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As of August 1, 2023, Minnesota will require handgun and semiautomatic military-style assault weapon purchasers to obtain a transferee permit unless the purchaser is purchasing from or transacting the sale through a federally licensed dealer.1 Certain transfers between immediate family members and temporary transfers are exempt from this requirement.2 A concealed carry permit constitutes a transferee permit for the purpose of purchasing a handgun or assault weapon.3

To obtain a transferee permit, a person may apply to a licensing official who is the local chief of police or county sheriff.4 The licensing official must deny a permit if the applicant is:

  • Prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law; or
  • Determined to be a danger to self or the public when in possession of firearms; or
  • Listed in the state criminal gang investigative data system.5

A person is not eligible to submit a permit application if the person has had an application denied because they were determined to be a danger to self or the public and less than six months have elapsed since the denial was issued or the person’s appeal was denied, whichever is later.6

Upon application for a transferee permit, the police chief or sheriff has 30 days to perform a background check as described under Background Checks in Minnesota.7 The police chief or sheriff must then either issue a permit or issue written notification of denial with the specific reason for the denial.8 See Firearm Prohibitions in Minnesota for a list of persons prohibited from possessing such weapons by Minn. Stat. § 624.713.

Once obtained, transferee permits expire after one year.9

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  1. Minn. Stat. § 624.7134, subds. 2 and 3.[]
  2. Id. at subd. 7.[]
  3. Minn. Stat. § 624.7131, subd. 9.[]
  4. Minn. Stat. §§ 624.7131, 624.7132.[]
  5. Minn. Stat. § 624.7131, subd. 4.[]
  6. Id.[]
  7. Minn. Stat. § 624.7131, subd. 2, subd. 5.[]
  8. Minn. Stat. § 624.7131, subd. 5.[]
  9. Minn. Stat. § 624.7131, subd. 6.[]