Concealed Carry in Minnesota: How the Permit to Carry Works (2026)

Quick answer: Minnesota requires a Permit to Carry to carry a pistol in public. Residents apply to the sheriff of the county where they live; non-residents can apply to any Minnesota sheriff. You need training in the safe use of a pistol from a certified instructor within one year of applying. The sheriff sets the fee (no more than $100) and must issue or deny the permit within 30 days. The permit is valid for five years. Since the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Minnesota’s appeal on April 21, 2025, sheriffs issue permits to qualified applicants aged 18 to 20. Facts below are from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) permit, FAQ and reciprocity pages and the 2026 Minnesota Statutes, checked November 4, 2026.

Minnesota is a permit state

DPS states: “Under Minnesota law, you must obtain a permit to carry a handgun in public. The law does not require that you conceal the weapon.” Under Minn. Stat. 624.714, subd. 1a, a person other than a peace officer who carries, holds or possesses a pistol in a motor vehicle, snowmobile or boat, or on or about the person’s clothes or person, in a public place, without first having obtained a permit to carry, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. DPS also notes that if you have a Permit to Carry, you don’t need a Permit to Purchase to obtain a firearm.

Who issues the permit and where to apply

The statute says “Applications by Minnesota residents for permits to carry shall be made to the county sheriff where the applicant resides.” DPS: fill out a Permit to Carry Application and “submit it to the sheriff’s office in the county where you live.” If you live outside Minnesota, DPS says you can submit an application “to any Minnesota sheriff’s office.”

The application packet is limited by statute: the completed application form, a photocopy of your training certificate, and a photocopy of your current driver’s license, state ID card or the photo page of your passport. The statute adds that “The applicant must not be asked or required to submit, voluntarily or involuntarily, any information, fees, or documentation beyond that specifically required by this subdivision.” A permanent resident who is not a U.S. citizen provides an I-551 or I-151 card, per the DPS FAQ.

Who qualifies

• Age 18 and up, in practice. The statute still reads “at least 21 years old.” The DPS FAQ explains why that line no longer controls: “On April 21, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari in the case of Worth v. Jacobson,” which let stand the Eighth Circuit ruling that Minnesota’s permit to carry law was invalid as applied to adults younger than 21. DPS adds: “Sheriffs in Minnesota will now be issuing permits to carry to otherwise-qualified applicants 18 to 20 years of age.”
• Citizenship. A citizen or a permanent resident of the United States.
• Training. Evidence of training within one year of applying (next section).
• Not prohibited. Not barred from possessing a firearm under the state laws listed in subd. 2(b) or under any federal law, and not listed in the criminal gang investigative data system.
• Cannabis. DPS says the Adult-Use Cannabis Act “prohibits a sheriff from denying an application for a permit to carry solely because the applicant is a patient enrolled in the medical cannabis registry program or because the person is 21 years of age or older and uses adult-use cannabis flower, adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, or hemp-derived consumer products.”

Training

DPS says Minnesota law “requires you to provide evidence of having received training in the safe use of a handgun from a certified instructor within one year of the original application or renewal.” Under subd. 2a, the training must include instruction in the fundamentals of pistol use, “successful completion of an actual shooting qualification exercise,” and “instruction in the fundamental legal aspects of pistol possession, carry, and use.” Employment as a Minnesota peace officer within the past year is the statute’s other way to show training. DPS links a list of businesses with instructors certified to provide the course.

Fees

The DPS FAQ: “The fee for a new permit to carry will be determined by the county sheriff, not to exceed $100.” A renewal applied for before the current permit expires costs no more than $75. “An additional $10 fee will be charged for those applying for a renewal after the expiration date on the previous permit, but within 30 days of that expiration date.” Your county may charge less than the cap, so check its sheriff’s office page.

How long it takes

DPS: “The county sheriff must either issue or deny a permit within 30 days of the application date.”

A sheriff may issue an emergency permit immediately if the sheriff determines the person is in an emergency situation that may constitute an immediate risk to the safety of the person or someone residing in the person’s household; the applicant signs an affidavit describing the emergency. Under subd. 11a, an emergency permit is valid for 30 days, may not be renewed, and requires no training evidence and no fee.

How long the permit lasts and how to renew

• DPS: “New and renewal permits are valid for five years from the date of issuance.”
• Apply to renew no earlier than 90 days before the expiration date on the permit, with new training evidence from within the past year.
• Renewing after expiration but within 30 days adds the $10 late fee.

Carrying with a Minnesota permit

Carry the card and ID. You must have the permit card and a driver’s license, state ID card or other government-issued photo ID with you whenever you carry a pistol, and show them “upon lawful demand by a peace officer.” A violation is a petty misdemeanor with a fine of up to $25 for a first offense, and the citation must be dismissed if you show, in court or in the office of the arresting officer, that you were authorized to carry at the time.

