Permit guides › Iowa
Iowa concealed carry permit guide
Permitless carry Last verified November 1, 2026
Not legal advice. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Carry laws change often and vary by city and county. Verify every requirement with the issuing agency before you apply or carry.
Permitless (constitutional) carry
Yes. Iowa does not require a permit to carry in public, subject to legal restrictions.
Permit types
- Nonprofessional permit to carry weapons
- Professional permit
Issuing agency and how to apply
County sheriff (residents); Iowa DPS (non-resident professional permits)
Residents apply to the county sheriff.
Eligibility and minimum age
- Minimum age
- 21
- Eligibility
- Check with County sheriff (residents); Iowa DPS (non-resident professional permits)
Fees
- Resident (new)
- $50
- Non-resident (new)
- Not applicable (no non-resident permit)
- Renewal
- $25
Training requirements
Qualifying handgun/firearm safety training for initial permits; renewals generally do not require training.
Processing time, validity and renewal
- Processing time
- Sheriff decides within 30 days
- Valid for
- 5 years
Non-resident permits
Not available to non-residents. Non-residents can get only a professional permit when their job requires them to go armed.
Reciprocity
Iowa recognizes valid permits from other states for non-residents.
Sources
- dps.iowa.gov/iowa-dps/weapon-permits
- www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/724.11.pdf
- www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/724.11A.pdf
Last verified November 1, 2026. Where a field says "Check with", we couldn't confirm it from an official source.