The Short Version of CCW

 The applicant must bring with him or her:

1. Proof of training from a qualified instructor
------(This MUST have been done before filling out the application)
2. Valid Missouri state-issued identification or
-------Military identification and
-------Orders stationing the service member in Missouri
3. Up to $100 in check, cash or money order
-------Some sheriff's require money orders
-------The fee is not refundable under any circumstances
-------The amount of the fee depends on the sheriff's costs to administer the program
-------May require separate checks for
-----------Fingerprints ($38)and
-----------Costs

Some sheriffs may demand further proof of residency in the county such as voter's registration, personal property tax receipt, or utility bills. The statute does not demand it, but sheriffs might.

Qualifications
The license applicant must be at least 23 years of age. The applicant must have resided in Missouri for at least six months. The statute does not require that Missouri be the applicant’s only residence, or even permanent residence. The applicant can also be in the military or the spouse of a military member who is on orders to be stationed in Missouri. There are some persons stationed at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas who reside in Missouri. These individuals will have to live in the state for six months before application.

The applicant must have a clean criminal record with no felonies of any kind no mater how long ago. He or she cannot have been convicted of a misdemeanor which prohibits the purchase of firearms in Missouri, or a misdemeanor crime of violence in the last five (5) years. Domestic violence is certainly a crime of violence, and as a practical matter, persons with such convictions are forever barred by federal law from possessing a firearm. The applicant cannot have been convicted of two (2) driving while intoxicated charges in the last five (5) years. The statute says driving while intoxicated, not the lesser charge of driving under the influence often used in cases of drug intoxication or when the blood alcohol level cannot be determined. The applicant cannot have been convicted of possessing a controlled substance (they mean drugs) in the last five (5) years. The applicant cannot be charged with any of the above offenses at the time of application.

The applicant cannot have been dishonorably discharged from the military. There are several less than honorable discharges in the military, but only a dishonorable discharge disqualifies the applicant. See the “Prohibited Persons” section at page 79 in MISSOURI WEAPONS AND SELF-DEFENSE LAW.

The statute also prohibits applications by persons adjudged mentally incompetent or committed to a mental health facility in this or any other state. The adjudication or commitment must have been following a hearing at which the defendant was represented by counsel or a representative. The statutes uses the language “or for five years prior to application”. This may indicate that the applicant must have been restored to sanity more than five years prior to application, in any case, it certainly should. As a practical matter, such persons are prohibited under state and federal law from receiving firearms or ammunition.

There is also a provision barring persons who have “engaged in a pattern of behavior, documented in public records, that causes the sheriff to have a reasonable belief that the applicant presents a danger to himself or others. This is the “naked man” provision. A person in the habit of getting naked and howling at the moon may not be dangerous, but may raise questions. A series of restraining orders, transportation for psychiatric observation, or a number of charges for disturbing the peace may raise questions. Anyone exceptionally eccentric or irresponsible can be barred.

Traveling outside of the state

Any licensee who is anywhere near a state line should stop, unload the gun, and lock it up. It would be awkward to become lost, and be arrested while asking a policeman for directions back to Missouri. Under 18 US Code section 926A, a person can carry a gun in any state if it is unloaded and in a locked container. The glove compartment and console do not qualify even if they are locked. It doesn’t have to make sense, it’s just the law.

Vehicles
Under the statute the right to carry loaded concealed handguns in one’s home is extended to one’s vehicle. This extended right is confined to persons 21 years old or older who lawfully possesses the firearm. This right only applies to “concealable” firearms (they mean handguns). It does NOT apply to rifles, carbines, or shotguns. It doesn’t have to make sense, it’s just the law.
The term "lawfully possess" means that the individual can legally own a handgun. Some persons have privately acquired handguns in Missouri without going through Missouri's mandatory, but lightly enforced, purchase permit system (see MISSOURI WEAPONS AND SELF-DEFENSE LAW at page 92). While these handguns have been unlawfully purchased this does not mean that they are unlawfully possessed.
The handgun may be carried anywhere in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. As in the home, one must be cautious about access by children. People have been charged with endangering the welfare of children by allowing access to guns, and certain prosecutors may take this as a consolation prize.

For a much more in-depth page on the law, the class, restrictions & permissions Click Here. An extremely knowledgeable person has put together the ultimate informational guide.