Yes, Missouri does have constitutional carry. Since January 1, 2017, when Senate Bill 656 took effect, anyone at least 19 years old (or 18 with military service) who can legally possess a firearm may carry a concealed handgun in most places across the state without a permit, a fee, or a training course.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 571.030 – Unlawful Use of Weapons, Offense of — Exceptions — Violation, Penalties Missouri still issues concealed carry permits, and for reasons covered below some carriers choose to get one anyway.
Who Qualifies to Carry Without a Permit
The permitless carry rule lives inside Missouri’s unlawful-use-of-weapons statute. RSMo 571.030 generally makes carrying a concealed firearm a crime, but subsection 3 exempts anyone 19 or older who lawfully possesses the firearm. Active-duty military members and honorably discharged veterans qualify at 18.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 571.030 – Unlawful Use of Weapons, Offense of — Exceptions — Violation, Penalties
“Otherwise lawfully possessed” does the real work in that sentence. Anyone federally or state-prohibited from possessing a firearm is automatically outside the exemption. That includes convicted felons, people under a domestic-violence protective order, anyone convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense, those adjudicated as mentally incompetent, and unlawful users of controlled substances. For a prohibited person, carrying is a separate felony regardless of how the firearm was concealed.
Where You Still Cannot Carry Concealed
Permitless carry does not open every door. RSMo 571.107 lists locations where no one, including permit holders, may carry a concealed firearm:2Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 571.107 – Permit Does Not Authorize Concealed Firearms, Where — Penalty for Violation
- Police stations, sheriff’s offices, and highway patrol stations, unless the chief law enforcement officer consents
- Within 25 feet of any polling place on election day
- Meetings of local governing bodies, the state legislature, or legislative committees
- Courthouses occupied by any level of the Missouri court system, and adult or juvenile detention facilities
- Private premises where the owner has posted signs meeting state specifications
Private businesses that want to ban firearms must post signs at least 11 by 14 inches with lettering no smaller than one inch tall, displayed in a conspicuous location.2Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 571.107 – Permit Does Not Authorize Concealed Firearms, Where — Penalty for Violation If you miss a sign, the first step is a request to leave; criminal liability only attaches if you refuse.
Schools and Churches: A Trap for Permitless Carriers
A separate restriction in RSMo 571.030 prohibits concealed carry in churches, schools, school buses, and school-sponsored events, and it specifically applies to people who do not hold a valid concealed carry permit.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 571.030 – Unlawful Use of Weapons, Offense of — Exceptions — Violation, Penalties If you carry under permitless carry alone and bring a firearm onto school property, you can face unlawful-use-of-weapons charges. Permit holders are exempt from that restriction.
Carrying in Your Vehicle
Missouri law directly addresses vehicle carry. Anyone 19 or older (18 with military service) who lawfully possesses the firearm may transport it concealed in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 571.030 – Unlawful Use of Weapons, Offense of — Exceptions — Violation, Penalties It can be loaded and within reach. No locked container, no separation from ammunition.
Even in locations restricted under 571.107, having a firearm inside your vehicle on those premises is generally not a criminal offense, provided you do not remove it from the vehicle or brandish it.2Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 571.107 – Permit Does Not Authorize Concealed Firearms, Where — Penalty for Violation An employer can still prohibit employees from carrying in company-owned vehicles.
Open Carry and Local Ordinances
Missouri allows open carry without a permit, but with a wrinkle. The state’s preemption statute, RSMo 21.750, generally stops cities and counties from regulating firearms more strictly than state law, but it carves out an exception that lets local governments restrict open carry inside their jurisdictions. If you hold a valid Missouri concealed carry permit, or a permit from a state Missouri recognizes, those local open-carry ordinances do not apply to you.3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 21.750 – Political Subdivisions Not to Regulate Firearms Without a permit, you are subject to whatever the city or county ordinance says.
Federal Restrictions That Override State Law
Permitless carry governs Missouri law only. Federal rules apply on top of it.
Federal Property
Carrying a firearm into a federal building is a crime under 18 U.S.C. 930, punishable by up to one year in prison. Post offices catch people off guard: federal regulations ban carrying or storing firearms on postal service property, openly or concealed.4United States Postal Service. Poster 158 – Possession of Firearms and Other Dangerous Weapons on Postal Service Property Veterans Affairs facilities, federal courthouses, and military installations carry similar restrictions.
Marijuana Users
Missouri legalized recreational marijuana, but federal law still classifies it as a Schedule I controlled substance. Under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(3), anyone who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts A regular marijuana user who possesses firearms is technically violating federal law regardless of what Missouri permits. The ATF’s Form 4473 at any licensed dealer asks about controlled substance use directly, and answering falsely is a federal crime.
Reasons Some Missouri Carriers Still Get a Permit
Permitless carry works inside Missouri. A permit adds three things on top of that.
Reciprocity when you travel. Missouri recognizes concealed carry permits from every state that issues them, but what matters outside Missouri is whether the destination state recognizes your credentials.6Attorney General Office of Missouri. Concealed Carry Reciprocity Without a Missouri permit, you have nothing for another state to recognize, so you fall under its licensing rules.
Skipping the NICS check at purchase. A valid Missouri concealed carry permit, lifetime permit, or extended permit qualifies as an alternative to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System when buying from a licensed dealer. Provisional permits do not qualify.7Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Brady Permit Chart
Expanded carry locations. Permit holders are exempt from the school and church carry restrictions in RSMo 571.030 that still bind permitless carriers, and from local open-carry ordinances.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 571.030 – Unlawful Use of Weapons, Offense of — Exceptions — Violation, Penalties3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 21.750 – Political Subdivisions Not to Regulate Firearms If you regularly pass through school zones or live in a city with open-carry restrictions, a permit removes the ambiguity.
Permits are issued on a shall-issue basis through the sheriff’s office in your county of residence, with an application fee capped at $100 for an initial permit and $50 for a renewal, after an eight-hour firearms safety training course that includes a live-fire qualification.8Missouri Sheriffs’ Association. Permits9Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 571.111 – Firearms Safety Training