Telling an officer. Subd. 1b(d): “Upon the request of a peace officer, a permit holder shall disclose to the officer whether or not the permit holder is currently carrying a firearm.”

Statewide permit. A permit “issued or recognized under this section is a state permit and is effective throughout the state.” Subd. 23 says the statute sets “the complete and exclusive criteria and procedures for the issuance of permits to carry,” and no sheriff, police chief or governmental unit may change, modify or supplement them.

Alcohol and drugs. Minn. Stat. 624.7142 bars carrying a pistol while under the influence of a controlled substance or alcohol, or with an alcohol concentration of 0.10 or more. Carrying with an alcohol concentration of more than 0.04 but less than 0.10 is also a violation; it suspends carry authority for 180 days from the date of conviction, while the other listed violations revoke it for one year.

Without a permit in a vehicle. A pistol may be transported in a motor vehicle, snowmobile or boat without a permit only if it is “unloaded, contained in a closed and fastened case, gunbox, or securely tied package.”

Places you cannot carry

• School property. Under Minn. Stat. 609.66, subd. 1d, possessing a dangerous weapon while knowingly on school property is a felony, with exceptions. One covers permit holders “while in a motor vehicle or outside of a motor vehicle to directly place a firearm in, or retrieve it from, the trunk or rear area of the vehicle.”
• Courthouse complexes and Capitol Area state buildings. Under subd. 1g, possessing a dangerous weapon in any courthouse complex, or in any state building within the Capitol Area described in chapter 15B other than the National Guard Armory, is a felony. The statute exempts “persons who carry pistols according to the terms of a permit issued under section 624.714 and who so notify the sheriff or the commissioner of public safety, as appropriate.”
• Private businesses that ask you not to. Under subd. 17, a business can make a “reasonable request” that firearms not be brought in. That is either a sign reading “(INDICATE IDENTITY OF OPERATOR) BANS GUNS IN THESE PREMISES,” posted at every entrance in black Arial type at least 1-1/2 inches high on a bright contrasting background of at least 187 square inches, or the operator or an agent telling you personally. Failing to leave when asked is a petty misdemeanor with a fine of up to $25 for a first offense. Businesses may not ban the lawful carry or possession of firearms in a parking facility or parking area.
• Work. “An employer, whether public or private, may establish policies that restrict the carry or possession of firearms by its employees while acting in the course and scope of employment.” Employers may not ban firearms in a parking facility or parking area.

Other states’ permits in Minnesota

DPS: “Minnesota recognizes firearms carry permits from certain other states with similar standards,” and “The Department of Public Safety annually reviews laws from other states governing the issuance of permits to carry weapons.” It also warns that “the permit issued by your state does not supersede Minnesota’s laws or regulations.” DPS keeps two lists, permits valid in Minnesota and permits not valid in Minnesota, and they change. Our concealed carry reciprocity guide has the Minnesota lists as read on a dated day, and the DPS reciprocity page has the current ones.

Carrying comfortably once your permit arrives

The Cloudster Pillow holster wedge mounts to the back of any IWB or AIWB holster with hook-and-loop, angles the grip into your body for better concealment and comfort, and has shredded cooling gel memory foam fill you can add or remove to set its thickness. Our Kore 1.5″ ratchet gun belts keep the holster steady. For how other states handle permits and renewals, see our carry permit requirements guide.

Concealed Carry in Minnesota: Questions People Ask

Does Minnesota allow permitless carry?

No. DPS says you must obtain a permit to carry a handgun in public, and carrying a pistol in public without one is a gross misdemeanor under Minn. Stat. 624.714.

Can 18- to 20-year-olds get a Minnesota permit to carry?

Yes. DPS says sheriffs “will now be issuing permits to carry to otherwise-qualified applicants 18 to 20 years of age” after the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari in Worth v. Jacobson on April 21, 2025.

How much does a Minnesota permit to carry cost?

The county sheriff sets the fee: no more than $100 for a new permit and $75 for a renewal, plus $10 if you renew after expiration but within 30 days of it.

Does Minnesota require you to conceal?

No. DPS says the law requires a permit to carry a handgun in public but “does not require that you conceal the weapon.”

Can non-residents get a Minnesota permit?

Yes. A non-resident may apply to any Minnesota county sheriff.

Sources, all read November 4, 2026: Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Permit to Carry page, Permit to Carry FAQ and Permit to Carry Reciprocity page; Minnesota Statutes 2026, sections 624.714, 624.7142 and 609.66 (Office of the Revisor of Statutes). Laws change, so confirm with your county sheriff before you apply. This is general information, not legal advice.