Minnesota statute 609.66 prohibits the possession of a “dangerous weapon” within a courthouse complex without having a Minnesota Permit to Carry and then providing proper notice to the county sheriff of your intent to do so.
PROVIDING PROPER NOTICE
To provide proper notice, simply send a letter to the county sheriff for the courthouse in which you intend to carry.
You may wish to send a second copy with a stamped self-addressed envelope and ask for a receipt to be signed and returned to you to keep on hand in case of any future issues.
SAMPLE LETTER
Sheriff:
Under MN 609.66, Subd 1g, I am providing you with proper notice to carry a firearm under MN 609.66, Subd 1g in the _____________ County courthouse complex.
I hold a current Minnesota State Permit to Carry a Handgun. My permit was issued by the ___________________ County Sheriff, and expires on ___________________.
Thank you for your service.
Sincerely,
______________________________
COURT ORDERS
Since September 1, 2026, a statewide Minnesota Judicial Branch order has banned firearms in court facilities. Before that, many courts already had local orders doing the same. Here is how the order and the notice letter fit together:
- The notice letter still matters. If you hold a Permit to Carry and send notice to the sheriff, you fall within the exception to the felony ban in § 609.66, subd. 1g(b)(2).
- Notice doesn’t override a valid court order. Carrying in a court-controlled area against the order can still lead to a misdemeanor contempt charge.
- The order reaches court space, not the whole building. Courts likely have authority to restrict firearms in areas they control. Extending that into non-court parts of a building, such as county offices that share a courthouse, raises separate legal questions and could be challenged.
Check your county’s situation before carrying in a courthouse complex. If you’re turned away from a part of a building that isn’t court space, don’t argue with security: leave, write down what happened, and tell us.