IndianaIndiana permits indoor shooting ranges on some business and farm lots
Starting July 1, 2026, indoor ranges meeting bullet, ventilation, and noise rules and stores mainly selling new sporting goods can use eligible lots without special zoning approval.
What it does
Fully enclosed indoor ranges with ventilation and sound controls can use eligible business or farm lots without a special zoning hearing if they contain bullets and make reasonable efforts to limit noise. Certain historic areas, flood plains, and commercial areas allowing a narrow kind of mixed housing are generally excluded.
Local officials must review permits for shooting range repairs or expansion under the same standards used for similar properties. They cannot require annexation or a rights waiver, and neutral safety rules still apply.
Stores mainly selling new sporting goods can use eligible commercial lots without a special zoning hearing. Certain historic areas, flood plains, and commercial areas allowing a narrow kind of mixed housing are generally excluded; officials may require a water and sewer provider's letter and an application fee.
Argument forRange owners could plan repairs and upgrades with more confidence because officials must use the same permit standards as for similar properties.
Argument againstNeighbors may have no public zoning hearing where they can raise noise concerns before a qualifying indoor range opens.
More detail
Local governments must allow eligible indoor shooting ranges without a special zoning hearing. This covers commercial, industrial, and farm lots, except certain historic areas, flood plains, and commercial areas allowing projects with multiple homes where businesses use less than half the space and stay on the ground floor of multistory buildings. Ranges must be fully enclosed, with a bullet-resistant backstop, ventilation, and sound controls. Their walls, ceilings, floors, and backstops must contain all fired bullets, and builders must make reasonable efforts to limit noise. A lawful range operating before July 1, 2026, on land zoned commercial by then can qualify in an otherwise excluded mixed housing area if the indoor project stays within the range's July 1 boundaries. These rules do not affect permit applications filed before July 1, 2026.
Local officials must review permits for work on shooting ranges using the same objective standards as for similar properties. This covers maintenance, repairs, renovations, upgrades, and expansion of shooting range buildings or facilities. Officials cannot treat the work itself as a reason to deny, delay, or add conditions to an otherwise required building or safety permit. They cannot demand consent to city annexation or a waiver of legal rights. They may enforce neutral building, fire, and safety rules that are not adopted or applied to restrict, hinder, or close ranges. This permit review rule began July 1, 2026.
Local governments must allow stores mainly selling new sporting goods on eligible commercial lots without a special zoning hearing. This generally excludes certain historic areas, flood plains, and commercial areas allowing projects with multiple homes where businesses use less than half the space and stay on the ground floor of multistory buildings. The last exclusion does not apply where a lawful range operating before July 1, 2026, on land zoned commercial by then seeks an indoor project within its July 1 boundaries. Officials may require an application fee and a letter from a water and sewer provider. This rule does not affect permit applications filed before July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 5Signed by the Governor Mike BraunBecame Law
- Mar 5Public Law 117Major
- Feb 27Signed by the President of the SenateMajor
- Vote recorded SB 176 - Tomes. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded SB 176 - Smaltz. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 27Signed by the President Pro TemporeMajor
- Feb 27Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 403: yeas 67, nays 25
- Feb 27Signed by the SpeakerMajor
- Feb 27Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 309: yeas 42, nays 8
- Feb 26CCR # 1 filed in the HouseMinor
- Feb 26CCR # 1 filed in the SenateMinor
- Feb 26Senator Freeman added as coauthor
- Feb 25Senator Doriot removed as conferee
- Feb 25Senator Taylor G removed as conferee
- Feb 25Senator Koch added as coauthor
- Feb 25Senator Doriot added as conferee
- Feb 25Senator Garten added as conferee
- Feb 24Representative Commons added as conferee
- Feb 24Representative Commons removed as advisor
- Feb 24Representative Johnson B removed as conferee
- Feb 19Senate advisors appointed: Pol, Buck
- Feb 19Senate conferees appointed: Tomes, Taylor G
- Feb 18House advisors appointed: Commons, Lucas, Smith V
- Feb 18House conferees appointed: Smaltz, Johnson B
- Feb 17Senate dissented from House amendments
- Feb 17Concurrence withdrawnMajor
- Feb 17Motion to concur filedMinor
- Feb 17Returned to the Senate with amendmentsMinor
- Feb 17Motion to dissent filedMinor
- Feb 16Third reading: passed; Roll Call 252: yeas 65, nays 25Passed House
- Vote recorded SB 176 - Smaltz - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 12Second reading: ordered engrossedMinor
- Feb 10Committee report: amend do pass, adoptedMinor
- Feb 2Representatives Commons, Lucas added as cosponsors
- Feb 2Representative Pressel added as cosponsor
- Jan 28First reading: referred to Committee on Local GovernmentMinor
- Jan 27Referred to the HouseMinor
- Jan 26Senator Doriot added as coauthor
- Vote recorded SB 176 - Tomes - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 26Senator Brown L added as coauthor
- Jan 26Senators Crider, Maxwell, Byrne, Johnson T, Bohacek added as coauthors
- Jan 26House sponsor: Representative Smaltz
- Jan 26Senator Buck added as second author
- Jan 26Third reading: passed; Roll Call 75: yeas 38, nays 6Passed Senate
- Jan 26Senator Young M added as third author
- Jan 22Second reading: ordered engrossedMinor
- Jan 20Committee report: do pass, adoptedMinor
- Jan 5First reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal LawMinor
- Jan 5Authored by Senator TomesIntroduced
Gun PolicyGovernment & EthicsPublic Safety