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Minnesota permit to carry

Minnesota has no permitless carry. If you want a pistol on you in public, you need a permit from your county sheriff, and you need training before you apply.

This is general information, not legal advice. The rules are in Minn. Stat. 624.714 and the sections around it. Fees, forms and appointment systems are set by each sheriff. Read the statute, check your sheriff's page and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and ask a Minnesota attorney about your own situation. Reviewed September 2026.

The permit is "shall issue": a sheriff must grant it to an applicant who meets the statutory requirements and may deny only on the grounds the law lists, with a written explanation and a right to appeal. It covers pistols. It says nothing about whether the gun is visible, so there is one permit for both open and concealed carry.

1. Take the training
A course from an instructor certified under Minn. Stat. 624.714, covering pistol handling, a live-fire shooting exercise and the law on carry and use of force.
2. Apply in person
Go to the sheriff of the county where you live, within one year of the course. Bring the certificate, photo ID and the fee. Non-residents may apply to any Minnesota sheriff.
3. The sheriff checks
The office runs background checks through state and federal systems. The statute gives the sheriff 30 days to issue the permit or deny it in writing.
4. Carry the card
The permit is good for five years. Have the card and your ID on you whenever you carry, and show them to a peace officer who asks.

Who qualifies

  • Age: the statute says 21. Since a 2024 federal appeals ruling, adults 18 to 20 who meet every other requirement have been able to apply. Confirm with your sheriff.
  • Training completed within the past year from a certified instructor, with live fire.
  • Not prohibited from possessing a firearm under Minn. Stat. 624.713 or federal law, and not listed in the state's criminal gang investigative data system.
  • Residents apply in their own county. Non-residents can apply to any Minnesota sheriff.

What to bring to the sheriff

  • The completed state application form, signed.
  • Your training certificate, dated within one year.
  • A current driver's license, state ID or the photo page of a passport.
  • The fee, up to $100 for a new permit. Ask which payment types the office takes.

Renewal

A permit lasts five years. You can renew up to 90 days before it expires, and renewal requires fresh training within the year before you apply. The statute allows a short grace period after expiry with a late fee, but you cannot carry on an expired permit. Put the date in your calendar.

Where a permit does not reach

PlaceRule
Schools and school busesOff limits with narrow exceptions, Minn. Stat. 609.66, subd. 1d. A permit holder may keep a pistol in a vehicle in the parking area under the conditions the statute sets.
Courthouses and some state buildingsMinn. Stat. 609.66, subd. 1g, which includes a notice procedure for permit holders. Read it before you rely on it.
Posted private businessesAn owner can ban guns by posting a conforming sign or by telling you. If you are asked to leave and refuse, that is a petty misdemeanor (624.714, subd. 17).
Your employerMay restrict carry by employees at work, but not a gun kept in your vehicle in the parking lot.
Federal propertyFederal buildings, post offices, and airports past the security checkpoint.
Anywhere, impairedNo carry under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The alcohol threshold is 0.04 (624.7142).

Buying your carry gun

You do not need the carry permit to buy a handgun, but you do need either it or a permit to purchase for the dealer to transfer one without a wait. If you are starting from nothing, the free permit to purchase from your police department or sheriff is the faster of the two to get, and you can pick up the pistol and train with it before your class.

As for what to carry: Minnesota means a heavy coat for five months and a T-shirt for three. A micro-compact 9mm disappears under anything. A compact with a longer grip is easier to shoot well and hides fine from October to April. Try the draw with gloves on before you settle. We have 350 carry-size pistols listed, and every one ships to your FFL dealer for transfer.

Compact & micro-compact pistols

All pistols →

Revolvers

All revolvers →

Common questions

Does Minnesota allow permitless carry?

No. Carrying a pistol in a public place requires a permit to carry under Minn. Stat. 624.714, unless one of the narrow statutory exceptions applies, such as carrying at your own home or business or transporting an unloaded pistol in a closed and fastened case.

Is the Minnesota permit for concealed carry only?

No. It is a permit to carry a pistol. The law does not require the pistol to be concealed and does not forbid concealing it. Most permit holders carry concealed as a matter of courtesy and good sense.

How old do you have to be?

The statute says 21. A federal appeals court ruled in 2024 (Worth v. Jacobson) that the state may not refuse permits to otherwise eligible adults aged 18 to 20 on age alone, and sheriffs have been processing those applications since. Ask your sheriff how the office currently handles it.

What training counts?

A course taught by an instructor certified by an organization the Department of Public Safety has approved, completed within one year before you apply. It must include instruction in the fundamentals of pistol use, a shooting qualification, and the legal side of possession, carry and use of force. Online-only classes with no live fire do not satisfy the statute.

How much does a permit to carry cost?

The statute caps the sheriff fee at $100 for a new permit and $75 for a renewal. The training class is separate and is priced by the instructor.

How long does it take?

The sheriff must issue or deny within 30 days of a complete application. Many counties are quicker. Some require an appointment to apply, so check the sheriff site before you drive over.

Does a permit to carry let me buy a handgun?

Yes. A valid Minnesota permit to carry serves in place of the permit to purchase when you buy a handgun or a semiautomatic military-style assault weapon (Minn. Stat. 624.7131, subd. 9). You still fill out Form 4473 and the dealer still runs the federal check.

Which other states honor a Minnesota permit?

That is up to each state and it changes. For the reverse question, the Department of Public Safety publishes each year the list of states whose permits Minnesota recognizes. Check both lists before you travel.

Can I carry in a bar or restaurant?

Minnesota does not ban permit holders from places that serve alcohol, but you may not carry while under the influence. Minn. Stat. 624.7142 sets an alcohol concentration threshold of 0.04, half the driving limit. A private business can also ban guns by posting or by telling you.

What happens if I move?

You must tell the issuing sheriff of a change of address within 30 days, and the same applies to a lost or destroyed permit card (Minn. Stat. 624.714, subd. 7a).

More Minnesota guides