Iowa Concealed Carry Laws

Last reviewed: May 3, 2026

Constitutional Carry Yes
Open Carry Open carry allowed only with permit
Permit honored in 34 states
Iowa honors 49 states

Iowa Gun Laws

Reciprocity of Iowa's Basic Resident Permit

Alaska: Permit honoredAlabama: Permit honoredArkansas: Permit honoredArizona: Permit honoredCalifornia: Permit not honoredColorado: Permit honoredConnecticut: Permit not honoredDistrict of Columbia: Permit not honoredDelaware: Permit not honoredFlorida: Permit honoredGeorgia: Permit honoredHawaii: Permit not honoredIowa (current state)Idaho: Permit honoredIllinois: Permit not honoredIndiana: Permit honoredKansas: Permit honoredKentucky: Permit honoredLouisiana: Permit honoredMassachusetts: Permit not honoredMaryland: Permit not honoredMaine: Permit honoredMichigan: Permit honoredMinnesota: Permit not honoredMissouri: Permit honoredMississippi: Permit honoredMontana: Permit honoredNorth Carolina: Permit honoredNorth Dakota: Permit honoredNebraska: Permit honoredNew Hampshire: Permit honoredNew Jersey: Permit not honoredNew Mexico: Permit not honoredNevada: Permit not honoredNew York: Permit not honoredOhio: Permit honoredOklahoma: Permit honoredOregon: Permit not honoredPennsylvania: Permit honoredRhode Island: Permit not honoredSouth Carolina: Permit honoredSouth Dakota: Permit honoredTennessee: Permit honoredTexas: Permit honoredUtah: Permit honoredVirginia: Permit honoredVermont: Permit honoredWashington: Permit not honoredWisconsin: Permit honoredWest Virginia: Permit honoredWyoming: Permit honored AKALARAZCACOCTDCDEFLGAHIIAIDILINKSKYLAMAMDMEMIMNMOMSMTNCNDNENHNJNMNVNYOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVAVTWAWIWVWY
Permit honored Permitless carry Not honored

Open Carry

Open carry allowed only with permit

Open carry is not permitted for anyone, just those who have obtained the permit.
Partial

Duty to Notify Law Enforcement

Only when asked by the officer
Permitted

State Parks

Concealed Carry is legal in accordance with state laws that regulate the right to carry
Permitted

Restaurants Serving Alcohol

No specific restriction
Permitted

Firearms at Colleges

Schools individually decide the weapons policy.
Informational

Firearms at K-12 Schools

Unloaded handgun may be stowed in locked container of passenger compartment or trunk of vehicle only.
Restricted

Church Carry

Places of worship are off limits to carry unless the place of worship permits otherwise
Informational

Hotels

No legal restriction - Reference article on page 67
Informational

Secure Storage Requirements

There are legal consequences if one fails to secure their firearm and that leads to a minor gaining unauthorized access.
Informational

Magazine Capacity Limitations

No restrictions
Informational

Suppressor Ownership

Ownership & Hunting Legal.
Permitted

Vehicle Possession Without Recognized Permit

Handguns must be unloaded and inside a closed and fastened container which is too large to be concealed on the person or inside a cargo or luggage compartment where the handgun will not be readily accessible to any person riding in the vehicle (724.4(f))
Restricted

Firearm Law Uniformity

Uniform throughout.
Permitted

Permit Training Requirements

1. An applicant for an initial permit to carry weapons shall demonstrate knowledge of
firearm safety by any of the following means:
a. Completion of any national rifle association handgun safety training course.
b. Completion of any handgun safety training course available to the general public
offered by a law enforcement agency, community college, college, private or public
institution or organization, or firearms training school, utilizing instructors certified by the
national rifle association or the department of public safety or another state’s department of
public safety, state police department, or similar certifying body.
c. Completion of any handgun safety training course offered for security guards,
investigators, special deputies, or any division or subdivision of a law enforcement or
security enforcement agency approved by the department of public safety.
d. Completion of small arms training while serving with the armed forces of the United
States.
e. Completion of a law enforcement agency firearm safety training course that qualifies a
peace officer to carry a firearm in the normal course of the peace officer’s duties.
f. Completion of a hunter education program approved by the natural resource
commission pursuant to section 483A.27, if the program includes handgun safety training
and completion of the handgun safety training is included on the certificate of completion
Informational

Non-Resident Permits

Non-Residents can apply but the criteria is very narrow to qualify.
Permitted

Constitutional Carry

Yes
Permitted

Duty to Retreat

No Duty to Retreat
Permitted

Places Off Limits

State law allows hotels to reject or eject guests for gun possession.
Court houses
Public or nonpublic school grounds
Public park
School buses
Casinos
State Fairgrounds
State University campuses
Informational

State Contact / Source

Iowa Dept. Of Public Safety
215 East 7th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-725-6230
www.dps.state.ia.us
Informational

Permit Issuing Authority

County sheriff
Informational

Length of Permit Validity

5 Years
Informational

Permit Application Process

Contact your county sheriff office.
Informational

Iowa Permit Reciprocity

Reciprocity shown is for a standard resident permit. Non-resident and enhanced permit holders may have different reciprocity. Always verify before carrying. Use our full permit reciprocity map for all permit types →

Your Iowa resident permit is honored in 34 states

AK AL AR AZ CO FL GA ID IN KS KY LA ME MI MO MS MT NC ND NE NH OH OK PA SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WI WV WY

Iowa honors resident permits from 49 states

AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA WA WI WV WY
Disclaimer:
While Concealed Carry Inc strives to maintain legal reference information updated on this website from publicly available sources; you as the reader and gun owner are responsible to do any and all necessary research and consult with a local attorney before making any decisions. Concealed Carry Inc is not a government agency is not affiliated with a government agency and is not liable for any misinformation, inaccuracies, or actions taken based on this information. We are not attorneys and this information is not legal advice. If you see any information you feel is outdated or incorrect please contact us.

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