Suppose a person other than a law enforcement official is found to own a handgun in a motor vehicle, snowmobile, or boat without first obtaining a permit to do so. In that case, that person is guilty of a gross misdemeanour, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine. Consecutive offences become felonies. Hence, it is very important to have a permit to carry in MN.
SITUATIONS WHERE NO LICENCE IS REQUIRED
The following actions do not need a handgun permit in Minnesota:
- To maintain or carry a handgun around one’s business or residence, on one’s property, or in one’s vehicle.
- Carrying a firearm between one’s home and place of employment in Minnesota
- To hunt or shoot in a safe place with a handgun in the state’s forests, fields, or lakes, as long as it is not loaded with real bullets.
- It is legal to carry a firearm unloaded in a case, gun box, or securely closed container in a car, snowmobile, or boat.
Note that a large body of Minnesota case law clarifies when a permit is necessary. Before trying to carry a handgun without a permit, please study and comprehend this case law.
THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A PERMIT
Applicants seeking a permit to carry in MN for a handgun must meet the following criteria if they don’t want to be included criminal gang investigation system.
- It is required to be an American citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
- Be above the age of 21
- Not be prevented from owning a weapon following Minnesota Statutes, section 624.714
- If you’re a Minnesotan, you must be a resident of the county where the permit request is coming from (non-residents may apply to any Minnesota county sheriff); and
- Provide proof that the applicant has completed an approved weapons training course taught by a licensed instructor within the preceding year, whether for a new application or a renewal.
ISSUING AUTHORITY
The only way to get a permit to carry a firearm in Minnesota is via a sheriff. Even if a sheriff contracts with a police chief to handle permit applications, the sheriff retains ultimate power, and the chief serves as the sheriff’s representative.
SHALL BE ISSUED.
Anyone who fits the legal criteria, applies in the proper method and has their criminal and mental history checked by a sheriff is entitled to a permit.
Permit-to-carry applications if the sheriff thinks that an applicant poses a significant risk to themselves or the public if they are granted permission to do so. Such a rejection may be appealed to the courts.
Procedure for submitting an application
Within one year of applying, an applicant must complete an accredited firearms safety and legal training course from an accredited instructor, complete a standard Minnesota application form and provide documentation that they are above the age of 18 when they apply for a permit. The sheriff in the county where the applicant lives must receive the application, identifying paperwork, and the required fee from the applicant. Non-residents of Minnesota may apply to any county sheriff in the state. You must submit all of your applications in person.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, it is possible to apply for permanent resident status by presenting the sheriff with your resident card. You may find application forms and instructions on the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) website. In an application refusal, the sheriff must conduct a criminal and mental health background check on the applicant. To cover the actual costs of processing an application, a sheriff may levy a fee of $100 for a new application and $75 for a renewal. Late renewals are subject to a fine of up to $10 levied by the sheriff.
