Are firearms legal in Minnesota?

Q: Are firearms legal in Minnesota?

Firearms in Minnesota are legal only under specific conditions. 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.

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MINNESOTA · FIREARMS

Firearms

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Conditional: A Permit to Carry is required to carry a handgun in public, concealed or open.

Conditional

Summary

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.

Source: dps.mn.gov → · Updated October 12, 2026

Minnesota Firearms topics

Concealed Carry in Minnesota →Conditional
A Permit to Carry is required to carry a handgun in public, concealed or open.
Open Carry in Minnesota →Conditional
Open carry of a handgun in Minnesota requires a Minnesota Permit to Carry or a recognized out-of-state permit.
Magazine Capacity in Minnesota →Permitted
No state law limits magazine capacity in Minnesota — standard-capacity and high-capacity magazines are legal to buy and possess under state law.
Gun Possession in Minnesota →Conditional
Minnesota has a red-flag law (Extreme Risk Protection Orders, or ERPOs) that took effect in 2024, and has no assault-weapon ban or restriction on magazines.
Transporting Firearms in Minnesota →Conditional
With no Minnesota permit or recognized out-of-state permit, a handgun in a vehicle must be unloaded and fully enclosed in a closed, fastened case made for firearms.
Duty to Inform Police in Minnesota →Conditional
Minnesota has no proactive duty to inform, but a permit holder must have the permit card and a photo ID when carrying and must display them on lawful demand (Minn. Stat. § 624.714 subd. 1b(a), a petty misdemeanor), and at an officer's request must disclose whether they are currently carrying (subd. 1b(d)).
Suppressors & Silencers in Minnesota →Conditional
Suppressors are legal in Minnesota as long as they are lawfully possessed under federal law.
Reciprocity — where is my Minnesota permit honored? →
State-by-state map of which states honor a Minnesota concealed-carry permit.

Other Minnesota laws

Firearms in nearby states

Browse all state laws →

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