Subd. 1. Penalty.

1. (a) A person, other than a law enforcement officer who has authority to make arrests other than citizens arrests, who carries, holds or possesses a pistol in a motor vehicle, snowmobile or boat, or on or about the person's clothes or the person, or otherwise in possession or control in a public place or public area without first having obtained a permit to carry the pistol is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. A person who is convicted a second or subsequent time is guilty of a felony.
2. (b) A person who has been issued a permit and who engages in activities other than those for which the permit has been issued, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Subd. 2. Where application made.

Applications for permits to carry shall be made to the chief of police of an organized full-time police department of the municipality where the applicant resides or to the county sheriff where there is no such local chief of police where the applicant resides. At the time of application, the local police authority shall provide the applicant with a dated receipt for the application.

Subd. 3. Contents.

Applications for permits to carry shall set forth in writing the following information:

1. (1) the name, residence, telephone number, and driver's license number or nonqualification certificate number, if any, of the applicant;
2. (2) the sex, date of birth, height, weight, and color of eyes and hair, and distinguishing physical characteristics, if any, of the applicant;
3. (3) a statement that the applicant authorizes the release to the local police authority of commitment information about the applicant maintained by the commissioner of human services, to the extent that the information relates to the applicant's eligibility to possess a pistol or semiautomatic military-style assault weapon under section 624.713, subdivision 1;
4. (4) a statement by the applicant that the applicant is not prohibited by section 624.713 from possessing a pistol or semiautomatic military-style assault weapon; and

5. (5) a recent color photograph of the applicant.

   The application shall be signed and dated by the applicant. The statement under clause (3) must comply with any applicable requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, sections 2.31 to 2.35, with respect to consent to disclosure of alcohol or drug abuse patient records.

Subd. 4. Investigation.

The application authority shall check criminal records, histories, and warrant information on each applicant through the Minnesota Crime Information System. The chief of police or sheriff shall obtain commitment information from the commissioner of human services as provided in section 245.041.

Subd. 5. Granting of permits.

No permit to carry shall be granted to a person unless the applicant:

1. (a) Is not a person prohibited by section 624.713 from possessing a pistol;
2. (b) Provides a firearms safety certificate recognized by the department of natural resources, evidence of successful completion of a test of ability to use a firearm supervised by the chief of police or sheriff or other satisfactory proof of ability to use a pistol safely; and
3. (c) Has an occupation or personal safety hazard requiring a permit to carry.

Subd. 6. Failure to grant permits.

Failure of the chief police officer or the county sheriff to deny the application or issue a permit to carry a pistol within 21 days of the date of application shall be deemed to be a grant thereof. The local police authority shall provide an applicant with written notification of a denial and the specific reason for the denial. A chief of police or a sheriff may charge a fee to cover the cost of conducting a background check, not to exceed $10. The permit shall specify the activities for which it shall be valid.

Subd. 7. Renewal.

Permits to carry a pistol issued pursuant to this section shall expire after one year and shall thereafter be renewed in the same manner and subject to the same provisions by which the original permit was obtained, except that all renewed permits must comply with the standards adopted by the commissioner of public safety under section 624.7161.

Subd. 8. Permit to carry voided.

The permit to carry shall be void at the time that the holder becomes prohibited from possessing a pistol under section 624.713, in which event the holder shall return the permit within five days to the application authority. Failure of the holder to return the permit within the five days is a gross misdemeanor unless the court finds that the circumstances or the physical or mental condition of the permit holder prevented the holder from complying with the return requirement.

Subd. 9. Carrying pistols about one's premises or for purposes of repair, target practice.

A permit to carry is not required of a person:

1. (a) To keep or carry about the person's place of business, dwelling house, premises or on land possessed by the person a pistol;
2. (b) To carry a pistol from a place of purchase to the person's dwelling house or place of business, or from the person's dwelling house or place of business to or from a place where repairing is done, to have the pistol repaired;
3. (c) To carry a pistol between the person's dwelling house and place of business;
4. (d) To carry a pistol in the woods or fields or upon the waters of this state for the purpose of hunting or of target shooting in a safe area; or
5. (e) To transport a pistol in a motor vehicle, snowmobile or boat if the pistol is unloaded, contained in a closed and fastened case, gunbox, or securely tied package.

Subd. 10. False representations.

A person who gives or causes to be given any false information in applying for a permit to carry, knowing or having reason to know the information is false, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

Subd. 11. No limit on number of pistols.

A person shall not be restricted as to the number of pistols the person may carry.

Subd. 12. Hearing upon denial.

Any person aggrieved by denial of a permit to carry may appeal the denial to the district court having jurisdiction over the county or municipality wherein the notification or denial occurred. The matter shall be heard de novo without a jury.

Subd. 13. Exemptions; adult correctional facility officers.

A permit to carry a pistol is not required of any officer of a state adult correctional facility when on guard duty or otherwise engaged in an assigned duty.