Iowa Concealed Carry Laws (2026)

Permitted: No permit is needed to carry a handgun in Iowa at age 18 or older, for residents and visitors alike.

PermittedVerified Oct 12, 2026

Carrying across state lines?The free LawLert iPhone app alerts you at each state line with whether that state lists your permit as recognized. No account.Get the app

No permit is needed to carry a handgun in Iowa at age 18 or older, for residents and visitors alike. You may carry openly or concealed unless Iowa law bars you from carrying, for example felons, people addicted to alcohol, and people with certain serious or aggravated misdemeanor convictions in the past 3 years. Under 18, going armed with a concealed weapon is a serious misdemeanor. A permit is optional.

Official source: legis.iowa.gov →

General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.

Concealed Carry in states bordering Iowa

The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.

IllinoisRestricted
A Concealed Carry License (CCL) is required to carry a handgun on your person in Illinois. You must be 21 or older. To get a CCL, residents need a Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) card and 16 hours of approved training. There is no permitless carry. Visitors from outside Illinois cannot carry on their person without an Illinois non-resident CCL.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: isp.illinois.gov · Full Illinois rule →
MinnesotaConditional
A Permit to Carry is required to carry a handgun in public, concealed or open. The minimum age is 18. The statute still says 21, but a federal appeals court held that rule invalid for adults under 21, the U.S. Supreme Court declined review on April 21, 2025, and sheriffs now issue permits to qualified 18-to-20-year-olds. Permits are shall-issue and need firearms training from a certified instructor. Non-residents may apply in person to any county sheriff.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: dps.mn.gov · Full Minnesota rule →
MissouriPermitted
No permit is needed to carry a concealed handgun in Missouri, and the law has no residency condition, so visitors are covered. The statute states no age for carrying without a permit; 19 (18 for military members or honorably discharged veterans) is the permit age and the vehicle-carry age in the statute, so treat that as the minimum. Some places stay off limits, including hospitals, courthouses, schools and posted private property.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: revisor.mo.gov · Full Missouri rule →
NebraskaPermitted
No permit is needed in Nebraska at 21 or older, for residents and visitors, if you are not a prohibited person. …
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: statepatrol.nebraska.gov · Full Nebraska rule →
South DakotaPermitted
South Dakota has permitless carry, also called constitutional carry: no permit is required, and anyone 18 and older who can lawfully possess may carry concealed. Optional regular, gold, and enhanced permits are available for reciprocity.
Verified Jul 12, 2026 · Source: sdlegislature.gov · Full South Dakota rule →
WisconsinConditional
A license is required to carry a concealed handgun in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin license goes only to residents and to military members stationed in Wisconsin for at least a year, who must be 21 or older and complete training. A visitor 21 or older may carry concealed with a valid permit from a state on Wisconsin's recognition list. There is no permitless concealed carry.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: docs.legis.wisconsin.gov · Full Wisconsin rule →

Don't get caught off guardCross into a state where this law is different and the free iPhone app tells you what changed, even with the app closed. It also alerts you when a law you track changes where you live. No account.Get the free app

Track this law — get alerted when it changes

We watch the official sources behind Iowa firearms rules. If a tracked rule changes, you get one short email — never more than one a week. Free, unsubscribe anytime.