Resident permit · AL → IN
Is an Alabama Resident Permit Valid in Indiana?
Carrying in Indiana is legal for you. Your Alabama resident permit is recognized, and Indiana additionally allows permitless concealed carry for adults 18+ for those who qualify.
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 (Alabama)
- Permit
- Alabama Concealed Carry Permit (Pistol Permit)
- Issued by
- County sheriff
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
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
Your Alabama habits may not match Indiana's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.
- 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
Indiana bans carry in 4 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- School property (IC 35-47-9)
- Commercial airports and aircraft (IC 35-47-6)
Alabama vs Indiana: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Alabama into Indiana changes one rule: permitless carry (Yes (19+) → Yes (18+)).
| Rule | Alabama | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (19+) | Yes (18+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, an Indiana resident permit in Alabama: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Driving on from Indiana
How an Alabama resident permit fares in the states bordering Indiana:
Frequently asked questions
- Does Indiana honor an Alabama non-resident permit?
- Alabama does not issue non-resident carry permits (aLEA: Alabama issues concealed carry permits only to Alabama residents, via the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence), so the question does not arise.
- Can an Indiana resident permit holder carry in Alabama?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Alabama's law, not Indiana's.
- 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
- Indiana State Police - Permitless Carry website messaging (PDF) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Indiana State Police - Firearms Handgun Licensing Application Fees — accessed 2026-09-27
- Indiana State Police - Apply for a New License to Carry — accessed 2026-09-27
- Alabama Attorney General — Reciprocity For Concealed Carry Permits (current as of May 1, 2026) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency — Gun Laws — accessed 2026-08-08
- Jefferson County Sheriff — Understanding the New Permit-less Carry Law — accessed 2026-08-08
- Jefferson County Sheriff — Pistol Permits (issuing authority; age 19, 18 military) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Code of Alabama § 13A-11-75 — permit issuance, term, fee (Legislature ALISON, via Wayback) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Code of Alabama § 13A-11-73 — permit required only for vehicle or concealed carry (via Wayback) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Code of Alabama § 13A-11-7 — visible holstered pistol not disorderly conduct (via Wayback) — accessed 2026-09-27