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Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons

Iowa PCW Training — Start Online

Iowa has allowed permitless carry since 2021, so an eligible adult generally does not need a permit to carry. The Permit to Carry Weapons still exists, and there are real reasons residents choose to hold one.

Residents onlyNo live fire requiredOnline training available$74.99
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At a glance

Credential
Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons
Issued by
Sheriff of your county of residence
Residents
Eligible
Nonresidents
Generally not eligible
Online training
Available
Live fire
Not required
Course price
$74.99
Provider
U.S. LawShield

Last reviewed September 2026. Verify current requirements with the issuing authority before applying.

Iowa does not require a permit to carry

Since 1 July 2021, Iowa law has not required a permit to acquire or a permit to carry in order to purchase a handgun or carry a firearm in public, for people who may lawfully possess one — subject to the restrictions that still apply. The Permit to Carry Weapons remains available, and this page is about why someone might still want one.

Effective July 2021

Confirm course acceptance with your sheriff before enrolling

Iowa Code § 724.9 sets out the qualifying ways to demonstrate firearm-safety knowledge, and issuing officers may not add requirements beyond that section. U.S. LawShield states that its Iowa eLearning course satisfies that requirement. Acceptance is still recorded locally, so a quick call to your county sheriff before paying is ordinary good practice with any course from any provider — not a concern about a particular program.

Why consider an Iowa PCW

What an Iowa PCW gets you.

Start with the question most people are actually asking. Since 1 July 2021, Iowa has not required a permit to carry a firearm in public for people who are otherwise legally allowed to possess one. If you are an eligible Iowa resident, you are not breaking the law by carrying without a Permit to Carry Weapons. Any page that sells you a course without telling you that is not being straight with you.

So why do a lot of Iowans still get the permit? Mostly for what it does outside Iowa. Permitless carry stops at the state line; a permit is the credential other states recognize, and it is what makes travel planning possible at all. Iowa's own Department of Public Safety continues to issue and administer permits for exactly these kinds of reasons.

There is also a narrower federal point worth understanding rather than sloganeering about. The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act, 18 U.S.C. § 922(q), makes it unlawful to possess a firearm within a school zone, and one of its exceptions applies where the individual is licensed by the state in which the school zone is located and that state verifies qualification before issuing. Permitless carry involves no license and no such verification, so it does not fit that exception. Read the statute and speak to an Iowa attorney before relying on any of this — it turns on facts we cannot assess for you, and it does not travel with you to another state's school zones.

How it works

The Iowa process, in order.

Steps marked “handled elsewhere” are run by the government or a third party — not by us. Knowing which is which is most of what prevents wasted money.

  1. Decide whether you need a permit at all

    Iowa does not require one for otherwise lawful carry. Get clear on why you want it — travel and recognition in other states is the usual reason — before you spend anything.

  2. Confirm you are eligibleHandled elsewhere

    Iowa Code § 724.8 lists who may not hold a permit, including anyone under 18, anyone federally prohibited, and anyone convicted of certain misdemeanors within the previous three years.

  3. Complete qualifying firearm-safety training

    Required for an initial permit only. Iowa Code § 724.9(2) expressly allows the course to be conducted over the internet, in a live or web-based format, where completion is verified by the instructor or provider. U.S. LawShield states that its Iowa eLearning course satisfies that requirement; as with any course from any provider, it is still worth confirming acceptance with your sheriff before you enroll.

  4. Apply to your county sheriffHandled elsewhere

    Nonprofessional applications go to the sheriff of the county where you live, with the $50 initial fee. Your training documentation generally has to be from a course completed within 24 months of the application.

  5. Wait for the decision

    The sheriff must approve or deny within 30 days of receiving the application. If they do not act, § 724.11(4) treats that as approval. A denial can be reviewed under § 724.21A.

What you'll learn

Inside the coursework.

U.S. LawShield Iowa PCW Online Training — delivered online by U.S. LawShield.

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  • Iowa law governing the carry of weapons and permit holder duties
  • Use of reasonable force and deadly force under Iowa law
  • Safe handling, storage and transportation of firearms
  • Prohibited places and situational restrictions
  • Concealed carry fundamentals and awareness
  • Post-incident legal and practical considerations

Residency

Resident vs. nonresident.

Iowa residents

Eligible

Iowa residents apply to the sheriff of their county of residence, who must approve or deny within 30 days. Training is required for an initial permit but not for a renewal.

Everyone else

Limited or not available

Iowa Code § 724.11 routes nonresidents to the commissioner of public safety for professional permits, while nonprofessional applications go to the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence. We cannot confirm from an authoritative source that a typical out-of-state applicant can obtain the nonprofessional permit, so we do not present Iowa as a nonresident option. Contact the Iowa Department of Public Safety before spending anything.

Looking for a permit you can get without living in the state? See which states issue to nonresidents.

Read this before you buy

What this course does — and does not do.

Every state page on this site carries this section. If a training company won't tell you where its product stops, that is the information you needed.

