Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 2024 ‘Concealed Carry in Missouri.’ Guns in Public. San Francisco, CA: Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 21 November
Relevant contents
Concealed Weapons Permitting in Missouri
Missouri generally makes it a crime for a person to carry a firearm concealed upon or about his or her person. This prohibition is subject to various exceptions, including if:
- The firearm is not readily accessible;
- In addition to the concealed firearm, the person is in possession of an exposed firearm for the lawful pursuit of game; or
- The person is in his or her dwelling unit or upon premises over which he or she has possession, authority or control.
Missouri also exempts from this prohibition a person who has a valid "concealed carry endorsement" or a valid permit or endorsement to carry concealed firearms issued by another state.
Missouri is a "shall issue" state, meaning that a county or city sheriff must issue a certificate of qualification for a concealed carry endorsement if the applicant meets certain qualifications. The sheriff must issue a concealed carry endorsement, which will appear on the certificate holder's driver's or non-driver's license, if the applicant:
- Is at least age 21 (in 2011, Missouri lowered the minimum age for a concealed carry endorsement from 23 to 21);
- Is a citizen of the United States;
- Is either:
- Is a resident of Missouri; or
- Is a member of the armed forces stationed in Missouri, or the spouse of such military member;
- Has not pled guilty to or entered a plea of nolo contendere (no contest) or been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year under the laws of any state or of the United States, other than a crime classified as a misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment of one year 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 (no contest) to one or more misdemeanor offenses involving crimes of violence during the immediately preceding five-year period, or 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 during the immediately preceding five-year period;
- 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 under the laws of any state of the United States, other than a crime classified as a misdemeanor 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 U.S. armed forces;
- Has not engaged in a pattern of behavior, documented in public records, that causes the sheriff to have a reasonable belief that the applicant presents a danger to himself, herself, 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 or a similar institution located in another state following a hearing at which the applicant was represented by counsel or a representative; and
- Is not the respondent of a valid "full order of protection" that is still in effect.
Firearm Safety Training
Applicants for a concealed carry endorsement are required to demonstrate knowledge of firearms safety training. Applicants must successfully complete a firearms safety course of at least eight hours that includes:
- Handgun safety techniques in the classroom, at home, on the firing range and while carrying the firearm;
- A physical demonstration by the instructor of safely loading and unloading a revolver and a semiautomatic pistol, and demonstrated marksmanship with both;
- The basic principles of marksmanship;
- Care and cleaning of concealable firearms;
- Safe storage of firearms at home;
- Missouri's requirements for obtaining a certificate of qualification for a concealed carry endorsement from the sheriff of the individual's county of residence and a concealed carry endorsement issued by the Department of Revenue;
- Missouri's laws relating to firearms;
- Missouri's laws relating to the justifiable use of force;
- A live firing exercise of sufficient duration for each applicant to fire both a revolver and a semiautomatic pistol, from a standing position or its equivalent, a minimum of 50 rounds from each handgun at a distance of seven yards from a B-27 silhouette target or an equivalent target; and
- A live fire test administered to the applicant while the instructor is present of 20 rounds from each handgun from a standing position or its equivalent at a distance from a B-27 silhouette target, or an equivalent target, of seven yards.
The qualified firearms safety instructor shall affirm that the applicant received this instruction and successfully met all requirements on the certificate of firearms safety training course completion.
An instructor must not give a passing grade to any applicant who:
1) Does not follow the orders of the instructor or cognizant range officer;
2) Handles a firearm in a manner that, in the judgment of the instructor, poses a danger to the applicant or to others; or
3) During the live fire testing portion of the course, fails to hit the silhouette portion of the targets with at least 15 rounds with both handguns.
Instructors are required to:
1) Make the applicant's course records available upon request to the sheriff of the county in which the applicant resides;
2) Maintain all course records on students for a period of no less than four years from course completion date; and
3) Not have more than 40 students in the classroom portion of the course, or more than five students per range officer engaged in range firing.
An applicant satisfies the firearms safety training requirement if he or she:
- Submits a photocopy of a certificate of firearms safety training course completion that is signed by a qualified firearms safety instructor;
- Submits a photocopy of a certificate that shows the applicant completed a firearms safety course given by or under the supervision of any state, county, municipal, or federal law enforcement agency;
- Is a qualified firearms safety instructor;
- Submits proof that he or she currently holds any type of valid peace officer license valid under state law;
- Submits proof that the applicant is currently allowed to carry firearms in accordance with state certification requirements; or
- Submits proof that he or she is currently certified as any class of corrections officer by the Missouri department of corrections and has passed at least one eight-hour firearms training course, approved by the director of the Missouri department of corrections that includes instruction on the justifiable use of force.
An applicant must submit an affidavit attesting that he or she has complied with these concealed carry safety training requirements.
Duration & Renewal
A concealed carry endorsement is valid for three years from the date of issuance or renewal.
Disclosure or Use of Information
Information regarding any holder of a certificate of qualification or a concealed carry endorsement is a closed record. Closed records are inaccessible to the general public.
A sheriff issuing a certificate of qualification for a concealed carry endorsement is required to keep a record of all applications for a certificate of qualification and his or her action on each such application. The sheriff is required to report the issuance of all certificates of qualification to the Missouri uniform law enforcement system, but an applicant's status as a holder of a certificate of qualification or a concealed carry endorsement is not public information and must be considered personal protected information.
Reciprocity
A concealed carry endorsement or permit issued by another state authorizes the permittee or endorsee to carry a concealed firearm on or about his or her person or vehicle throughout Missouri. However, these provisions do not permit the carrying of a concealed firearm in certain specified locations…
[Editor's note: The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence regularly updates its webpages with new data as US gun regulation evolves state by state. For the most up-to-date information on US gun laws, please refer to the Giffords URL below]