Updated September 19, 2023
An Indiana firearm bill of sale serves as evidence that a legal firearm transaction took place between a dealer and an individual or between two (2) private parties. This document requires the signatures of the buyer and seller as well as two (2) witnesses. All signatures must be recorded in the presence of a notary public. It can also be used as proof of a formal change of ownership of the firearm.
Table of Contents |
Privately Selling a Firearm
In Indiana, the sale of a firearm can legally occur between a dealer and a private party or two private parties.[1]
Prohibited from Buying
A person is not legally permitted to own or purchase a firearm in the state if the person:[2][3]
- has been convicted of a felony;
- has had a license to carry a handgun suspended, unless the person’s license has been reinstated;
- is under eighteen (18) years of age;
- is under twenty-three (23) years of age if the person has been adjudicated a delinquent child for an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult;
- has been arrested for a Class A or Class B felony for an offense committed before July 1, 2014, for a Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, or Level 4 felony for an offense committed after June 30, 2014, or any other felony that was committed while armed with a deadly weapon or that involved the use of violence, if a court has found probable cause to believe that the person committed the offense charged;
- is prohibited by federal law from possessing or receiving firearms;[4] or
- is described in or exempted by IC 35–47–2–1.5.
Registering a Firearm
Indiana law does not require the registration of firearms.
Concealed Carry
Effective July 1st, 2022, Indiana residents who are eighteen (18) years of age or older, and not prohibited from firearm possession by state or federal law, may carry a concealed handgun in public without obtaining a license.
How to Apply
An individual may still apply for a concealed carry license if they so choose.
Step 1 – Complete an online Handgun License application at the Indiana State Police Handgun Licensing Portal.
Step 2 – Submit fingerprints through a registered fingerprinting location.
Step 3 – Pass a background check.
Step 4 – Within ninety (90) days of submitting fingerprints, visit the local law enforcement agency in-person with the Handgun License Application Number and application fee. Online applications expire after 180 days if the applicant does not visit the agency in-person.
Reciprocity
Licenses to carry issued by any other U.S. states or foreign countries will be recognized in Indiana as long as the licensed carrier is not a resident of Indiana.[5]