What this course does

  • Delivers firearm-safety instruction online — a format Iowa Code § 724.9(2) expressly permits when completion is verified by the provider. U.S. LawShield states that this eLearning course satisfies the Iowa Code § 724.9 training requirement
  • Requires no range qualification
  • Can be completed at your own pace
  • Produces completion documentation to submit with an initial application

What it does not do

  • Does not issue your permit — your county sheriff does
  • Does not guarantee your sheriff will accept it; confirm before you enroll
  • Is not needed for a renewal — Iowa Code § 724.9(3) does not require training to renew
  • Does not include the $50 application fee
  • Does not determine eligibility if a statutory prohibitor applies
  • Does not guarantee recognition of an Iowa permit in other states

Travel value

What could an Iowa PCW add to your carry strategy?

A second license is worth it where it covers ground your current one doesn't — and that depends entirely on the combination. So look at the actual recognition below, with the states you travel to in mind, rather than assuming any permit simply adds coverage.

Reciprocity data being verified

We haven't published a recognition map for this permit yet.

We only publish reciprocity once someone here has read the issuing authority's own current list and transcribed it. We have not finished that for the Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons, and a plausible-looking guess is worse than nothing when you are planning to travel armed. Verify current recognition directly with the sources below before you rely on it.

How multi-state permit strategy works

Quick answers

Iowa, in plain terms.

Can a nonresident get an Iowa PCW?

No. Iowa Code § 724.11 sends nonprofessional Permit to Carry Weapons applications to the sheriff of the county where the applicant resides, and routes nonresidents to the commissioner of public safety only for professional permits. We have not been able to confirm from an authoritative source that a typical out-of-state applicant can obtain the nonprofessional permit, so we do not list Iowa as a nonresident option. If you live outside Iowa, contact the Iowa Department of Public Safety before paying for anything.

Does Iowa require live fire?

No. The training requirement can be satisfied through approved online coursework with no range qualification.

Can I complete Iowa training online?

Yes. The full training requirement can be completed online.

Who issues the Iowa PCW?

Sheriff of your county of residence.

Nonprofessional Permit to Carry Weapons applications are filed with the sheriff of the county where you live. The commissioner of public safety handles professional permits, including those for nonresidents and for people whose need to go armed arises from state employment.

FAQ

Iowa questions, answered.

Do I need a permit to carry a gun in Iowa?

Generally no. Since 1 July 2021, Iowa has not required a permit to carry a firearm in public for people who may lawfully possess one, subject to the restrictions that still apply. A Permit to Carry Weapons remains available and is what other states recognize when you travel.

Is there a test for an Iowa permit to carry?

Iowa does not administer a state written examination for a Permit to Carry Weapons. What the law requires for an initial permit is firearm-safety training: Iowa Code § 724.9 lists the qualifying ways to demonstrate that knowledge, and § 724.9(2) allows the course to be delivered over the internet where completion is verified by the instructor or provider. A course provider may include its own assessment, but that is the provider's, not the state's.

What is the difference between an Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons and a Permit to Acquire?

They are two different documents. A Permit to Carry Weapons is the carry credential this page is about. A Permit to Acquire Pistols and Revolvers relates to acquiring a handgun. Since 2021 Iowa has required neither for a lawful purchase or for public carry, but both remain available and serve different purposes.

How old do you have to be for an Iowa permit to carry?

Under Iowa Code § 724.8 as currently written, a permit may not be issued to a person less than 18 years of age. That subsection was amended in 2025, so confirm the current text if you are close to the threshold.

How much does an Iowa permit to carry cost?

Iowa Code § 724.11(3) sets a $50 fee for an initial permit and $25 for a renewal or duplicate, provided the renewal application arrives within 30 days before or after expiration. Training is a separate cost.

How long is an Iowa permit valid, and what does renewal involve?

Five years, under Iowa Code § 724.7. Apply within 30 days before or 30 days after expiration, or you are treated as an initial applicant for fee purposes. Firearm-safety training is not required to renew a permit issued after 31 December 2010.

Can Iowa concealed carry training be completed online?

Yes. Iowa Code § 724.9(2) expressly allows the handgun safety training course to be conducted over the internet in a live or web-based format, provided completion is verified by the instructor or provider of the course. U.S. LawShield states that its Iowa eLearning course satisfies the § 724.9 training requirement. Iowa law and the Department of Public Safety remain the authority on what the state requires; the provider is the authority on its own course.

Can a nonresident get an Iowa permit to carry weapons?

We are not able to answer that from an authoritative source, so we will not guess. Iowa Code § 724.11 sends nonprofessional applications to the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence and routes nonresidents to the commissioner of public safety for professional permits. If you live outside Iowa, ask the Iowa Department of Public Safety directly before paying for training.

Official U.S. LawShield Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons Training Course artwork

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U.S. LawShield Iowa PCW Online Training · $74.99 · Delivered by U.S. LawShield. You complete it on your own schedule.

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Sources & official resources

Last reviewed: September 2026

Program details for the U.S. LawShield Iowa PCW Online Training were provided by U.S. LawShield Instructor Relations. Statutory and procedural details are sourced to the issuing authority above.

Educational information only. Not legal advice. Firearm laws change, and requirements vary by state, county and issuing authority. Verify current requirements with the issuing authority before you apply.

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Holding more than one license? Read how multi-state permit strategy actually works.