Handgun Permits

Residency Requirements

It should be noted that the State of Indiana Firearms requires that applicants living within the city limits of a municipality apply at the law enforcement agency of the city or town.

If the applicant lives outside the city limits of any municipality, then they must apply to the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction, which is normally going to be their county sheriff's department. Therefore, the La Porte Police Department cannot process handgun permit applications for La Porte County residents that do not live within the city limits. Those applications must be processed by the La Porte County Sheriff's Department. Absolutely no exceptions will be made.

 Application & Fingerprinting

The applicant must fully complete the Indiana State Police online application for handgun licenses, have his/her fingerprints taken through Inkless Fingerprinting, and bring the application and local portion of the application fee in cash to the police station between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Thursdays.

You do not need to make an appointment to submit your application to the La Porte Police Department.

False Information or Evidence
It should be noted that any person giving false information or offering false evidence in order to get a handgun permit will be charged with a felony. Upon conviction, he/she could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and be required to pay a $10,000 fine.
 

Fee Regulations

• For a four-year Hunting and/or Target Permit, money order in the amount of $5 made out to the State of Indiana and $10 cash for the La Porte Police Department processing fee.
• For a four-year Personal Protection Permit, money order in the amount of $30 made out to the State of Indiana and $10 cash for the La Porte Police Department's processing fee.
• For a lifetime Hunting and/or Target Permit, if the applicant currently has a valid handgun permit, a money order in the amount of $20 made out to the State of Indiana and $40 cash for the La Porte Police Department processing fee.
• For a lifetime Personal Protection Permit, if the applicant currently has a valid handgun permit, a money order in the amount of $60 made out to the State of Indiana and $40 cash for the La Porte Police Department's processing fee.

State of Indiana Firearms Act

The State of Indiana Firearms Act prohibits the issuance of handgun permits to persons that meet any of the following criteria.

• A person who has a conviction for a crime for which they could have been sentenced to more than a year.
• A person who has a conviction for any crime involving an inability to safely handle a handgun.
• A person who has a conviction for any violation of the provisions of this article within the five years preceding his/her application.
• A person who has a conviction for Resisting Law Enforcement in the five years preceding the permit application.
• A person who has a record of being an alcohol or drug abuser as defined in the above listed Indiana Criminal Code.
• A person who has documented evidence that would give rise to a reasonable belief that he/she has a propensity for violent or emotionally unstable conduct.
• A person who made a false statement of material fact on his/her application.