Gun Permits
Woodbury County Sheriff's Office
407 7th Street
Sioux City, IA 51101
Phone: (712) 279-6010
Toll Free: (800) 352-6352
www.woodburycountyiowa.gov
To Renew Your Permit:
- Apply within 11 months to 30 days prior to expiration
- Attend new weapons training class or qualify on a range under the supervision of a trained instructor within 12 months prior to the expiration
- $45 fee (includes the plastic permit card)
- Good for five (5) years
Alternative
- Apply less than 30 days before the permit expires, or allow it to expire (considered new permit)
- Present the same training certificate as you did when you applied in 2011.
- $70 fee (includes the plastic permit card)
- Good for five (5) years
Please Read Carefully
Applicants must show proof that they have met the requirements set forth in Iowa Code Chapter 724, before receiving a permit. To see the entire code section click here.
To summarize this code:
- Applicants must show proper identification
- Applicants must apply for a permit to the Sheriff of the county in which the applicant resides.
- Applicants must have completed required training.
- Applicants will pay required fee at the time the permit is picked up. Carry permits are $50 for new permits and $25 for renewals. The Woodbury County Sheriff's Office provides permits on hard plastic ID cards for an additional $20 charge to cover the cost of the card. Purchase permits are $10.
Application Procedure:
- Download, print and fill out the appropriate application listed below. Fill in all the blanks thoroughly. Females, include your maiden name and any other married names you may have used. Failure to complete the form will result in termination of the application process.
- Attach a legible copy of your firearms training certification for carry permits only.
- Attach a legible copy of your Iowa Driver's License or Iowa Non-Driver Identification. The address on the Driver's License or Non-Driver Identification must have your current address.
- Mail to: Woodbury County Sheriff's Office
Attn: Gun Permit Division
PO Box 3715
Sioux City, IA 51102
Application for Permit to Carry Weapons
Application for Permit to Purchase
Please allow ten (10) days for purchase permits to process and thirty (30) days for carry permits to process. The Woodbury County Sheriff's Office will notify the carry permit applicants when the application process is completed and the permit is available for pick-up. From the date of notification, you have thirty (30) days to pick-up the permit from the Sheriff's Office. Over thirty (30) days and you will be required to make a new application and incur additional processing costs.
Warning: Please do not call the office to check on the status of your application. As mentioned above, you will be notified when the application process is complete and the permit is ready to be picked up. Calling will only slow the process.
Warning: If any portion of the State of Iowa applications for carry or purchase are incorrectly filled out or left blank, the process will be terminated and the applicant will be required to reapply. This will include any missing or incorrect information, to include, legible copies of training certificates and identification.
A professional carry permit also requires an employer's authorization on the application, along with a letter on company letterhead stating they are employed with that company and requests the individual to carry a weapon while on duty. Professional carry permits are not offered on the hard plastic Identification card.
When making application for a carry permit, it is not necessary to make application for a purchase permit. The carry permit acts as the purchase permit.
Please do not walk into the Sheriff's office or call for applications.
Please consider the following suggestions:
- Permit holders are strongly encouraged to safely conceal their weapons versus carrying in the open or plain view.
- At the onset of any contact with law enforcement, immediately notify the deputy/officer(s) that you have a permit to carry and you are armed.
- A permit holder is required by law to carry their permit while armed by State Code of Iowa 724.5
- Prior to traveling across state lines, familiarize yourself with the laws of the state you intend to pass through and enter. Iowa recognizes and honors weapon permits from other states, but in many other states there is no such reciprocity.
- Weapon possession/use is prohibited while a person is impaired by alcohol and/or drugs by State Code of Iowa 724.4C
- Permit holders may possess weapons in vehicles but not while riding on an ATV or snowmobile.
- Contact the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for specific inquiries regarding hunting.
- Private establishments may post signs prohibiting weapons on their premises.
- Permit holders may not carry on school grounds.
- Permit holders are strongly encouraged to gain proficiency with the weapon they carry (to include shooting accuracy, weapon safety, and justification in the use of deadly force.