Minnesota Gun Laws: Permits, Carry Rules, and Storage

Minnesota gun laws require a permit to purchase or acquire a handgun or semiautomatic military-style assault weapon, a separate permit to carry a pistol in public, and a background check on nearly every private transfer of those same firearms. Standard long guns like bolt-action rifles and pump shotguns fall outside most of these rules. State law also preempts local ordinances, so the requirements are the same in Minneapolis, Duluth, or a rural township, and federal law layers additional restrictions on top.

Who Cannot Possess a Firearm

The baseline age for possessing a pistol or semiautomatic military-style assault weapon in Minnesota is 18. Minors can still handle these firearms under direct parental supervision, during organized instruction, or at an approved shooting range.¹ Federal law separately bars licensed dealers from selling handguns or handgun ammunition to anyone under 21, so an 18-year-old can legally possess a pistol in Minnesota but cannot buy one from a dealer.²

A conviction for a crime of violence carries a lifetime ban on possessing pistols, semiautomatic military-style assault weapons, and ammunition. An equivalent conviction from another state produces the same result in Minnesota.¹ People who have been judicially committed as mentally ill, developmentally disabled, or mentally ill and dangerous are also disqualified unless a court later restores their firearm rights.³

Domestic violence adds another layer. Anyone subject to an active domestic abuse or child abuse protection order is prohibited from possessing firearms while the order is in effect. A conviction for assaulting a family or household member within the previous three years also triggers a ban, whether or not a firearm was involved in the offense. Federal law independently bars anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, or subject to a qualifying protective order, from possessing firearms or ammunition.⁴

Federal law under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) then goes further. Beyond felons and those with domestic violence convictions, the federal categories include fugitives from justice, unlawful users of controlled substances, people dishonorably discharged from the military, individuals who have renounced U.S. citizenship, and anyone under indictment for a crime punishable by more than one year in prison.⁴ A person can pass every state-level check and still be prohibited under federal law. The federal prohibition controls.

Permit to Purchase

Before you can acquire a pistol or semiautomatic military-style assault weapon in Minnesota, you need a transferee permit, commonly called a Permit to Purchase. You apply by submitting a written request to the chief of police in your municipality, or to the county sheriff if your area has no full-time police department.⁵ Long guns that are not semiautomatic military-style assault weapons do not require this permit.

The permit is free. The statute prohibits any charge for forms, investigations, or any other government action connected to the application. Once issued, it is valid statewide for one year.⁵ A valid Permit to Carry also satisfies the transferee permit requirement, so if you already hold one, you do not need a separate Permit to Purchase.

Permit to Carry a Pistol

Carrying a pistol in public without a permit is a gross misdemeanor for a first offense and a felony for any subsequent offense.⁶ The Permit to Carry issued under § 624.714 is valid for five years and doubles as a Permit to Purchase for its duration.

Who Qualifies

Applicants must be at least 21, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and not disqualified under any of the prohibitions in § 624.713. You must also complete a certified firearms safety course within one year before applying. The training must cover fundamentals of pistol use, include a live shooting qualification exercise, and address the legal aspects of carrying and using deadly force.⁷ Confirm the instructor is state-certified before paying. An uncertified course will not support the application.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted in person to the sheriff of the county where you live. You need the completed form, a photocopy of your training certificate, and a copy of your driver’s license, state ID, or passport photo page. The sheriff may charge up to $100 for a new application or the actual processing cost, whichever is less. Renewals are capped at $75.⁸

The sheriff has 30 days from receipt to issue or deny. If 30 days pass without any response, the permit is considered issued by operation of law, and the sheriff must promptly process it.⁹

If You Are Denied

A sheriff can only deny an application based on a statutory disqualification or a finding that you pose a substantial likelihood of danger to yourself or the public. You can appeal to the district court in the county where you applied, and the court must hold a hearing within 60 days. The sheriff bears the burden of proving the denial was justified by clear and convincing evidence. If the court rules in your favor, the sheriff must issue the permit and pay your reasonable costs and attorney fees.¹⁰

Private Transfers and Background Checks

Since August 2023, Minnesota has required background checks on nearly all private transfers of pistols and semiautomatic military-style assault weapons. If you are selling or giving one of these firearms to another private individual, the transfer must go through a federally licensed dealer who runs the background check, or the buyer must present a valid transferee permit along with current government-issued identification.¹¹ Non-semiautomatic long guns such as bolt-action rifles and standard shotguns are not covered.

