Welcome to the ultimate resource for firearms carry information in the State of Iowa. Here you will find all the information you need about weapons carry laws and the fight to bring Shall Issue to Iowa.
Iowa Carry is an affiliate group of the Second Amendment Foundation. Please take some time and look around and learn about our cause. We need to work together to ensure, that like 40 other states, Iowa adopts a law increasing personal protection for all its citizens.
Who do you want carrying guns in Iowa?
Today in Iowa, the bad guys are already carrying weapons, but law-abiding citizens can legally be denied the right to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Arm Yourself With The Facts
Under Chapter 724.7 of the Iowa Code, a law abiding resident who desires to carry a concealed weapon must apply for a Permit to Carry Weapons to the sheriff of the county where they reside. The decision to issue a permit is made solely at the personal discretion of that county’s Sheriff.
At first glance, this seems reasonable. If you have a valid reason for carrying a weapon, you can get a permit, correct? Not necessarily.
Under current law and practice, any Sheriff may arbitrarily deny any applicant this right. Many do just that. The word “may” in Chapter 724.7 above is the operative word. You may get your permit, or you may not!
There are literally 99 different issue policies in the state - one for each county Sheriff.
Even more appalling is the fact that those who are fortunate enough to be issued a permit in their home county (like Cedar, Jones, and Polk) may legally carry their weapon anywhere in the state - even in counties where a sheriff may issue no permits (like Dubuque, Mahaska, and Johnson)! Why is it OK for a citizen in Jones county who receives a permit be denied that same permit if he moves to Johnson county? What changed other than a mailing address?
As it stands, Iowa Chapter 724.7 is a patently unfair and inequitable law. The concept of “equal protection under the law” from the 14th Amendment to our U.S. Constitution immediately comes to mind.
It strikes most folks as unfair & unlikely for similar individuals to be treated differently when it comes to our rights under Iowa law. Yet records at the Iowa Department of Public Safety reveal that this is exactly what is happening with respect to issuing permits to carry weapons. The county map page shows the relative level of difficulty for a law-abiding citizen to be issued a permit depending only upon which county they live.