5) years before the person applies for a license or permit under this chapter;
- does not have a conviction for a crime for which the person could have been sentenced for more than one (1) year;
- does not have a conviction for a crime of domestic violence (as defined in IC 35-31.5-2-78), unless a court has restored the person’s right to possess a firearm under IC 35-47-4-7;
- is not prohibited by a court order from possessing a handgun;
- does not have a record of being an alcohol or drug abuser as defined in this chapter;
- does not have documented evidence which would give rise to a reasonable belief that the person has a propensity for violent or emotionally unstable conduct;
- does not make a false statement of material fact on the person’s application;
- does not have a conviction for any crime involving an inability to safely handle a handgun;
- does not have a conviction for violation of the provisions of this article within five (5) years of the person’s application;
- does not have an adjudication as a delinquent child for an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult, if the person applying for a license or permit under this chapter is less than twenty-three (23) years of age;
- has not been involuntarily committed, other than a temporary commitment for observation or evaluation, to a mental institution by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority;
- has not been the subject of a:
- ninety (90) day commitment as a result of proceeding under IC 12-26-6; or
- regular commitment under IC 12-26-7; or has not been found by a court to be mentally incompetent, including being found:
- not guilty by reason of insanity;
- guilty but mentally ill; or
- incompetent to stand trial.
NON-RESIDENTS
If the applicant is a resident of another state and has a regular place of business or employment in Indiana, the applicant applied to the sheriff of the county in which the applicant has a regular place of business or employment.
The superintendent may not issue a lifetime qualified license or a lifetime unlimited license to a person who is a resident of another state. The superintendent may issue a four (4) year qualified license or a four (4) year unlimited license to a person who is a resident of another state and who has a regular place of business or employment in Indiana.
The applicant must be at least 18 years old who:
- does not have a conviction for resisting law enforcement under IC 35-44.1-3-1 within five (5) years before the person applies for a license or permit under this chapter;
- does not have a conviction for a crime for which the person could have been sentenced for more than one (1) year;
- does not have a conviction for a crime of domestic violence (as defined in IC 35-31.5-2-78), unless a court has restored the person’s right to possess a firearm under IC 35-47-4-7;
- is not prohibited by a court order from possessing a handgun;
- does not have a record of being an alcohol or drug abuser as defined in this chapter;
- does not have documented evidence which would give rise to a reasonable belief that the person has a propensity for violent or emotionally unstable conduct;
- does not make a false statement of material fact on the person’s application;
- does not have a conviction for any crime involving an inability to safely handle a handgun;
- does not have a conviction for violation of the provisions of this article within five (5) years of the person’s application;
- does not have an adjudication as a delinquent child for an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult, if the person applying for a license or permit under this chapter is less than twenty-three (23) years of age;
- has not been involuntarily committed, other than a temporary commitment for observation or evaluation, to a mental institution by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority;
- has not been the subject of a:
- ninety (90) day commitment as a result of proceeding under IC 12-26-6; or
- regular commitment under IC 12-26-7; or
- has not been found by a court to be mentally incompetent, including being found:
- not guilty by reason of insanity;
- guilty but mentally ill; or
- incompetent to stand trial.
Gun Permits
If you are a resident of the state of Indiana, in order to obtain a carry permit you must complete the Indiana State Police Firearms Licensing Application and schedule electronic fingerprinting. Your application will be reviewed by the Chief of Police, and if your background check is clear, he will approve the application via the website. If approved, you should receive your gun permit within 60 days after you pay the local fee and complete your fingerprints at the IdentoGO location you have chosen.
Permit Options and Costs
There are two main options for handgun carry permits:
- A five-year license is $40.00 ($10 cash or money order made payable to the Westport Police Department and $30 payable with a credit card while filling out the application online to the Indiana State Police).
- A lifetime license is $125 ($50 cash or money order made payable to the Westport Police Department and $75 payable with a credit card while filling out the application online to the Indiana State Police).
*If you are renewing your application and the current handgun license has not expired, there is a price difference for the lifetime application. The cost will be $40 cash or check made payable to the Westport Police Department for the local fee and $60 payable with a credit card while filling out the application online to the State of Indiana.
Instructions
As of October 1, 2014, the state of Indiana requires all individuals to apply for their handgun carry permits online. Follow these instructions when filling out the application:
- Go to the Indiana State Police website and complete the application. At the end of the application, you will receive directions on how to schedule electronic fingerprinting (step 2) and payment of the state fee.
- Schedule your electronic fingerprinting through IdentoGO. (This can NOT be done at the Police Department). Cost for fingerprinting is $11.95, and this is not paid to the Westport Police Department.
- Bring your Application Number and photo ID to your local law enforcement agency for approval and local fee payment.
- Your application will be electronically transferred to Indiana State Police for final review. If your application is approved, your permit will be sent to you via U.S. Mail. If your application is rejected, you will be notified via U.S. Mail and will receive instructions on how to file an appeal.
For questions regarding fingerprint scheduling, contact IdentoGO at (844) 321-2124.
Firearms License Application Process
