Buying a Gun in Indiana

18 for handguns. No one may sell, give or otherwise transfer a handgun to a person under 18, except within a parent-child or guardian relationship or otherwise in compliance with IC 35-47-10 and federal law. A child under 18 who possesses any firearm (handgun or long gun) commits dangerous possession of a firearm unless an exemption applies, such as a hunter or firearms safety course, supervised target shooting, licensed hunting, or being on family-controlled property with a parent's or guardian's permission. It is also a crime to transfer a handgun to someone the transferor knows is ineligible, for reasons other than age, to receive one from a dealer or who intends to commit a crime, and to make a straw purchase. Article 47 sets no separate minimum age for buying a long gun.

Indiana has no state law that requires a background check, permit-to-purchase or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. Dealers must obtain a completed Form 4473 and NICS authorization before transferring a handgun from inventory. For private handgun transfers, it is a defense to a charge of transferring to an ineligible person that the seller contacted NICS (or had a dealer do so) and received authorization.

Indiana has no state law that sets a waiting period for buying handguns or long guns. Local governments may not regulate the ownership, possession, transfer or commerce in firearms (with narrow exceptions).

Indiana has no state law that regulates unserialized or homemade firearms or unfinished frame or receiver kits. State law does make it a Level 5 felony to remove, obliterate or alter an importer's or manufacturer's serial number on a firearm, or to possess a firearm whose serial number has been removed, obliterated or altered.