This week, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced that Minnesota Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs) may now accept valid Minnesota Handgun Carry Permits, with expiration dates of August 1, 2019 and later, in lieu of conducting a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
NICS exemption status ensures that law-abiding permit holders, who have been fully vetted and undergone a NICS check, may purchase or receive a firearm from a gun dealer without the delays sometimes associated with a NICS check. The permit itself acts as verification that the holder has undergone a background check and is neither prohibited under state or federal law from possessing a firearm.
Minnesota became NICS compliant in 2014; however, the federal government did not recognize it. Thanks to Attorney General Swanson’s recent actions, Minnesota’s Handgun Carry Permit now qualifies for NICS exemption.