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Title: Permit to Carry
Alternate Title:
Description:

Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) - Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA)


Subject: Firearms
Creation Date: 9/11/2008 2:15:53 PM
Modification Date: 11/22/2024 3:17:55 PM
Agency Name: Public Safety (DPS), Minnesota Department of
Agency URL: https://dps.mn.gov
Agency Description: The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) is responsible for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), Emergency Communication Networks, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Office of Justice Programs, State Fire Marshal, Pipeline Safety, State Highway Patrol, Capitol Security and Traffic Safety.
Agency Phone: 651-201-7000
Agency Fax: Agency URL: https://dps.mn.gov
Agency Address: Public Safety (DPS), Minnesota Dept. of
445 Minnesota Street

St. Paul
MN
55101
Division Name: Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA)
Division URL: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca
Division Description:
Division Phone: 651-793-7000 -24 Hours
Division Fax: Division URL: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca
Division Address:
1430 Maryland Ave. East

St. Paul
MN 55106

Audience: Hold Application URL:
Renewal URL:
Versa URL:
Requirements:

Review:

Firearms information

Permit to Carry
Under Minnesota law, you must obtain a permit to carry a handgun in public. The law does not require that you conceal the weapon. If you have a Permit to Carry you don’t need to obtain a Permit to Purchase to obtain a firearm.

To obtain a Permit to Carry fill out a 
Permit to Carry Application 
and submit it to the sheriff’s office in the county where you live.  

Once received, the office has 30 days to process the application. A Permit to Carry is valid for five years and is renewable. 

If you live outside of Minnesota, you can submit a Permit to Carry application to any Minnesota sheriff’s office.

Training Requirements
When applying for a Permit to Carry, Minnesota firearms law requires you to provide evidence of having received training in the safe use of a handgun from a certified instructor within one year of the original application or renewal. 

View a list of businesses with instructors who are certified to provide this training

The Adult-Use Cannabis Act 

The Adult-Use Cannabis Act prohibits a sheriff from denying an application for a permit to carry solely because the applicant is a patient enrolled in the medical cannabis registry program or because the person is 21 years of age or older and uses adult-use cannabis flower, adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, or hemp-derived consumer products.  However, use or possession of marijuana remains unlawful under federal law regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medicinal or recreational purposes in Minnesota. Guidance from the ATF indicates that an individual who is a current user of marijuana is still federally defined as an “unlawful user” of a controlled substance and is prohibited from shipping, transporting, receiving, or possessing firearms or ammunition. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension recognizes this conflict in the law.

State Reciprocity
Minnesota recognizes firearms carry permits from certain other states with similar standards. This is known as permit to carry reciprocity. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety annually reviews firearms laws from other states to determine which states currently meet that standard.

Frequently Asked Questions 
Review frequently asked questions about Minnesota's Permit to Carry.

Related Statutes
  • The Permit to Carry law includes information about requirements for obtaining a permit and penalties for carrying a firearm without a permit.
  • Minnesota’s Report of Transfer law contains information for federally licensed firearms dealers about what must be reported when transferring a firearm.
  • Certain private party transfers of firearms now require background checks.
  • The process for application, review and renewal of a permit to purchase, along with penalties for providing false information, is provided in the Transferee Permit law

Rules:
Statutes: 624.714

Forms:

Permit to Carry Application

Application must be submitted to a Minnesota county sheriff in person. 


Fees:

The fee for a permit to carry will be determined by the county sheriff, not to exceed $100.

Updated permit fee - $10


Period of Issuance:

Five years. Any 5 year permit expires at 12:00 A.M. midnight on the date of expiration listed on the permit.

Emergency permits are valid for 30 days.


Length of Determination: Permit applications must be processed within 30 days.
Other Info:
Activity: Firearms
Permit to Carry
License Detail URL:

Permit to Carry

Firearms

Firearm Instructor Search by Location

Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA)

MN Dept. of Public Safety (DPS)  MN State Fire Marshal

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