Missouri Gun Laws
Missouri has extremely permissive gun laws. There are very few restrictions on hardware or ammunition, and residents may carry openly or concealed without any kind of license. The state constitution thoroughly protects the right to bear arms. Further, state courts are required to review new gun laws under the toughest form of judicial scrutiny. Because of this, Missouri has earned a reputation for thoroughly protecting its citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights.
Missouri Gun Laws at a Glance
| Concealed Carry Premit Required | No |
| Open Carry Premitted | Yes |
| Waiting period before purchasing | No |
| Lost and Stolen Firearm Reporting | No |
| Firearms License Required for Purchasing | No |
| Universal Background Check | No |
| Firearm Registration | No |
| Large Capacity Magazine Ban | No |
Although Missouri law does not require the formal reporting of lost firearms, the law does state:
“The Missouri State Patrol shall inform each permitholder, upon the issuance or renewal of a permit to carry a concealed handgun, that if a handgun, or other firearm, owned by such permitholder is lost or stolen, the permitholder should notify his or her county sheriff or local police department of that fact.”
Firearm License Requirements
No license is required to obtain a firearm in Missouri.
Background Checks
Private firearms transfers are not subject to background checks in Missouri. In accordance with federal law, licensed dealers must initiate background checks on buyers before the sale of a firearm. These background checks are completed by directly contacting the FBI.
Gun Shows
| Missouri does not regulate gun shows. |
|---|
Hardware and Ammunition Restrictions
| Hardware | Restrictions |
|---|---|
| Assault Weapons | No restrictions |
| 50 Caliber Rifles | No restrictions |
| Machine Guns | Prohibited |
| Large Capacity Magazines | No restrictions |
| Ammunition | Exploding ammunition is prohibited. It is also prohibited to give ammunition to anyone who is intoxicated or under the age of 18. |
Prohibited Persons
Missouri law prohibits the possession of any firearm by:
- Any person convicted of a felony under Missouri law or a crime under any other state’s laws or federal law which would be a felony if committed in Missouri
- A fugitive from justice
- A person habitually in an intoxicated or drugged condition
- A person currently adjudged mentally incompetent
Prohibited Places
| Location | Restrictions | Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| Schools | Guns are prohibited at any school, onto any school bus, or onto the premises of any function or activity sponsored or sanctioned by school officials. | Transporting a firearm unloaded and in a nonfiring state. Any person with a valid concealed carry permit. School protection officers. Persons engaged in lawful acts of defense. Students engaging in school curriculum or events relating to firearms. |
| Vehicles | Concealed firearms may be carried in vehicles under certain circumstances. | To be lawfully carried in a vehicle, a concealed firearm must meet one of the following criteria: Not readily accessible In a nonfiring state Unloaded with the ammunition not readily accessible |
Concealed Carry Laws
| Notify Officer | Not required |
| “No Gun” Signs | Enforced |
| In-Vehicle Carry | Permitted |
| Restaurant Carry | Permitted |
| State Park Carry | Permitted |
| While Hunting | Permitted |
Obtaining a Concealed Carry License
Individuals may carry loaded firearms on their person without any kind of permit. Despite this, the state still issues concealed carry permits.
Missouri is a ‘shall issue’ state, meaning that any person will be granted a concealed carry license if they satisfy certain requirements.
| Requirements for a Concealed Carry License |
|---|
A concealed carry permit must be issued if the applicant:
|
Concealed Carry Firearms Training
Applicants for any concealed carry permit are required to demonstrate firearms safety knowledge. Applicants may complete a “regular or online course on firearm safety conducted by an instructor certified by the National Rifle Association that is at least one hour in length” to satisfy the state’s requirements.
- However, applicants who complete this one-hour course must also complete a separate course that includes instruction on:
- Handgun safety techniques
- Missouri’s requirements for obtaining a concealed carry permit from the sheriff of the individual’s county of residence
- Missouri’s laws relating to firearms
- Missouri’s laws relating to the use of force
- A live firing exercise of sufficient duration for each applicant to fire:
- Either a revolver or a semiautomatic pistol, from a standing position or its equivalent
- A minimum of 20 rounds from the handgun at a distance of seven yards from a B-27 silhouette target or an equivalent target
- A live-fire test administered to the applicant while the instructor is present of 20 rounds from a standing position or its equivalent at a distance from a B-27 silhouette target (or an equivalent target, of seven yards)
Concealed Carry Location Restrictions
Even with a valid concealed carry license, you may not carry concealed firearms at the following locations:
- Any higher-education institution or elementary- or secondary-school facility (unless you have permission from the school’s governing body
- Any portion of a building used as a child-care facility
- Law enforcement agencies
- Within 25 feet of a polling place on any election day
- Any detention or correctional institution, prison, or jail (adult or juvenile)
- Any courthouse solely occupied by the circuit, appellate or supreme court, or any courtrooms, administrative offices, libraries or other rooms of any such court
- Any meeting of the governing body of a unit of local government
- Any meeting of the General Assembly or a committee of the General Assembly
- Any place licensed to dispense intoxicating liquor for consumption on the premises
- Any area of an airport to which access is controlled by the inspection of persons and property
- Any building (or portion of a building) that is owned, leased, or controlled by any counties or municipalities
- Any riverboat gambling operation
- Any gated area of an amusement park
- Any church or other place of religious worship (unless you have permission from the administrator or owner of that place)
- Any private property whose owner has posted the premises as being off-limits to concealed firearms
- Any sports arena with a seating capacity of 5,000 or more
- Any public hospital
Disclaimer: The information provided here is not to be construed as legal advice or acted upon as if it is legal advice: it is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. While we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date content, we cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the information. Gun laws can change frequently, especially at the state and local levels. Application of gun laws can be unique to an individual’s situation. We recommend that each individual consult with a competent and qualified legal professional before purchasing, transporting, or using any firearm or firearm-related product.