Missouri Gun Laws

• Constitutional Carry Stronghold: Missouri operates as a highly permissive permitless (constitutional) carry state. Any law-abiding adult who is 19 years of age or older (or 18+ for active military/veterans) may carry a concealed or open firearm statewide without a permit. The political climate fiercely guards Second Amendment rights.
• SAPA & Federal Resistance: Missouri is defined by its Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA), which actively penalizes local law enforcement agencies for cooperating with federal entities to enforce gun control measures that do not exist under state law. Though heavily litigated through 2026, the state's posture remains aggressively anti-federal overreach.
• Local Open Carry Preemption: State preemption generally forbids local municipalities from enacting their own restrictive gun laws. However, there is a key exception: local governments can ban open carry, but only for individuals who do not possess a valid Concealed Carry Permit (CCW). CCW holders are exempt from local open carry bans.

Missouri is a "Shall Issue" state that continues to issue the Concealed Carry Permit (CCW) through local County Sheriffs. The permit remains highly popular for bypassing local open carry bans and securing out-of-state reciprocity.

• Minimum Age: 19 years old (or 18 for active-duty military and honorably discharged veterans).
• Training Requirements: Applicants must complete an 8-hour state-approved firearms safety course taught by a certified instructor. This must include both classroom instruction on state laws and a live-fire qualification exercise.
• Background Checks: A state and federal (FBI) fingerprint-based background check is mandatory.
• Fingerprints: A complete set of electronic fingerprints must be submitted.
• Application Fees: Capped by state law at a maximum of $100.00 for the initial 5-year permit. Background check and fingerprint fees are typically around $40.00 to $50.00 depending on the county.
• Processing Times: By law, the County Sheriff has up to 45 days to issue or deny the permit after receiving a complete application and fingerprint results.

Missouri places no state-level restrictions on modern sporting rifles, magazine capacities, or specific firearm models, deferring strictly to federal baselines.

• Magazine Capacity: No restrictions. Any capacity magazine is completely legal to possess, buy, sell, and carry.
• "Assault Weapon" Bans: None. Missouri does not regulate or ban semi-automatic firearms based on cosmetic features or military appearance.
• Restricted Ammunition: Missouri explicitly prohibits the possession and use of explosive projectiles and specific armor-piercing handgun ammunition as defined by federal law. Standard hollow-point ammunition is fully legal.
• Banned Models: No specific firearm models are banned by name in the state.

Missouri boasts incredibly strong "Stand Your Ground" and "Castle Doctrine" protections, providing comprehensive legal shielding for individuals who are forced to use deadly force.

• Stand Your Ground: Yes. Missouri law explicitly states that a person who is not the initial aggressor has no duty to retreat from any place they have a lawful right to be before using deadly force to prevent imminent death or serious physical injury.
• Castle Doctrine: Yes. The law applies a legal presumption that a person reasonably feared imminent death if they use deadly force against someone unlawfully and forcefully entering their dwelling, residence, or lawfully occupied vehicle.
• Duty to Retreat: No. State statute actively forbids courts or juries from considering the possibility of retreat when evaluating a self-defense claim in lawful locations.
• Civil Immunity: Yes. Missouri provides statutory immunity from civil lawsuits for individuals who use justified force in self-defense, preventing attackers or their surviving relatives from suing for damages.

Transportation of firearms in Missouri is highly permissive due to constitutional carry vehicle protections.

• Handguns: Any law-abiding adult 19 or older may transport a loaded handgun, openly or concealed, anywhere inside the passenger compartment of a vehicle without a permit.
• Long Guns: May be legally transported loaded in a motor vehicle. There is no state requirement for long guns to be unloaded or cased during standard transport.
• Federal Gun-Free School Zone Act: Constitutional carry does not satisfy the federal GFSZA exemption. To legally drive within 1,000 feet of a K-12 school in Missouri without violating federal law, an individual must possess a state-issued CCW permit.

Missouri defers entirely to federal law for commercial firearm transactions and places no mandates on private sales.

• Dealer Sales: All purchases through a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) require a standard NICS background check.
• Private Sales: No background check, paperwork, or government registration is required for private, face-to-face firearm transfers between two Missouri residents.
• Waiting Periods: There are no mandatory waiting periods for purchasing any type of firearm in Missouri.
• CCW Bypass: A Missouri CCW permit does not qualify as an exemption to the NICS background check. The ATF ruled that Missouri's permit system does not meet the federal alternative criteria, so dealers must run a NICS check for every transfer.

Missouri does not have an Extreme Risk Protection Order (Red Flag) law. In fact, under the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA), state and local law enforcement are explicitly forbidden from assisting federal agencies in enforcing federal Red Flag laws or confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens without full criminal due process.

Because Missouri operates under constitutional carry, eligible adults (19+) face no penalties for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. However, if a "prohibited person" (such as a convicted felon) is caught in possession of a firearm, it is prosecuted as Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, a Class D Felony carrying a penalty of up to 7 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Missouri law handles prohibited locations uniquely. For an individual with a valid CCW, carrying a firearm into a statutorily restricted location (like a posted business, hospital, or sports arena) is not a criminal act itself. However, if asked to leave by the premises owner and the permit holder refuses, they can be cited for trespassing, carrying a fine of $100 for a first offense. Repeated offenses can lead to permit suspension. For non-permit holders, carrying into these locations constitutes Unlawful Use of a Weapon, which can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or felony depending on the location.