When a transfer happens without a dealer, both the seller and buyer must complete a record of transfer on a form provided by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and keep their copy for 10 years. If a law enforcement officer requests the record during a criminal investigation and you cannot produce it, that failure is itself a misdemeanor.¹²

Exemptions

The background check requirement does not apply to every private handoff. The statute lists specific exemptions, including:

Transfers between spouses, domestic partners, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren.
Transfers to an executor or personal representative upon the death of the firearm’s owner.
Loans at a shooting range, during hunting or trapping, at organized competitions, or for instructional courses under direct supervision.
Temporary transfers necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, lasting only as long as the emergency requires.
Transfers of antique firearms or curios and relics between licensed collectors.

The categories matter.¹³ Lending a handgun to a cousin for a weekend hunting trip falls outside the immediate-family definition and would only qualify if it fit the temporary hunting exemption.

Buying a firearm on behalf of someone who cannot legally purchase it is a straw purchase and a serious federal crime. Under 18 U.S.C. §§ 932 and 933, a straw purchase carries up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If the firearm is later used in a felony, terrorism, or drug trafficking, the maximum climbs to 25 years.¹⁴

Places You Cannot Carry

A Permit to Carry does not clear you into every location. Minnesota law prohibits firearms on the property of any public or private K-12 school, on school buses, and in any area currently being used for school-sponsored activities. An exception exists for firearms kept locked inside a motor vehicle in a school parking lot.¹⁵ The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act extends the prohibition to within 1,000 feet of school grounds, though state permit holders are generally exempt from the federal zone.

Federal buildings owned or leased by the U.S. government are off-limits under 18 U.S.C. § 930 regardless of any state permit. That covers post offices, federal courthouses, Social Security offices, and similar facilities.

Private businesses can also ban firearms from their premises, but the statute sets specific notice requirements. The establishment must post a compliant sign at every entrance reading “(OPERATOR NAME) BANS GUNS IN THESE PREMISES,” or the operator or their agent must personally tell you guns are not allowed and ask you to leave.¹⁵ Carrying into a posted establishment and refusing to leave when asked is a petty misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $25 for a first offense. The firearm is not subject to forfeiture. Residential property owners can ban firearms from their homes using any reasonable method of notice.

Using a Firearm in Self-Defense

Owning a firearm legally and using one legally in a confrontation are different questions. Minnesota imposes a general duty to retreat before using deadly force, which makes it more restrictive than stand-your-ground states. The exception is inside your own home.

Under § 609.065, intentionally taking another person’s life is justified only when necessary to resist or prevent an offense that the person reasonably believes exposes them or someone else to great bodily harm or death, or to prevent a felony inside their own home.¹⁶ That second clause is Minnesota’s castle doctrine. You are not required to retreat from an intruder committing a felony in your dwelling. Anywhere else, you must exhaust reasonable alternatives before resorting to lethal force.

Proportionality applies in every scenario. Deadly force is not a lawful response to a non-deadly threat. Someone shoving you in a parking lot does not justify drawing a firearm. The threat has to be one a reasonable person would believe could cause death or serious physical harm, and prosecutors and juries evaluate that after the fact.

Storing Firearms Around Children

Minnesota holds gun owners responsible for keeping loaded firearms out of children’s reach. Under § 609.666, negligently storing or leaving a loaded firearm where you know or should know a child under 18 is likely to access it is a gross misdemeanor.¹⁷ The law does not specify a particular safe or lock. It uses a reasonable-action standard, meaning you must take some meaningful step to secure the firearm. The statute does not apply when a child gains access through an unlawful entry, such as breaking into a locked room or container.

