Iowa State Laws

The laws governing the legal use, storage and carrying of firearms are constantly changing. Below are the applicable laws in the State of Iowa as of January 11, 2011. The below information is designed to be a guide and not the final word. If you have specific questions, please refer to the Iowa State Police Web Site. Another great resource is the Iowa Firearms Coalition, a non-partisan group dedicated to preserving the gun rights of Iowans.

In order to obtain a professional permit to carry in Iowa, one must apply directly to the Iowa Commissioner of Public Safety's office. The application used is the same as for Resident and Non-Resident permits and available on the Iowa Permit Application. Simply contact their office and send in your paperwork and the certificate that is generated upon completion of our class.

724.6 Professional Permit to carry weapons

  1. A person may be issued a permit to carry weapons when the person's employment in a private investigation business or private security business licensed under chapter 80A, or a person's employment as a peace officer, correctional officer, security guard, bank messenger or other person transporting property of a value requiring security, or in police work, reasonably justifies that person going armed. The permit shall be on a form prescribed and published by the commissioner of public safety, shall identify the holder, and shall state the nature of the employment requiring the holder to go armed. A permit so issued, other than to a peace officer, shall authorize the person to whom it is issued to go armed anywhere in the state, only while engaged in the employment, and while going to and from the place of the employment. A permit issued to a certified peace officer shall authorize that peace officer to go armed anywhere in the state at all times. Permits shall expire twelve months after the date when issued except that permits issued to peace officers and correctional officers are valid through the officer's period of employment unless otherwise canceled. When the employment is terminated, the holder of the permit shall surrender it to the issuing officer for cancellation.
  2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, fire fighters, as defined in section 411.1, subsection 9, airport fire fighters included under section 97B.49C, emergency rescue technicians, and emergency medical care providers, as defined in section 147A.1, shall not, as a condition of employment, be required to obtain a permit under this section. However, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a person designated as an arson investigator by the chief fire officer of a political subdivision.

724.11 Issuance of permit to carry weapons

  1. Applications for permits to carry weapons shall be made to the sheriff of the county in which the applicant resides. Applications for professional permits to carry weapons for persons who are nonresidents of the state, or whose need to go armed arises out of employment by the state, shall be made to the commissioner of public safety. In either case, the sheriff or commissioner, before issuing the permit, shall determine that the requirements of sections 724.6 to 724.10 have been satisfied. However, for renewal of a permit the training program requirements in section 724.9, subsection 1, shall apply or the renewal applicant may choose to qualify on a firing range under the supervision of an instructor certified by the national rifle association or the department of public safety or another state's department of public safety, state police department, or similar certifying body. Such training or qualification must occur within the twelve-month period prior to the expiration of the applicant's current permit.
    1. Neither the sheriff nor the commissioner shall require an applicant for a permit to carry weapons to provide information identifying a particular weapon in the application including the make, model, or serial number of the weapon or any ammunition used in that particular weapon.
  2. The issuing officer shall collect a fee of fifty dollars, except from a duly appointed peace officer or correctional officer, for each permit issued. Renewal permits or duplicate permits shall be issued for a fee of twenty-five dollars, provided the application for such renewal permit is received by the issuing officer at least thirty days prior to the expiration of the applicant's current permit. The issuing officer shall notify the commissioner of public safety of the issuance of any permit at least monthly and forward to the commissioner an amount equal to ten dollars for each permit issued and five dollars for each renewal or duplicate permit issued. All such fees received by the commissioner shall be paid to the treasurer of state and deposited in the operating account of the department of public safety to offset the cost of administering this chapter. Notwithstanding section 8.33, any unspent balance as of June 30 of each year shall not revert to the general fund of the state.
  3. The sheriff or commissioner of public safety shall approve or deny an initial or renewal application submitted under this section within thirty days of receipt of the application. A person whose application for a permit under this chapter is denied may seek review of the denial under section 724.21A. The failure to approve or deny an initial or renewal application shall result in a decision of approval.

What people ask about our concealed carry course

  • Which states recognize this course?

    The Carry Academy course meets the requirements for many different states, most of which through the reciprocity of a VA nonresident concealed handgun permit. See the state list.

  • How does The Carry Academy fulfill the necessary training requirements in so many different states?

    The majority of these states allow you to carry a concealed weapon by obtaining an Virginia Nonesident Concealed Handgun Permit. If you live in Iowa, Oregon or Virginia; you can apply for a Residents Permit as this course fulfills their necessary training requirements.

  • What is the process for obtaining my Virginia resident and nonresident concealed handgun permit?

    Virginia Resident Concealed Handgun Permits are issued by the circuit court of the county or city in which the applicant resides. You can obtain your application form by visiting the Resident Concealed Handgun Permits page on the Virginia State Police website. Non-residents will need to visit the Nonresident Concealed Handgun Permits page on the Virginia State Police website.

