As an attorney working in the firearms arena on a daily basis, I am learning new legal concepts, ideas and ways of looking at things everyday. At the same time, I also get the earful of urban myth. One of the more common is that Indiana is doing away with its lifetime License to Carry Handgun permit. And once you have it, it cannot ever be suspended or revoked. Both are untrue.

In fact, just like a driver’s license, certain acts or omissions with a firearm may result in your license being suspended pending a hearing. One basis for a gun permit suspension letter issued by the Superintendent of the Indiana State Police is due to a conviction (even if a misdemeanor) for any crime involving an “inability to safely handle a handgun.” This would not necessarily keep you from possessing a firearm, but it would prohibit carrying a handgun in places where a License to Carry is necessary.

Moreover, upon receiving this letter, the License to Carry Handgun permit must be mailed or delivered to the Indiana State Police. Failure to do so is a Class A Misdemeanor. Nevertheless, there is the right to an administrative hearing before the Indiana State Police to contest gun permit suspension. Failure to contest the suspension will result in revocation.

Therefore, if you have a legal defense to the gun permit suspension, it is important to consider discussing this with an attorney. While these cases are often more difficult to challenge than a denial of an application for License to Carry, there are situations where a proposed suspension may be insufficient and the License to Carry reinstated. Generally, it is advisable to speak with a knowledgeable attorney upon receiving a gun permit suspension letter to determine how, and if, to move forward.

Ciyou & Dixon, P.C. attorneys represent Indiana residents throughout the state who have been suspended. This blog post was written by attorney Bryan L. Ciyou, Ciyou & Dixon, P.C., Indianapolis, Indiana.