A gross misdemeanor in Minnesota carries up to one year in jail and a $3,000 fine. A negligent storage charge often accompanies far more serious consequences if a child is injured.

Extreme Risk Protection Orders

Effective January 1, 2024, Minnesota allows courts to issue Extreme Risk Protection Orders, sometimes called red flag orders. These civil orders temporarily prohibit a person from possessing firearms when they pose a significant risk of harming themselves or others.

A petition can be filed by law enforcement, a city or county attorney, or family and household members of the person in question. Mental health professionals who determine a client presents a significant risk of suicide by firearm must report the concern to the county sheriff. A judge can issue an emergency ex parte order without advance notice, and a full hearing must be held within 14 days, where the court applies a clear and convincing evidence standard before issuing a final order lasting up to one year. The subject has the right to an attorney, the right to contest the order, and the right to petition for early termination by demonstrating diminished risk. Violating an active order by possessing firearms is a misdemeanor that also triggers a five-year firearm prohibition.

Traveling With Firearms

Minnesota recognizes carry permits from many other states, and some states honor Minnesota’s permit in return. The Department of Public Safety commissioner publishes an annual list of states whose permit laws are considered dissimilar. Permits from states not on that list are valid in Minnesota.¹⁸ The list changes, so check the Department of Public Safety website before traveling. A permit from another state does not protect you if you are otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms under Minnesota or federal law.

For interstate transport, the federal Peaceable Journey provision under 18 U.S.C. § 926A protects travelers passing through states with stricter gun laws, as long as you could legally possess the firearm at both your origin and destination. During transport, the firearm must be unloaded and stored where it is not readily accessible from the passenger compartment. In vehicles without a separate trunk, the firearm or ammunition must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or center console.¹⁹ The protection covers transport only, not extended stops in a state where possession would otherwise be illegal.

You can fly with firearms in checked baggage on commercial flights, but TSA has strict requirements. The firearm must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container, and you must declare it at the airline ticket counter during check-in. Ammunition must be securely packaged, and loaded magazines must be boxed or placed inside the hard-sided case with the unloaded firearm.²⁰ Firearms and ammunition are never allowed in carry-on baggage.

Local Ordinances Are Preempted

Minnesota preempts local governments from regulating firearms, ammunition, or firearm components. Cities, counties, and townships cannot pass their own gun ordinances, with two narrow exceptions: they may regulate the discharge of firearms within their jurisdiction, and they may adopt regulations identical to state law.²¹ Any local ordinance that goes beyond or conflicts with state law is void. Traveling across Minnesota, you can rely on the state statutes as the rules.

1
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.713 – Certain Persons Not to Possess Firearms
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
3
FindLaw. Minnesota Code 624.713 – Certain Persons Not to Possess Firearms
4
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Identify Prohibited Persons
5
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.7131 – Transferee Permit; Penalty
6
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.714 – Carrying of Weapons Without Permit; Penalties – Section: Subd. 1a
7
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.714 – Carrying of Weapons Without Permit; Penalties – Section: Subd. 2a
8
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.714 – Carrying of Weapons Without Permit; Penalties – Section: Subd. 3 and Subd. 7
9
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.714 – Carrying of Weapons Without Permit; Penalties – Section: Subd. 6
10
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.714 – Carrying of Weapons Without Permit; Penalties – Section: Subd. 12
11
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.7134 – Private Party Transfers; Background Check Required
12
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.7134 – Private Party Transfers; Background Check Required – Section: Subd. 5
13
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.7134 – Private Party Transfers; Background Check Required – Section: Subd. 7
14
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Don’t Lie for the Other Guy
15
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.714 – Carrying of Weapons Without Permit; Penalties – Section: Subd. 17
16
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609.065 – Justifiable Taking of Life
17
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 609.666 – Negligent Storage of Firearms
18
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 624.714 – Carrying of Weapons Without Permit; Penalties – Section: Subd. 16
19
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms
20
Transportation Security Administration. Firearms and Ammunition
21
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 471.633 – Firearms