What is a Missouri Gun Bill of Sale?

A Missouri gun bill of sale holds details of the transfer of one (1) or more weapons between two (2) individuals. It narrows down the gun to its make, model, type, caliber (or gauge), and serial number. The buyer and seller enter their identifying information, mark the sales price, and enter their signatures. Then, each person caches the finalized form to verify the change in ownership. This capability becomes important if legal issues arise or the new owner plans to re-sell the weapon.

How to Apply for a Concealed Carry Permit (CCP)

Missouri law allows all residents to open carry without a permit (§ 21.750). Individuals nineteen (19) or older do not need a license or training to concealed carry either. However, they must be twenty-one (21) years or older to purchase a handgun and eighteen (18) years or older to buy a rifle.

Nonetheless, residents can obtain a concealed carry permit (CCP) to carry in places that the law restricts. Regardless, with or without a license, individuals cannot carry in the following areas:

• Police stations;
• Polling places;
• Adult or juvenile prison;
• Courthouses;
• Government meetings;
• Government-owned buildings;
• Businesses that sell liquor;
• Airports;
• Schools;
• Childcare facilities;
• Riverboat gambling operations;
• Amusement parks;
• Places of worship;
• Marked private property;
• Sports arenas or stadiums; and/or
• Public hospitals ( 571.107)

Other than the specified locations, gun holders can concealed carry wherever they wish. Law enforcement cannot charge the person with a crime if they have their permit on their body. County Sheriffs throughout the state review and approve or deny applicants. The individual trying to get a license must consider the state-mandated steps to boost their chances of endorsement.

Step 1 – Restrictions

The state restricts individuals who do not meet the firearm permit qualifications. To qualify, the person must be nineteen (19) years old, a United States citizen, and a Missouri resident. Out-of-state armed forces members eighteen (18) years or older stationed in the state, and their spouses, can also apply for a permit. If they meet these requirements, they must undergo the fingerprinting process, undergo training, and pass a criminal background check.

Missouri law rejects applicants who do not meet their standards (§ 571.101). A resident or non-resident cannot obtain a permit if they:

• Are a felon;
• Have had one (1) or more “violence misdemeanors” within five (5) years of applying;
• Had had two (2) or more “alcohol or drug misdemeanors” within five (5) years of applying;
• Are a fugitive from justice;
• Have been dishonorably discharged from the armed forces;
• Have documented behavior that leads the sheriff to think that the applicant is a danger to themselves or others;
• Are deemed mentally incompetent by an official source;
• Have been released from a mental facility within five (5) years of applying; and/or
• Have an order of protection against them.

Step 2 – Training

Before applying for a Missouri firearm permit, the interested party must complete a firearms training course (§ 571-111). A certified instructor with a certificate of qualification from the local sheriff must teach the class.

The education must include a minimum of eight (8) hours of classroom work that addresses 1) handgun safety while shooting and carrying, 2) loading and unloading a gun, 3) care and cleaning, 4) safe storage, and 5) state laws and requirements. Conversely, individuals who take the online course need one (1) hour of safety training.

Students from the online and in-person courses must engage in the live firing of a revolver or semiautomatic pistol with the instructor present. They must shoot at least twenty (20) rounds no more or less than seven (7) yards from the target.

After finishing the course, the instructor must present a signed certificate of firearms training course completion. The student must have the corresponding document (i.e., online or classroom) in hand to give to the sheriff’s office.

Step 3 – Application

Missouri offers three (3) firearms permits: standard, extended, and lifetime (§ 571.205). The standard license lasts for five (5) years and costs $100, whereas the extended permit lasts for ten (10) or twenty-five (25) years and costs $200 and $250, respectively. Residents can also purchase a lifetime permit, which lasts indefinitely with a one-time fee of $500.

The state only allows in-person submissions, meaning they do not accept applications online or by mail. They take checks, money orders, or exact cash as payment. Applicants must write the check to the “County Sheriff’s Revolving Fund.”

Step 4 – Processing

Per state law, the office has up to forty-five (45) days to process the application. During this time, they scan the fingerprints and review the person’s criminal and mental health background.

Applicants receive their approval or denial notice by mail. The envelope contains their CCP if approved. This permit must remain on the carrier whenever they have the gun on their body. The state can give them another chance to resubmit information or payment if denied. However, if the denial is due to a criminal or mental health issue, then they cannot reapply.

Step 5 – Renew

Standard CCPs last for five (5) years in Missouri. Permit holders must renew in person at their county sheriff’s office. They must bring their current concealed carry identification (ID), government-issued photo ID, and payment. It costs $50 to renew standard and extended permits, which they can make payment through money orders, checks, or exact cash. The fee is non-refundable, and checks must go to the “County Sheriff’s Revolving Fund.”

Permit holders who fail to renew before the expiration date owe an additional $10 each month after. The state sets a maximum at six (6) months, meaning the individual pays $60 at most. After this six (6) month period, the permit permanently expires, meaning the resident must apply as a new applicant. This process requires them to resubmit the application, pass another training course, have their fingerprints taken, and pay a $100 fee.

If the permit holder changes their name or moves to another county, they must notify the sheriff within thirty (30) days to obtain a corrected, new permit. It costs $10 for processing and $10 for each month after the individual fails to inform the sheriff.

The sheriff can charge up to $60, which equates to six (6) months, or one hundred eighty (180) days, following the change. At this time, the permit becomes invalid, and the resident must apply as a new applicant. Lost or destroyed permits require the holder to notify the sheriff within seven (7) days and provide a statement of loss or destruction. The state sets a maximum fee of $10 to replace the document.

Residents with questions about CCPs in Missouri can call the Concealed Carry Division at (636) 797-5519 or email mlunsford@jeffcomo.org.