Missouri allows concealed carry under two parallel legal authorities:
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Missouri allows concealed carry under two parallel legal authorities:
Permitless (constitutional) concealed carry under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.3, effective January 1, 2017 (SB 656, 2016). Any person 19 or older (18 or older if active military or honorably discharged) who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm may carry concealed without a permit.
Concealed carry permit (CCP) under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.101, issued by the sheriff of the applicant's county or city of residence. The CCP confers identical state-law concealed-carry authority but adds out-of-state reciprocity, federal Gun-Free School Zone exemption, and other practical advantages.
Both tracks are subject to the same Missouri-law place restrictions at Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.107, the same intoxication restriction at Section 571.030.1(5), and the same federal prohibitions (post offices, federal courthouses, secure airport areas, military installations).
Missouri does not statutorily define "concealed" in Chapter 571. Case law and the Attorney General have applied the ordinary meaning: a firearm is concealed when it is hidden from ordinary observation. A firearm in a holster on the hip outside the shirt is open carry, not concealed. A firearm in a holster on the hip beneath an untucked shirt or jacket is concealed.
Partial concealment, such as a firearm whose grip is visible but whose frame is covered by a shirt, has historically been treated as concealed for purposes of the concealed-carry statute. The constitutional-carry exception under Section 571.030.3 applies to concealed carry; open carry is governed by separate authority and is subject to local ordinances that pre-date the 2014 strengthening of preemption.
A qualifying constitutional carrier or CCP holder may carry concealed:
Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.107.1 enumerates seventeen categories of locations where concealed carry is prohibited regardless of whether the carrier holds a CCP. Some of the most significant are:
A first-offense violation of most categories is a class B misdemeanor, with the option for the carrier to remove the firearm rather than be prosecuted. Repeat offenses elevate to class A misdemeanors. The church/religious-worship category (Section 571.107.1(16)) carries a separate misdemeanor penalty and authorizes the carrier to be removed from the premises and denied future entry.
Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.107.1(13) addresses private property posted as off-limits to concealed firearms. The statute does not specify a sign size, color, or wording, so private posting is enforced as criminal trespass under Chapter 569 after notice rather than as a criminal carry charge. A carrier who is asked to leave a private establishment and refuses commits trespass; a carrier who simply enters a posted location is in technical violation but typically faces only removal in the first instance.
This is in contrast to states such as Texas (where Texas Penal Code Section 30.06 prescribes very specific sign requirements). In Missouri, "No Firearms" posted at the entrance of a business is enough to trigger trespass-after-notice if the carrier is challenged.
Best practice is to respect any visible no-firearms notice. A carrier who is unsure should ask management. Refusal to comply with a request to remove the firearm or leave the premises is criminal trespass.
Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.1(5) prohibits carrying a concealed firearm while intoxicated. "Intoxicated" is not defined within Chapter 571 but is widely interpreted by reference to the DWI threshold of 0.08 percent blood alcohol content under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 577.001. Carrying while above that threshold is a class A misdemeanor on first offense.
Sober carry into a restaurant that serves alcohol (and does not derive 51% or more of gross receipts from the sale of liquor by the drink) is not prohibited. Consuming alcohol while carrying in such an establishment, however, exposes the carrier to the intoxication statute and possibly to the establishment's posted policy.
Missouri instructors and the major firearms trainer organizations consistently recommend the following:
| Statute | Subject |
|---|---|
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030 | Unlawful use of weapons; constitutional carry exception |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.3 | Constitutional carry eligibility (19+, 18+ military) |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.5 | Reciprocity (Missouri honors all out-of-state CCPs) |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.6 | Vehicle carry exemption |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.1(5) | Intoxication restriction |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.101 | CCP program (issuance, fees, training, term) |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.107 | Seventeen prohibited carry locations |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.111 | Mandatory eight-hour training course |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.121 | Driver's license notation; reciprocity recognition |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 21.750 | State preemption of local firearm regulation |
This section reflects Missouri law as of May 2026.
This page covers one part of our Missouri concealed carry guide.
Read the complete Missouri guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.