I live in Indiana and Florida. Can I buy a handgun while I'm in Indiana?

[Fantix]

Every last dealer I have seen requires an INDL. Not even an IN issued State ID card is good enough. No DL, no dice. Well, unless you have an "in" with someone at the shop that is willing to vouch for you long enough for you to get past the "no DL, no transaction" rule so you can present your supporting documents to the owner.

I don't understand the reasoning behind this. They are punishing a person because they never learned to drive or they don't want to drive? I personally know two people right now that have never had a drivers license. Granted, they are both in their 60's, but still, a state issued ID is a state issued ID. Someone, please tell me how driving is correlated to proper firearm handling or buying a firearm.

 

[Hogwylde]

Someone, please tell me how driving is correlated to proper firearm handling or buying a firearm.

OK.............If you don't have it together enough to know how to safely drive a car, you don't have it together enough to have a gun............


My grandmother never had a drivers license. Of course there is a reason she didn't. She COULDN'T drive a car. My father tried many times to teach her. She never could figure out that if you want to turn a little, you turn the wheel a little. If you want to turn a lot, you turn the wheel a lot. You don't keep turning the wheel more and more just because you want to keep turning.

 

[Leo]

Everyone getting out of prison gets a state ID also. That makes dealers nervous. Over zelous batf auditors have everyone around here so nervous they are nervous about selling to anyone.

 

[Fantix]

Everyone getting out of prison gets a state ID also. That makes dealers nervous. Over zelous batf auditors have everyone around here so nervous they are nervous about selling to anyone.

Shouldn't they fail a background check?

One of the ladies I know never wanted to learn, but that doesn't make her an improper person to own a firearm.

 

[6mm Shoot]

I had to deal with this some years back. I was told that if I lived in Florida for more than thirty days I had to get a Florida drivers license. Then I was back in Kentucky and was told the same thing by Kentucky. So it came down to that I had to get a new drivers license after thirty days where I was staying. After getting the license you will have no problems getting a gun.

 

[Leo]

I cannot go too far into it, but I sold a firearm to someone who was approved and a few days later, the batf people decided they changed their mind. Things got a little hairy, luckily the customer was willing to cooperate. All the time involved in visiting with various employees of the batf does not allow much profit.

Having the government hands in your business is like having cancer that is not growing, you cannot ever relax because at with no notice, it can start spreading again.

 

[SwampDude]

Why is the Indiana driver license magic?

My Florida driver license and Florida CC license have photos that identify me by the same name that appears on Indiana property tax records, Indiana bank records, Indiana utility records, my Visa account billing address, etc., etc. My Florida CC license would be accepted by Indiana law enforcement if I should ever have to demonstrate my authority to carry a handgun. I will pass a background check using either address, and I have always provided my social security number in filling out numerous background check forms. It all ties together.

Why would I be considered a suspicious applicant with dual residency but not suspicious simply because I had an Indiana driver license?

 

[Hogwylde]

Why would I be considered a suspicious applicant with dual residency but not suspicious simply because I had an Indiana driver license?

THERE.....is the answer to your question I believe. You either ARE a resident of Indiana, or you ARE a resident of Florida. Just because you own "residences" in each state does NOT make you a "resident" of both states.

 

[DarkRose]

OK.............If you don't have it together enough to know how to safely drive a car, you don't have it together enough to have a gun............


My grandmother never had a drivers license. Of course there is a reason she didn't. She COULDN'T drive a car. My father tried many times to teach her. She never could figure out that if you want to turn a little, you turn the wheel a little. If you want to turn a lot, you turn the wheel a lot. You don't keep turning the wheel more and more just because you want to keep turning.

My late grandmother got her license at the age of 45 if I remember correctly, and my son's mother is in her 30's and still has never learned to drive... (just don't ask, please. lol!)

Heck, I've had mine suspended before without even knowing it because a notice to provide documentation went to a wrong address and was not forwarded. Lots of reasons people don't have them. Sate issued ID is state issued ID. You have to identify who you are, which is not conditional on ability to operate a motor vehicle legally.

 

[6mm Shoot]

SwampDude by law you have to change your drivers license if you live in the state more than thirty days. That is the law. If you are not doing that then you are not fallowing the law.

 

[SwampDude]

SwampDude by law you have to change your drivers license if you live in the state more than thirty days. That is the law. If you are not doing that then you are not fallowing the law.

So, people who reside in two states are supposed to get a new drivers license every time they spend more than 30 consecutive days in either of those states, or is this Indiana law?

 

[sloughfoot]

Fromn the Indiana.gov website.....

What are the residency requirements for Indiana?

Published 01/04/2007 01:09 PM | Updated 07/29/2013 09:32 AM
What are the residency requirements for Indiana?

Residency requirements for Indiana can fall into one of three general categories:
1. General purposes: Residency is established by registering to vote, enrolling a child in school, paying taxes, or living in the state for 183 days without a residence in another state. New residents of Indiana have 60 days to get an Indiana driver's license.

The emphasis is mine. I think this means if you do these three things in Florida, you are a Florida resident. If you do these three things in Indiana, you are an Indiana resident.

 

[SwampDude]

Fromn the Indiana.gov website.....

What are the residency requirements for Indiana?

Published 01/04/2007 01:09 PM | Updated 07/29/2013 09:32 AM
What are the residency requirements for Indiana?

