Red Flag Law and Weapon Limits in Minnesota
Whether Minnesota has a red flag (extreme risk) law and any limits on assault weapons or magazine capacity.
Short answer: Yes. A petition for an extreme risk protection order may be filed by the chief law enforcement officer or designee, a city or county attorney, any family or household member of the respondent, or the respondent's guardian. Minn. Stat. §624.7171, subd. 4(b); §624.7172, subds. 1(a), 2(a), 2(e); §624.7174(e)
| Red flag law | Yes. A petition for an extreme risk protection order may be filed by the chief law enforcement officer or designee, a city or county attorney, any family or household member of the respondent, or the respondent's guardian. The court must hold a hearing within 14 days; the petitioner must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent poses a significant danger to others or is at significant risk of suicide by possessing a firearm. A final order lasts between six months and one year, subject to renewal. An emergency order may issue for a fixed period of 14 days. Enacted 2023 c. 52. Hearing and duration: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/624.7172; emergency orders: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/624.7174 |
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| Assault weapons and magazine limits | Minnesota has no state law that bans assault weapons or limits magazine capacity. 'Semiautomatic military-style assault weapons' are instead regulated like pistols: transfers require a transferee permit, permit to carry, or a transfer report (with background check), persons under 18 may not possess them, and persons under 21 may not carry them in a public place. Owning or possessing a machine gun, trigger activator (such as a binary trigger) or machine gun conversion kit is a crime (up to 20 years and/or $35,000). Reviewed Minn. Stat. chapter 624 firearms sections (624.71-624.7192, including 2026 session-law notices) and §§609.66-609.67 on 2026-10-27; no assault-weapon ban or magazine-capacity provision found. Machine guns/trigger activators: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.67 |
More Minnesota gun laws
- Concealed Carry in Minnesota
- Open Carry in Minnesota
- Buying a Gun in Minnesota
- All Minnesota gun laws rules
FAQ
Does Minnesota have a red flag law?
Yes. A petition for an extreme risk protection order may be filed by the chief law enforcement officer or designee, a city or county attorney, any family or household member of the respondent, or the respondent's guardian. The court must hold a hearing within 14 days; the petitioner must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent poses a significant danger to others or is at significant risk of suicide by possessing a firearm. A final order lasts between six months and one year, subject to renewal. An emergency order may issue for a fixed period of 14 days.
Does Minnesota ban assault weapons or high-capacity magazines?
Minnesota has no state law that bans assault weapons or limits magazine capacity. 'Semiautomatic military-style assault weapons' are instead regulated like pistols: transfers require a transferee permit, permit to carry, or a transfer report (with background check), persons under 18 may not possess them, and persons under 21 may not carry them in a public place. Owning or possessing a machine gun, trigger activator (such as a binary trigger) or machine gun conversion kit is a crime (up to 20 years and/or $35,000).
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.