Missouri Gun Control Laws

Relevant Statutes (Laws)

• Possession, manufacture, transport, repair, and sale of certain weapons a crime - Section 571.020
• Unlawful use of weapons - Section 571.030
• When open display of firearms is permitted - Section 571.037
• Possession of defaced firearm - Section 571.050
• Concealed carry permits, application requirements - Section 571.101
• Where permit does not authorize concealed firearms - Section 571.107
• Firearms training requirements - Section 571.111
• Duty to carry and display permit, penalty for violation - Section 571.121

Illegal Arms

• Machine guns
• Short-barreled rifles
• Short-barreled shotguns
• Silencers
• Bullets or projectiles that explode upon impact

Waiting Period

Who May Not Own

• Has been convicted of a felony
• Is a fugitive from justice
• Is habitually in an intoxicated or drugged condition
• Is currently adjudged mentally incompetent

License Required?

Concealed Carry License Required?

Open Carried Allowed?

Eligibility for a Concealed Carry License

• Is at least nineteen years of age or is at least 18 and a member of the United States military
• Is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
• Has assumed residency in Missouri, or is a member, or the spouse of a member, of the military stationed in Missouri
• Submits a completed application for a permit
• Submits an affidavit attesting that the applicant complies with the concealed carry safety training requirement
• Has not pled guilty to or entered a plea of nolo contendere or been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, other than a crime classified as a misdemeanor under the laws of any state and punishable by a term of imprisonment of two years or less that does not involve an explosive weapon, firearm, firearm silencer, or gas gun
• Has not been convicted of, pled guilty to, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to one or more misdemeanor offenses involving crimes of violence within a five-year period immediately preceding application for a concealed carry permit
• Has not been convicted of two or more misdemeanor offenses involving driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs or the possession or abuse of a controlled substance within a five-year period immediately preceding application for a concealed carry permit
• Is not a fugitive from justice or currently charged in an information or indictment with the commission of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, other than a crime classified as a misdemeanor under the laws of any state and punishable by a term of imprisonment of two years or less that does not involve an explosive weapon, firearm, firearm silencer, or gas gun
• Has not been discharged under dishonorable conditions from the United States Armed Forces
• Has not engaged in a pattern of behavior, documented in public or closed records, that causes the sheriff to have a reasonable belief that the applicant presents a danger to himself or others
• Is not adjudged mentally incompetent at the time of application or for five years prior to application, or has not been committed to a mental health facility
• Is not the respondent of a valid full order of protection which is still in effect
• Is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm

Machine Gun Laws

Penalties for Illegal Firearm Possession

• Possession of a machine gun, sawed-off shotgun, or sawed-off rifle is a class D felony punishable by up to 7 years imprisonment and up to a $10,000 fine
• Possession of a defaced firearm is a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months imprisonment and up to a $1,000 fine
• Unlawful possession of a firearm is a class D felony punishable by up to 7 years imprisonment and up to a $10,000 fine
• Unlawful possession of a firearm if a person has been convicted of a dangerous felony is a class C felony punishable by 3 to 10 years imprisonment and up to a $10,000 fine

Penalties for Illegal Possession on or Near School Grounds

• Class A misdemeanor: Up to 1 year imprisonment and up to a $2,000 fine
• Class E felony: Up to 4 years imprisonment and up to a $10,000 fine