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Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

A Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety
 

Permit to Purchase / Transfer

​Under Minnesota law, handgun transfers involve any sale, gift, loan, assignment or other delivery to another person. If you possess a valid Minnesota permit to carry a handgun, that permit constitutes a permit to purchase. You don't need to apply for a separate permit to purchase.

 

Obtaining a Permit to Purchase/Transfer

Fill out a Minnesota Uniform Firearm Application/Receipt Permit to Purchase/Transfer. Submit the application to your local police chief, or if your municipality does not have a police department, to your county's sheriff. The law enforcement agency will conduct a series of background-related checks to assure you meet eligibility requirements established in state law.

Once those checks are complete, a one-year permit to purchase a handgun in Minnesota will be issued. If you are applying for a permit to transfer the law enfo​rcement agency must notify you of its status within thirty days of receipt.

Private Party Transfer​

Use the Private Party T​ransfer Form​ when transferring a pistol or semiautomatic military-style assault weapon between two private parties without a federal firearms dealer.

Semi-Automatic Military-Style Assault Weapons

Minnesota Statutes, section 624.712, subdivision 8, requires the BCA to publish annually a list of firearms included within the definition of “semiautomatic military-style assault weapon."​

List of Semi-Automatic Military-Style Assault Weapons