Explosives
Explosive licenses and permits
Explosive licenses — issued by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal — are required if you or your company manufactures, assembles, sells, warehouses and/or stores explosives or blasting agents for the purposes of wholesale and retail. An explosives license is not required if you store explosives or blasting agents for end-use purposes. Licenses are issued on an annual basis.
Explosive permits — issued by the county sheriff or local chief of police depending upon where the explosives are stored or used — are required if you or your company use or store explosives or blasting agents for any purposes. Contact your county sheriff or police department for a permit application. Use permits are issued as needed. Storage permits may be issued for up to one year.
Licenses and permits require a criminal background check. In most cases a federal explosives license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) is also needed.
Minnesota explosive statutes
Definitions, penalties and other information about explosives is outlined in Minnesota State Statute and Minnesota Administrative Rules. In the rules, all reference to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension should be read as State Fire Marshal Division, and all references to "superintendent" should be read as State Fire Marshal. An administrative rulemaking process is under way to make this change permanent.
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Email us with your explosives licensing questions.