Indiana has no law that imposes a penalty on someone who fails to secure an unattended firearm and leaves it accessible to an unsupervised minor.

However, Indiana does provide that a child’s parent or legal guardian commits the crime of “dangerous control of a child” if he or she knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly permits the child (defined as a person under age 18;¹ ) to possess a firearm, either:

• While aware of a substantial risk that the child will use the firearm to commit a felony; and

• While failing to make reasonable efforts to prevent the use of a firearm by the child to commit a felony; or

• When the child has been convicted of a crime of violence or has been adjudicated as a juvenile for an offense that would constitute a crime of violence if the child were an adult;²

In addition, an adult who knowingly or intentionally provides a firearm to a child for any purpose other than those specified³ commits “dangerous control of a firearm,” a Class C felony.⁴

A child who knowingly or intentionally provides a firearm to another child with or without remuneration for any purpose other than those described in section 35-47-10-1, with or without remuneration, commits “dangerous possession of a firearm,” a Class A misdemeanor.⁵

Firearms in youth camps must be locked in cabinets or buildings.⁶ Caregivers in child care homes must keep all ammunition and firearms in a locked area inaccessible to children whenever children are present.⁷ Providers at certain child care facilities must ensure that firearms and ammunition are secured in a locked area, by key or combination, where children cannot gain access.⁸ A provider of child care services is ineligible to receive voucher payments if it operates a facility where firearms, ammunition, or other weapons are stored in a place that is accessible to children.⁹

Indiana has no law that requires unattended firearms to be stored in a certain way.

Indiana does not require a locking device to accompany the sale of a firearm, and no state statutes require firearm owners to affirmatively lock their weapons.

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1. See Ind. Code Ann. § 35-47-10-3.[↩]
2. Ind. Code Ann. § 35-47-10-7.[↩]
3. See the exceptions to the child possession and transfer restrictions at Ind. Code Ann. § 35-47-10-1.[↩]
4. Ind. Code Ann. § 35-47-10-6.[↩]
5. Ind. Code Ann. § 35-47-10-5(b).[↩]
6. 410 Ind. Admin. Code 6-7.2-21(g).[↩]
7. 470 Ind. Admin. Code 3-1.1-48(e).[↩]
8. 470 Ind. Admin. Code 3-18-10(a).[↩]
9. Ind. Code Ann. § 12-17.2-3.5-17.[↩]