The Indiana LTCH (License to Carry a Handgun) can now be used as a NICS bypass for firearm purchases! This is great news – BUT it comes with an important caveat…
As of 5/23/2025, the ATF has added Indiana’s carry license to its list of state-issued licenses/permits that allow your FFL (that’s us!) to forego initiating a background check in NICS for the purchase/transfer of a “Title 1” firearm (i.e. any firearm NOT currently regulated under the NFA, i.e. supressors, short-barreled rifles/shotguns, AOW’s, etc).
You’ll still need to fill out the Form 4473, but once that’s completed, the firearm can be transferred. Sounds great, right? It might be just that easy, or it might not!
Consider this: the rule in all states where this applies (find that list here) is that the permit/license must have been issued with in the past 5 years from the date of purchase/transfer.
SOOOO, if you’re a LIFETIME license holder in Indiana (or any other state that issues such a permit), then the issue date on the license/permit presented must be within the past 5 years – otherwise, no bypassing NICS. If you’ve held that Lifetime LTCH for more than 5 years, it can’t be used to bypass the Federal background check.
As with most developments in the firearms regulation/politics landscape, it’s good-news/bad-news. IF keeping your information out of the NICS system is important to you, then as an Indiana resident, you could consider applying for a 5-year LTCH. Now, OF COURSE, you don’t need a LTCH to carry in Indiana at all, and we’re not telling you what to do – we’re just telling you what the rules are today and how they govern our purchasing and transfer operations. For more information, check out Guy Relford‘s recent post on X/Twitter.