Missouri Open Carry

State Law

Missouri has no statewide statutory prohibition on open carry of a firearm by a person who is lawfully entitled to possess one. The historical analysis is straightforward: the offense of unlawful use of weapons at Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030 enumerates specific acts (carrying a concealed firearm, exhibiting a firearm in an angry or threatening manner, discharge in city limits, possession while intoxicated, etc.), and open carry of a firearm in a non-threatening manner is not among those acts.

Practical open carry in Missouri is therefore lawful at the state level for any person who can lawfully possess a firearm, subject to:

• The seventeen prohibited locations at Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.107.1, which apply to open carry just as to concealed carry.
• Private-property posting under Section 571.107.1(13).
• Federal prohibitions on carrying in post offices, federal courthouses, secure airport areas, and military installations.
• Local ordinances that restrict open carry. These survive only narrowly under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 21.750, which preempts most local firearm regulation but contains specific carve-outs.

The Local Open-Carry Carve-Out

Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 21.750.3 contains a notable carve-out for open carry. The statute preempts local firearm regulation but allows political subdivisions to regulate open carry by persons who do NOT hold a valid CCP. Specifically, a county or municipality may prohibit open carry by a person who is not a CCP holder, even though Missouri has constitutional carry for concealed carry.

This creates a counterintuitive result: a person who relies on permitless constitutional carry to carry concealed may be cited under a local open-carry ordinance if the firearm becomes visible in a jurisdiction that has adopted such an ordinance. A CCP holder, by statutory exemption, is shielded from these local open-carry ordinances.

Cities that have adopted open-carry restrictions include Kansas City and St. Louis. The St. Louis City ordinance is one of the older examples; the Kansas City ordinance has been amended several times. Other smaller municipalities have adopted similar restrictions. The Missouri Attorney General has consistently advised that these ordinances are valid under the Section 21.750 carve-out as applied to non-CCP holders, and invalid as applied to CCP holders.

Practically, a Missouri carrier who plans to open carry in a major Missouri city should hold a CCP. The CCP eliminates the local-ordinance risk and provides the federal school-zone exemption.

What Open Carry Looks Like in Practice

A holstered handgun on the hip, visible to ordinary observation, is open carry. A rifle slung across the back is open carry. A handgun in a chest holster is open carry if the holster is on top of the shirt and visible. A handgun in a pocket holster with no printing is concealed carry; the same handgun with the grip visible is open carry.

Missouri does not regulate the type of firearm that may be open-carried by a person otherwise eligible to possess it. Long guns, semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, and other lawful firearms may all be open-carried at the state-law level.

Federal Constraints on Open Carry

The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act, 18 U.S.C. Section 922(q), prohibits possession of a firearm (open or concealed) in a school zone. A Missouri CCP exempts the holder; constitutional-carry status does not. An open carrier within 1,000 feet of a school is in technical violation of federal law unless holding a state-issued CCP.

Federal post offices, federal courthouses, military installations, and secure airport areas independently prohibit all firearm carry. Open carry is no different from concealed in those locations.

When Open Carry Becomes a Problem

Open carry can intersect with three Missouri criminal statutes:

1. Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.1(4) prohibits exhibiting a firearm "in the presence of one or more persons, in an angry or threatening manner." Brandishing, pointing, or aggressive display of an open-carried firearm is a class E felony. The statute does not require an intent to use; the angry or threatening manner is enough.

2. Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 575.190 (peace disturbance) and related statutes can apply if the open carry is combined with words or conduct that disturbs the peace. Mere open carry without disturbance is not a peace disturbance, but the combination of open carry and confrontational conduct can be.

3. Local ordinances in cities and counties that have adopted Section 21.750 carve-out open-carry restrictions can be enforced against non-CCP holders.

Missouri instructors generally advise that open carry is lawful for any non-prohibited person who is not in one of the seventeen Section 571.107 locations and not in a city with a local open-carry ordinance. They also generally advise that open carry attracts unwanted attention, makes the carrier a primary target in a violent incident, and provides no tactical advantage over concealed carry. Most defensive trainers in Missouri recommend concealed carry for daily use and open carry only at firearm-friendly venues such as ranges and gun shows.

Open Carry at Public Events

Public events held on government property (e.g., parades, fairs, festivals) are subject to the Section 571.107 prohibited-locations list. If the event is at a stadium with seating capacity of 5,000 or more, Section 571.107.1(17) prohibits carry. If the event is on a college campus, Section 571.107.1(8) prohibits carry unless the governing body has consented.

Public events on private property are subject to the property owner's posting and to local ordinances. The Missouri State Fair, held at the state fairgrounds in Sedalia, has historically posted no-firearms notices at the gates.

Statutory Authorities

This section reflects Missouri law as of May 2026. Open-carry restrictions in specific cities and counties change. Confirm with the city or county clerk before open-carrying in a Missouri municipality.