Permit to Carry

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Applications for Permits to Carry a firearm will be processed by the Sheriff's Office.
• The Permit to Carry application fee in McLeod County is $70**.  The Sheriff’s Office will accept a cash or cashier's check.
• The initial permit will be valid for five years.  See Renewal of Permit to Carry for information on renewing your permit
• If you live in Minnesota, you must apply at the sheriff's office in the county in which you live.  Out-of-state applicants may apply at any of the 87 counties in the state.
• Applicants must be at least 21 years old and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
• Applicants must complete the state application, pay the fee, submit the form in person, and pass the background / criminal history check requirements.
• Applicants must provide proof of firearms training by a certified instructor that includes fundamentals of pistol use, actual shooting qualification exercise, and instruction in the fundamental legal aspects of pistol possession, carry, and use including self-defense and the restrictions on use of deadly force.  Please note that training must have been completed no more than one year prior to your application date.
• The Sheriff's Office must act on the application within 30 days of receipt of the completed application packet per statute.
• Permits issued in Minnesota are valid throughout Minnesota.  They maybe acceptable in other states, but it is up to the permit holder to verify which states recognize and accept Minnesota Permits to Carry and which states do not.

**On December 21, 2021, McLeod County Sheriff Tim Langenfeld announced that beginning January 1, 2022, the fee for a permit to carry a firearm will be reduced to $25 for McLeod County’s Veterans, National Guard Members, Reservists, or Active Duty U.S. Armed Forces members. The renewal permit fee for these qualifying individuals will be reduced to $25. The McLeod County Board of Commissioners approved the Sheriff’s recommendation to change the permit fee ($70 to $25) and the renewal permit fee ($50 to $25) for these groups of McLeod County Citizens as a token of appreciation for their dedication and service to the United States of America. To qualify for this fee reduction, please provide qualifying identification or documentation of service at time of application.

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MORE INFORMATION

• Information on how to obtain a permit to carry a pistol in the state of Minnesota as well as a list of authorized instructors, frequently asked questions, and a copy of MN Statute 624.714 can be downloaded from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. 

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PERMIT TO CARRY TRAININGSTATE STATUTE
The state statute requires that applicants must provide proof of firearms training by a certified instructor that includes fundamentals of pistol use, actual shooting qualification exercise, and instruction in the fundamental legal aspects of pistol possession, carry, and use including self-defense and the restrictions on use of deadly force.

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
Please note that training must have been completed no more than one year prior to your application date. You must be at least 21 years old to apply for a permit.  In most cases, gun safety or hunter safety classes that have been offered in the past will not be valid for the permit process since most did not cover all aspects of the statute requirements.  You must bring the original training certificate with you or a clear photo copy when you submit your application.  If you bring the original certificate we will make a photo copy of it for the application packet and return the original back to you.

A list of certified instructors is available on the BCA Permit to Carry website.
 
Training certifications will be accepted only from instructors approved by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

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RENEWAL OF PERMIT TO CARRYA permit to carry issued under Minnesota Statue 624.714 expires five years after the date of issue. It may be renewed in the same manner and under the same criteria which the original permit was obtained, which includes proof of firearms training (See below).  A permit holder may apply for a new permit 90 days prior to the expiration date on the permit.  The fee for a permit renewal from the McLeod County Sheriff's Office will be $50.

Applicants must provide proof of firearms training by a certified instructor that includes fundamentals of pistol use, actual shooting qualification exercise, and instruction in the fundamental legal aspects of pistol possession, carry, and use including self-defense and the restrictions on use of deadly force.  Please note that training must have been completed no more than one year prior to your application date.

After the expiration date, but within 30 days after the expiration, the permit can still be renewed by paying an additional late fee of $10 for a total renewal fee of $60.  During this time the old permit is not valid and you will not be able to carry until after you receive your renewal permit.

31 days after expiration the old permit can no longer be renewed. An application will have to be submitted for a new gun permit.

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