Missouri Concealed Carry Permit Basics

Why Get a CCP When Missouri Is a Constitutional Carry State

Effective January 1, 2017, Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.3 allows any person 19 or older (18 or older if active military or honorably discharged) who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Despite this, Missouri's concealed carry permit (CCP) program at Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.101 continues to operate and remains valuable for several reasons:

1. Out-of-state reciprocity. Missouri honors all valid out-of-state CCPs under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.5, but other states do not extend the same courtesy to a Missouri resident who carries on permitless-carry authority alone. A Missouri CCP is recognized by approximately 35 states, allowing reciprocal carry across most of the country.

2. Federal Gun-Free School Zones Act exemption. Under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(q)(2)(B)(ii), a state-issued license to carry exempts the holder from the federal prohibition on possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of any school's grounds. The CCP qualifies; constitutional-carry status alone does not. A holder of a Missouri CCP who drives near a school is not in technical violation of federal law; a permitless carrier in the same circumstance technically is.

3. NICS-alternative for handgun purchases. Missouri CCPs are listed on the ATF's published NICS-alternative permit chart, which means a federally licensed dealer (FFL) may accept the permit in lieu of running a NICS background check for the holder's purchase of a handgun. This typically reduces a 10-minute (or sometimes longer) background-check delay to a single signature. Always verify current ATF chart status at atf.gov.

4. School Protection Officer program. Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 160.665 authorizes a designated school employee who holds a valid CCP and completes additional Department of Public Safety training to carry on school property as a "School Protection Officer."

5. Faster law enforcement encounters. Producing a CCP at a traffic stop or other encounter is widely understood by Missouri law enforcement and tends to resolve the conversation in seconds. Constitutional-carry status produces no document and requires an officer to take the carrier's word, run the carrier through state and federal databases, and infer eligibility.

Issuing Agency

Unlike Tennessee (state-level Department of Safety) or Florida (Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services), Missouri issues CCPs through the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence, or in cities not within any county (the City of St. Louis is the only such city), through the chief of police of that city. The statute is Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.101.

This decentralized structure means fees, processing times, and procedural details vary slightly by county within the statutory caps. The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, the St. Louis City Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office (covering Kansas City), the Greene County Sheriff's Office (covering Springfield), and the Boone County Sheriff's Office (covering Columbia) are the largest issuing agencies in the state.

The Missouri Sheriffs' Association maintains a directory of issuing agencies at mosheriffs.com.

Permit Types

Missouri offers three CCP variants. All confer identical carry authority. They differ only in fee, term, and renewal cycle.

Standard CCP (Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.101)

• Term: Five years.
• Fee: Up to $100, set by the issuing sheriff within the statutory cap.
• Renewal: Must apply for renewal under Section 571.104 before expiration; otherwise the permit lapses and a new application (with full training again) is required.
• Most common variant. The standard CCP accounts for the large majority of Missouri permits issued.

Lifetime CCP (Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.215)

• Term: Lifetime, provided the holder remains eligible.
• Fee: Up to $500, set by the issuing sheriff within the statutory cap.
• Renewal: None required, but holder must promptly notify the issuing agency of address changes (Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.107.5 and Section 571.111) and remains subject to revocation if the holder becomes a prohibited person.
• Available to any applicant who otherwise qualifies for a standard CCP.

Senior CCP (Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.205 to 571.230)

• Term: Twenty-five years.
• Fee: Up to $200, set by the issuing sheriff within the statutory cap.
• Renewal: No standard renewal cycle during the 25-year term.
• Eligibility: Available only to applicants 65 years of age or older at the time of application.

Eligibility

Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.101.2 lists the eligibility criteria for a CCP. An applicant must:

1. Be a citizen of the United States, or be a permanent legal resident.
2. Be at least 19 years of age (or 18 if active military or honorably discharged).
3. Have a residence in Missouri (which the sheriff verifies via driver's license, voter registration, or utility bill).
4. Not have pleaded guilty to or been convicted of a felony in any jurisdiction.
5. Not have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of violence within the past five years (in the case of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of two years or less involving the use or threat of physical force).
6. Not be a fugitive from justice, an unlawful user of any controlled substance, an unlawful alien, or have been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions.
7. Not have been adjudicated mentally incompetent or involuntarily committed to a mental institution within the past five years.
8. Not be the subject of any order of protection that prohibits firearm possession.
9. Submit fingerprints for state and federal background checks.
10. Complete the required eight-hour firearms safety training course under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.111.

The applicant must also pay the applicable fee, sign a statement under penalty of perjury that the information provided is true (Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.117 creates the false-statement penalty), and submit the application package to the sheriff of the applicant's county or city of residence.

Processing Time

Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.101.3 requires the sheriff to act on a completed application within 45 days of submission. If the applicant has previously been a Missouri CCP holder and the background check returns clean, processing is often faster.

If the sheriff denies the application, written reasons must be provided, and the applicant may appeal to circuit court under Section 571.114. If the sheriff approves, the CCP is issued in the form of a photo identification card.

A notation is added to the holder's Missouri driver's license under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.121, identifying the holder as a CCP holder. The notation may be removed at the holder's request if the CCP expires or is voluntarily surrendered.

What the Permit Authorizes

A Missouri CCP authorizes the holder to:

• Carry a concealed firearm anywhere in Missouri that is not enumerated as prohibited at Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.107.
• Carry on private property unless posted under Section 571.107.1(13).
• Carry in a vehicle without restriction (Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030.6).
• Receive the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act exemption under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(q)(2)(B)(ii).
• Purchase handguns from a federally licensed dealer without a separate NICS check (subject to current ATF chart status).
• Carry in any state that recognizes the Missouri CCP (currently approximately 35 states).
• Apply to serve as a School Protection Officer under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 160.665, subject to additional school district approval and training.

It does not authorize carry in any location prohibited by federal law (federal post offices, federal courthouses, secure airport areas, military installations, and other federal facilities).

Suspension and Revocation

Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.114 provides for suspension or revocation of a CCP under the following circumstances:

• The holder becomes a prohibited person (felony conviction, qualifying misdemeanor conviction, etc.).
• The holder is committed to a mental institution.
• The holder is convicted of a violation of Section 571.030 or Section 571.107.
• The holder makes a false statement on the application (Section 571.117).
• The holder fails to notify the issuing sheriff of a change of address within 30 days.

A suspended or revoked CCP must be returned to the issuing sheriff within 10 days of the order. The holder may appeal to circuit court.

Related Statutes

Where to Apply

• Identify the sheriff's office for your county of residence (or, if you reside in the City of St. Louis, the chief of police).
• Complete the standardized Missouri CCP application (most sheriffs publish it online).
• Submit the application, proof of eligibility, fingerprints, and the required training certificate, with the applicable fee.
• The sheriff has up to 45 days to act on a completed application (Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.101.3).

The Missouri Sheriffs' Association directory at mosheriffs.com is the most reliable single point of contact for finding your local issuing agency.

This section reflects Missouri law as of May 2026. Confirm fee and processing-time specifics with your local sheriff before applying.