Residency requirements for Indiana can fall into one of three general categories:
1. General purposes: Residency is established by registering to vote, enrolling a child in school, paying taxes, or living in the state for 183 days without a residence in another state. New residents of Indiana have 60 days to get an Indiana driver's license.

The emphasis is mine. I think this means if you do these three things in Florida, you are a Florida resident. If you do these three things in Indiana, you are an Indiana resident.

Thanks.

Someone posted earlier that federal law permits a person with a residence in two states to buy a firearm in either state. It was also stated earlier that federal law trumps Indiana law. If these statements are correct, Indiana's General Purpose residency statute may not be applicable for the special purpose of a firearm purchase. Does this make sense?

I do the things you listed (voting, etc.) in Florida, no question about that. I am considered a Florida resident under Florida law. The only wrinkle from my perspective is the Federal residency rule for firearm purchases which seems to contradict Indiana law.

 

[sloughfoot]

I posted this because the discussion had devolved to an argument about having to get a drivers license while you are residing in Indiana.

I don't know about federal law about buying a handgun. My gut says if you are a Florida resident, you cannot buy a handgun in Indiana. Owning property in Indiana does not make you a resident. I think the analogy would be staying in an extended stay hotel while in Indiana. You wouldn't expect to be treated as a resident under that circumstance, would you?

I think you can only purchase a handgun in your home state, which I believe to be Florida. But I am not going to research federal law for you. I wouldn't know where to start looking.

 

[45fan]

Considering the somewhat uncertain nature of what you are asking, SwampDude, it may prove more effective to go in person to the gun store you are interested in doing business with (with all pertinent information printed off), and talk to the person in charge to see what they say. As a general rule, faxes sent from unfamiliar numbers asking sketchy or seemingly shading questions are best left ignored. I received an order once for a large number of car parts. Even had an authentic looking cashiers check, but the spidey senses were tingling, and with a bit of digging, the check proved a forgery, and the order was a scam.

Showing your face, presenting the question in person, and asking them to do their own research into the subject may make them more willing to deal with you. I do not know for a fact, but I would think that a FFL holder would have a way to contact the proper people to ask such questions, and get legitimate answers in a way that would cover their butts.

 

[Hogwylde]

I do the things you listed (voting, etc.) in Florida, no question about that. I am considered a Florida resident under Florida law.

You are ALSO considered a Florida resident under Indiana law, Texas law, and every other states law.......which is why Indiana gun dealers won't sell you a firearm. Just because Federal law appears to ALLOW you to purchase.....it doesn't mean they HAVE to sell to you. They are covering their butts, and rightfully so.

 

[SwampDude]

You are ALSO considered a Florida resident under Indiana law, Texas law, and every other states law.......which is why Indiana gun dealers won't sell you a firearm. Just because Federal law appears to ALLOW you to purchase.....it doesn't mean they HAVE to sell to you. They are covering their butts, and rightfully so.

This is probably the bottom line. A legitimate dealer's desire to stay in line with Indiana law is greater than the desire to sell a gun or two. If I were in the dealer's shoes, my position would probably be to err on the side of protecting my license and my reputation.

 

[MisterChester]

When I bought my first gun in IN, the dealer would not sell to me at first because my IN DL was only a few weeks old. I brought him my electric bills to prove that I lived here. Without an IN DL I would imagine it would be hard to find a dealer willing to sell to you. If you wanted it bad enough, I would bring that ATF law plus every other proof you can get to prove you live here too and maybe, just maybe, they will sell.

 

[SwampDude]

When I bought my first gun in IN, the dealer would not sell to me at first because my IN DL was only a few weeks old. I brought him my electric bills to prove that I lived here. Without an IN DL I would imagine it would be hard to find a dealer willing to sell to you. If you wanted it bad enough, I would bring that ATF law plus every other proof you can get to prove you live here too and maybe, just maybe, they will sell.

I guess I sound like an addict in need of a fix with all of this fuss about 'I want it but they won't sell it to me...what am I gonna do'. I will survive without buying another handgun until I return to Florida.

I appreciate the comments, and the conversation was fun. I'm glad I found INGO.

 

[SwampDude]

Considering the somewhat uncertain nature of what you are asking, SwampDude, it may prove more effective to go in person to the gun store you are interested in doing business with (with all pertinent information printed off), and talk to the person in charge to see what they say. As a general rule, faxes sent from unfamiliar numbers asking sketchy or seemingly shading questions are best left ignored. I received an order once for a large number of car parts. Even had an authentic looking cashiers check, but the spidey senses were tingling, and with a bit of digging, the check proved a forgery, and the order was a scam.

Showing your face, presenting the question in person, and asking them to do their own research into the subject may make them more willing to deal with you. I do not know for a fact, but I would think that a FFL holder would have a way to contact the proper people to ask such questions, and get legitimate answers in a way that would cover their butts.

Just for fun, I'm going to do what you suggest. I'll hand carry a copy of the federal statute and the background check form to the dealer I faxed info to recently, along with my photo identification, property tax statement, utility bills, auto license plate registration and checking account statement. I'll also take all the receipts from his store for guns I've bought in the past.

This has evolved into an experiment instead of a gun buying journey. I'll report back on my findings. We probably can predict the outcome, can't we?