ATF lets some Minnesota gun buyers skip background checks

Only applies to carry permit.

ST. PAUL (AP) –Minnesota residents who have permits to carry handguns may now be able to purchase guns from licensed dealers without the normally required background checks.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Friday that it has determined that Minnesota’s requirements for getting a permit to carry satisfy the background check requirements under federal law for purchasing a firearm.

That means carry permits with expiration dates of Aug. 1, 2019, or later, now qualify as alternatives to usual the FBI instant background checks.

ATF Assistant Director Marvin Richardson notes that the change applies only to Minnesota’s permit to carry and not its permit to purchase.