Frequent Questions About Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons.

To get an Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons (PCW), you must meet the following basic requirements:

1. Be at least 18 years old for a professional permit, or 21 years old for a nonprofessional permit.
2. Be a U.S. citizen or a legal resident.
3. Reside in Iowa or be employed in Iowa (for a non-resident professional permit).
4. Complete an approved firearms training course (unless renewing).
5. Not be prohibited by law from possessing firearms (e.g., no felony convictions, certain domestic violence convictions, or substance abuse issues).
6. Submit an application to the sheriff’s office in your county of residence.
7. Pay the required fee (usually around $50 for a new permit).

Once approved, the permit is valid for 5 years.

Fees for the application, background check, fingerprinting, etc., vary by county, but these are the typical fees:

Application fee - $50
FBI Background Check + fingerprinting - $10-30
Class Fee - $35.00
Total Cost – $95.00- $115.00

The Iowa class is 2-3 hours long

The Iowa PCW does not require any range time to get a permit. 

Yes, Iowa has a non-professional and professional permit. The non-professional permit is for residents only. The professional permit can be obtained by either a resident or a non-resident if their job reasonably requires them to be armed.

Yes, teachers or staff can carry at the school where they work with a special Educator Permit to Carry Weapons permit. The teacher or staff must be approved by their district or school and they must take the state-approved training.

After the class, you will take your signed certificate of completion to your local sheriff's office. They will help you with fingerprints and finishing the application process. 

No longer than 30 days.