  • Am I guaranteed CCW permit approval if I live in one of your approved states?

    Unfortunately, we are not able to make such a claim. Even though many states honor the reciprocity laws of Virginia, we have found that some jurisdictions do not abide by these laws. We recommend, for all those interested, to first contact your local municipality or sheriff's department and explain that you will be taking an online course and applying for a VA nonresidents concealed handgun permit and ask if they will accept, prior to taking our online course.

  • How do I receive my certificate?

    Your certificate will appear on your screen, in your My Account area, upon passing the test. You may print or save it for later printing. An additional copy will also be emailed to you for your convenience. If you do not receive an email, be sure to check your Junk Mail folder. If marked as spam, mark it as "Not Spam" to help ensure safe delivery of any future emails from The Carry Academy.

  • What is reciprocity?

    Many jurisdictions have established arrangements where they recognize or honor permits or licenses issued by other jurisdictions with comparable standards, for instance in regard to marriage or driver's licenses. This is known as Reciprocity and is based on U.S. Constitution "full faith and credit" provision. Due to the nature of gun politics, reciprocity in regard to weapons carry permits or licenses has been controversial.

  • What is a concealed carry permit?

    A concealed carry permit is the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in close proximity.

  • Where do I find resident application links for my state?

    Please refer to the State Laws page.

  • What is the test like? Am I likely to pass?

    The test is 20 questions that are multiple choice and true/false. You must answer 15 questions, correctly, to pass. Although 99% of our students pass the first time, if you for some reason do not pass, you may go back and review the material and take it again at no additional charge.

  • Do I not need to shoot a gun to qualify for a concealed carry permit?

    No. Virginia, Iowa and Oregon law do not mandate live fire for meeting the training requirements for a concealed carry permit.

  • Do I need to watch the video all at once?

    No, although we recommend watching the video in one sitting, it can be paused and resumed at a later time. Please note; however, the session may expire after a certain amount of time. If that happens, you will need to restart the video when you log back in. We recommend watching the video in one sitting.

  • Are there places where you cannot conceal carry?

    While generally a concealed carry permit allows the permit holder to carry a concealed weapon in public, a state may restrict carry of a firearm including a permitted concealed weapon while in or on certain properties, facilities or types of businesses that are otherwise open to the public. These areas vary by state (except for the first item below; Federal offices are subject to superseding Federal law) and can include State and Federal goverment facilities, political events, educational institutions, hospitals, churches and others.

  • I am having issues with the video loading or it keeps stopping, what should I do?

    There are numerous factors that could cause the video to load or play improperly. Make sure that you are using a modern web browser. If problems persist, trying using a different web browser or device.

  • What training requirements are needed in order to obtain a CCW?

    Some states require concealed carry applicants to certify their proficiency with a firearm through some type of training or instruction. Certain training courses developed by the National Rifle Association that combine classroom and live-fire instruction typically meet most state training requirements. Some states recognize prior military or police service as meeting training requirements.

  • How much is the Firearms Safety Training Course?

    Our course is currently available for only $49.99. You can register here.

  • Where do I find more information about my states laws including reciprocity/traveling information?

    Please refer to the State Laws page.

  • What are the training requirements of Virginia?

    Virginia recognizes eight specific training options to prove competency in handgun handling, ranging from DD214 for honorably discharged military veterans, to certification from law enforcement training, to firearms training conducted by a state or NRA certified firearms instructor including electronic, video, or on-line courses. While any one of the eight listed options will be considered adequate proof, individual circuit courts may recognize other training options.

  • What is the process for obtaining my Virginia, Iowa or Oregon residents permit?

    Please refer to the State Laws page.

  • Is this class accepted for both resident and non-resident permit?

    Yes. Please refer to the State Laws page.

  • Will this class be accepted for the renewal of my permit (for states where this is necessary)?

    Yes.

  • Is my credit card information safe?

    Yes, credit card information is processed and then safely discarded. Our site is also guarded behind a firewall and 128-bit SSL, for your protection.

  • Is my information confidential?

    Yes, our privacy policy states that all your information is kept confidential and is never sold to a third party agency.

  • How long do I have to watch video after signing up?

    Once you have signed up for the course, you have 30 days to watch the video. If video is not watched within 30 days, we charge a $9.99 fee to reset the expiration.

  • What is your policy on refunds?

    Refunds will only be issued in the event that you are unable to access the Resources through no fault of your own (i.e., due to an outage or other non-functionality of The Carry Academy websites) for a period forty-eight (48) hours commencing with the time that you register and pay for access to the Resources. No refunds will be issued once you receive a Certificate of Completion.