Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons - Fees and Costs

Fees for the Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons and the Permit to Acquire Pistols or Revolvers are set by Iowa Code Section 724.20. The statutory maximums below apply statewide; the actual amount charged by an individual sheriff may equal but cannot exceed these caps.

Statutory Fees (Iowa Code Section 724.20)

Nonprofessional Permit to Carry Weapons (Iowa Code Section 724.7)

• Initial issuance: $50
• Renewal: $25
• Duplicate (lost or stolen): $25

Professional Permit to Carry Weapons (Iowa Code Section 724.6)

• Initial issuance: $50
• Renewal: $25
• Duplicate: $25

Permit to Acquire Pistols or Revolvers (Iowa Code Section 724.15)

• Issuance: $25
• Duplicate: $5
• Validity: five years

Additional Costs an Applicant May Incur

These costs are not part of the statutory permit fee but are commonly required to complete an application:

Firearms Training Course

Iowa Code Section 724.9 requires completion of a qualifying handgun safety course within 12 months before applying for a Nonprofessional PCW. Typical Iowa course pricing:

• NRA Basic Pistol or comparable in-person course: $75 to $200
• Online-only safety course (where accepted): $30 to $80
• Hunter education with firearms component: often free or low-cost when sponsored by the Iowa DNR

Fingerprinting

Some sheriffs require fingerprints as part of the background investigation. Fingerprinting fees, if charged, are typically $10 to $25 for a single set.

Passport-Style Photograph

If the sheriff requires a photograph for the permit card, a passport photo costs $5 to $15 at most pharmacies.

Range Time and Ammunition

Training courses with a live-fire component may include range time and ammunition. Additional cost varies widely:

• Range time: $10 to $25 per hour
• Ammunition: $0.30 to $1.00 per round depending on caliber and market conditions

Sample Total First-Time Cost Estimate

For a first-time Iowa Nonprofessional PCW applicant taking a paid in-person course:

Sample Renewal Cost Estimate

Fee Waivers and Reductions

Iowa Code Section 724.20 does not provide a statutory waiver for indigent applicants. Some county sheriffs may offer reduced or no fees for currently serving peace officers, retired peace officers, military personnel, or qualifying retired military personnel under the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA), 18 U.S.C. Section 926B and 18 U.S.C. Section 926C. Check with your local sheriff.

Federal Costs (If Purchasing a Handgun)

Although unrelated to the Iowa permit itself, applicants who plan to purchase a handgun from a federal firearms licensee should budget for:

• FFL transfer fee (if buying from outside the dealer): typically $25 to $50
• Federal excise/Pittman-Robertson tax embedded in retail price
• State sales tax on the firearm purchase

How Fees Are Used

Permit fees collected by the sheriff under Iowa Code Section 724.20 are deposited into the county general fund and used in part to defray the cost of conducting background investigations and administering the permit program.