Indiana Gun Laws for Non-Residents and Out-of-State Visitors

Can out-of-state visitors carry a gun in Indiana?

Yes. Indiana’s permitless carry law, effective July 1, 2022, is written around who is prohibited, not where you live. If you are 18 or older and not a prohibited person under IC 35-47-2-1.5 or federal law, you can carry a handgun in Indiana, openly or concealed, without a license. Indiana’s list of prohibited people includes felons, people under protective orders, people convicted of domestic violence, people under indictment, fugitives, and people under 18, among others.

Does Indiana honor my state’s carry permit?

Yes, all of them. IC 35-47-2-21(b) says licenses to carry handguns issued by other states or foreign countries are recognized according to their terms, but only while the holder is not an Indiana resident. In practice, visitors don’t need their permit to carry in Indiana if they meet the permitless carry rules, but carrying it doesn’t hurt. If you move to Indiana, your old state’s license stops counting.

Can a non-resident get an Indiana license to carry?

Only in limited cases. Under IC 35-47-2-3, a resident of another state can apply only if they have a regular place of business or employment in Indiana. Tourists and occasional visitors can’t get one.

Can non-residents buy a gun in Indiana?

Federal law controls this, not Indiana.

• Rifles and shotguns: A licensed dealer can sell a long gun to a resident of another state if the sale is done in person and is legal in both states (18 U.S.C. 922(b)(3)). If your home state bans a model or feature, the dealer can’t sell it to you.
• Handguns: A dealer can sell a handgun only to a resident of the dealer’s state. If you live in Ohio and find a pistol in Indiana, the dealer ships it to a licensed dealer in Ohio, and you pick it up there after a background check. See buying a handgun out of state.
• Private sales: A private seller can’t transfer a gun directly to a resident of another state (18 U.S.C. 922(a)(5)). It has to go through a dealer in the buyer’s state.

Active duty military are considered residents of the state of their permanent duty station for federal gun purchases (18 U.S.C. 921(b)).

Our standard process at Condition Red Tactical uses a valid Indiana driver’s license or ID with your current address, so if you live out of state, call us before you drive over.

Bringing your gun into Indiana

If you can legally carry in Indiana, you can drive in with a loaded handgun. The issue is usually the states you pass through on the way. The federal safe-passage law, 18 U.S.C. 926A, protects travelers moving between two places where they can legally have the gun, as long as it is unloaded and not readily accessible, in the trunk or, if there is no trunk, in a locked container other than the glove box or console. See transporting guns in Indiana.

Carrying in your car as a visitor

Visitors who qualify for permitless carry can keep a handgun in their vehicle in Indiana just as residents can. If you’re not sure you qualify, or you’re a prohibited person under your home state’s or federal law, don’t carry. Rifles and shotguns don’t need any Indiana license, but they are still covered by the school property rule and the other location restrictions below.

Heading from Indiana into Illinois

Illinois does not recognize other states’ carry licenses for general carry. It lets non-residents keep a concealed firearm inside their vehicle if they are eligible to carry in their home state and hold a license from that state (430 ILCS 66/40). Visitors who carry in Indiana without a license need to know this before crossing west.

Rules visitors should know in Indiana

• No carrying on school property or school buses, except locked in a vehicle (IC 35-47-9-2).
• No firearms in airport screening areas (IC 35-47-6-1.3).
• Private businesses can ban guns (IC 35-47-2-1(c)).
• Federal buildings and post offices are off limits under federal law.
• Cities can’t pass stricter local gun rules (IC 35-47-11.1-2), so the rules are the same in Indianapolis as in Greenfield.

See the full list in where you cannot carry in Indiana.

Hunting in Indiana as a non-resident

Hunting has its own licensing and equipment rules set by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Check current DNR regulations for your season and species before you go.

Gun laws change, and this guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current Indiana Code or talk to an Indiana attorney about your specific situation.