Non-Resident permit · MA → IN
Is a Massachusetts Non-Resident Permit Valid in Indiana?
Recognized — and permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-08-08
Yes — and Indiana would let you carry even without the permit. The state honors Massachusetts non-resident permits and allows permitless carry for adults 18+ for anyone who may legally possess a handgun.
Why
- Indiana recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Indiana allows permitless carry for eligible adults 18+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
Official IN.gov FAQ quoting IC 35-47-2-21(b): licenses issued by other states or foreign countries 'will be recognized according to the terms thereof but only while the holders are not residents of Indiana.' No issuing-state residency condition, so non-resident permits are honored per their terms; permitless carry independently covers most visitors 18+.
The permit (Massachusetts)
- Permit
- License to Carry Firearms (LTC)
- Issued by
- Local police department licensing authority (residents); Firearms Records Bureau as designee of the Colonel of the State Police (non-residents)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Non-Resident Temporary LTC issued by the Firearms Records Bureau; valid 1 year, renewed annually by mail with in-person appearance required once every six years; MA Basic Firearms Safety Course certificate required.
The destination (Indiana)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (18+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Indiana
Whatever your permit status, Indiana law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- No statutory proactive duty found; official IN.gov guidance recommends telling an officer 'in a non-threatening manner' that you are in possession of a firearm. Framed as a recommendation, not a legal requirement.
- Indiana sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Indiana allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Anyone eligible for permitless carry (18+, not a prohibited person) may carry a loaded handgun in a vehicle without a license since July 1, 2022.
Off-limits places in Indiana
- School property (IC 35-47-9)
- Commercial airports and aircraft (IC 35-47-6)
- Riverboat casinos (68 IAC 1-7-1)
- Army Corps of Engineers-leased properties at certain state reservoirs and Falls of the Ohio State Park
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Massachusetts non-resident permit valid in Indiana?
- Yes — and Indiana would let you carry even without the permit. The state honors Massachusetts non-resident permits and allows permitless carry for adults 18+ for anyone who may legally possess a handgun.
- Do I have to tell police in Indiana that I am carrying?
- No statutory proactive duty found; official IN.gov guidance recommends telling an officer 'in a non-threatening manner' that you are in possession of a firearm. Framed as a recommendation, not a legal requirement.
- Does Indiana limit magazine capacity?
- Indiana sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Can I carry in Indiana without any permit?
- Indiana allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Where does Indiana publish its official reciprocity list?
- Indiana publishes its recognition policy on an official state page, linked in the sources on this page. That page is the authority — check it shortly before travel, because recognition lists change without much notice.
Official sources
- IN.gov FAQ - Does Indiana honor handgun licenses from other states? (IC 35-47-2-21(b)) — accessed 2026-08-08
- IN.gov FAQ - Places where carry is illegal even with a valid license — accessed 2026-08-08
- IN.gov FAQ - Handgun carry at Indiana State Parks — accessed 2026-08-08
- IN.gov FAQ - How do I apply for a handgun license? (ISP issues; online portal) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia General Assembly policy brief (supporting: lists Indiana among the 25 permitless-carry states as of 2022) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mass.gov — Firearms License and Transaction FAQs (no reciprocity; large-capacity feeding devices; issuing authorities) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MGL c.140 §131G — repealed by Ch. 135 of 2024, Sec. 64 (Mass. Legislature) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Acts of 2024, Chapter 135 (An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws) — Sec. 124 prohibited areas — accessed 2026-08-08