ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) today released the 2024 Permit to Carry Report, which contains data submitted by Minnesota law enforcement agencies regarding applications made for handgun carry permits as well as data about permit holders. The annual report is required by Minnesota law.

Minnesota saw fewer firearms permits issued in 2024 than in 2023. Minnesota sheriffs reported to the BCA that 67,216 permits were applied for and that they issued 57,248 permits in 2024.

Year                             Permits issued

2024                                            57,248

2023                                            65,215

2022                                            65,257

2021                                          106,488

2020                                            96,554

2019                                            51,404

The top five counties for five-year permits issued by sheriffs in 2024 are:

County                         Permits issued

Hennepin                                     6,798

Anoka                                           3,998

Dakota                                          3,746

Washington                                 3,243

Ramsey                                         3,205

 

Sheriffs reported there were 198 permits suspended, 47 revoked, 1,545 voided and 783 denied in 2024. 

Crimes committed by permit holders

Minnesota sheriffs reported that individuals with permits committed 5,340 crimes in 2024. This is the highest number since the state’s Personal Protection Act was enacted, but the percent of permit holders who committed a crime (1 percent) was consistent with recent years. 

• Just under 3 percent were crimes where firearms were used in furtherance of a crime.
• Just under 54 percent were DWIs or other traffic offenses.
• Twenty-five percent were from the “Other” category which includes both less serious offenses such as city ordinance violations and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hunting, fishing and recreational vehicle violations and less common but more serious offenses such as stalking and riot.

As of today, the total number of valid permits in Minnesota is 408,356.

The Permit to Carry Report contains data on permits to carry a firearm. Minnesota does not track permits to purchase firearms.

About the Minnesota Permit to Carry

Minnesota’s Personal Protection Act was first enacted in 2003. Permits were first eligible for renewal in 2008. Individuals wishing to obtain a Minnesota Permit to Carry must apply for the permit at their local sheriff’s office and provide proof of approved firearms training. Sheriffs then must follow a statutorily-defined process, checking FBI, BCA and Minnesota Department of Human Services records as well as their own data for any disqualifying information. Individuals denied a permit have the right to appeal the denial.

Minnesota sheriffs are then required under Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. 624.714, subd. 20 (b)) to report their data on gun permit applications, issuances and denials to the BCA. As directed by same statute, the BCA compiles the public information provided by Minnesota sheriffs into its annual report.

The full report is available for viewing on the BCA website at https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/public-services-bca/firearms-information.