Missouri became a constitutional carry state on January 1, 2017, when SB 656 (2016) took effect. The General Assembly passed SB 656 in May 2016,...
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Missouri became a constitutional carry state on January 1, 2017, when SB 656 (2016) took effect. The General Assembly passed SB 656 in May 2016, Governor Jay Nixon vetoed it on June 27, 2016, and both chambers overrode the veto on September 14, 2016. The veto override is unusual in Missouri; it required two-thirds majorities in both the House and the Senate.
The operative provision is Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030. The statute defines the criminal offense of unlawful use of weapons (carrying a concealed firearm being one of the enumerated acts), then creates a constitutional-carry exception that exempts any person 19 years or older (or 18 years or older if on active duty in the United States Armed Forces or honorably discharged) who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal or state law.
In the same bill, the General Assembly codified Stand Your Ground at Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 563.031, eliminating any common-law duty to retreat from any place the person has a lawful right to be.
Under Section 571.030.3, the constitutional-carry exception applies to any person who meets all of the following criteria:
Persons subject to a Missouri Order of Protection that prohibits firearm possession, persons subject to a federal qualifying domestic-violence restraining order under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(8), persons under indictment for a felony, persons committed to a mental institution within the previous five years (Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.070.1(2)), and persons with a state or federal felony conviction are excluded regardless of age.
The statutory minimum age of 19 was a compromise during the 2016 floor debate. Some 2025-2026 bills propose lowering it to 18 to align with the federal age for long-gun possession and the Tennessee age (which dropped to 18 in 2024). None has passed as of May 2026.
A qualifying person may carry a concealed firearm:
A qualifying person may not carry concealed:
The constitutional-carry exception applies to concealed carry. Missouri does not require a permit for open carry by state law; open carry is broadly permitted statewide but is subject to local ordinances that pre-date the strengthening of preemption and to private-property posting rules.
The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act, 18 U.S.C. Section 922(q), prohibits possession of a firearm in a school zone (within 1,000 feet of the grounds of any public, parochial, or private school). The statute exempts persons licensed to carry a firearm "by the State in which the school zone is located," provided the license is issued only after a background check. A Missouri CCP issued under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.101 satisfies this requirement and provides the federal Section 922(q)(2)(B)(ii) exemption.
A constitutional carrier under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.3 does NOT receive this federal exemption, because the constitutional-carry status is not a license issued after a state background check. A constitutional carrier who drives within 1,000 feet of any school is in technical violation of federal law. Federal prosecutions are rare, but the risk is real. For this reason many Missouri carriers obtain a CCP even though it is not required for state-law concealed carry.
A violation of Section 571.030.1 by a person who does not qualify for the constitutional-carry exception is a class E felony. A first offense by a person who qualifies for the exception but violates a Section 571.107 location restriction is generally a class B misdemeanor with the option to remove the firearm rather than be prosecuted. Repeat offenses escalate to class A misdemeanors or, in some categories, felonies.
The intoxication restriction at Section 571.030.1(5) is enforced separately and is a class A misdemeanor on first offense. The statute defines intoxication by reference to Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 577.001 (the DWI statute), which sets a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent as the threshold for operation of a motor vehicle. Courts have applied a similar standard to concealed-carry violations.
Since January 1, 2017, the practical effect of constitutional carry in Missouri has been to remove the requirement of obtaining a CCP for purely intrastate concealed carry by adults age 19 and older. CCP applications dropped sharply after the law took effect. According to the Missouri Department of Public Safety, annual CCP applications fell from roughly 80,000-90,000 per year before SB 656 to roughly 25,000-35,000 per year after, with year-to-year variation. The drop is consistent with what other constitutional-carry states have experienced.
Permit applications remain meaningful for the reasons listed above: out-of-state reciprocity, the federal school-zone exemption, and faster handgun purchases at federally licensed dealers.
| Question | Answer | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Effective date | January 1, 2017 | SB 656 (2016) |
| Eligibility age | 19+ (18+ active military / honorably discharged) | Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.3 |
| Operative statute | Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030 | SB 656 (2016) |
| Federal school-zone exemption | Only with CCP, not permitless | 18 U.S.C. Section 922(q)(2)(B)(ii) |
| Prohibited locations apply? | Yes, all 17 | Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.107 |
| Intoxication bar | Yes (BAC 0.08+) | Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.1(5) |
| Stand Your Ground codified | Same bill | Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 563.031 |
| Reciprocity with other states | No (permit required for most reciprocity) | Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.5 |
This section reflects Missouri law as of May 2026. Confirm with the Missouri Department of Public Safety and the relevant county sheriff before acting on any rule that has changed in the last 90 days.
This page covers one part of our Missouri concealed carry guide.
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