Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Des Moines County. Burlington rises from the Mississippi River in a series of terraces, and the Snake Alley brick street is a landmark of the downtown. The city was the first territorial capital of Iowa.
Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door where Iowa law allows.
Iowa buyers purchase a handgun or long gun from a licensed dealer by showing photo identification, completing ATF Form 4473 and passing a background check. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says a permit to acquire or permit to carry is no longer required to buy a handgun in certain cases (law change effective July 1, 2021), though a sheriff-issued permit can still be used for the purchase. Federal law sets the dealer minimum age at 18 for rifles and shotguns and 21 for handguns, and Iowa Code 724.15 says a person under 21 cannot be issued a permit to acquire a pistol or revolver. Rules change, so confirm with your county sheriff, the Iowa Department of Public Safety or the dealer.
Dealers in these communities all work for Burlington-area buyers:
Iowa Code 724.5 says the availability of a permit does not prohibit lawful unlicensed carry, open or concealed, so many adults can carry without a permit, subject to the limits in Iowa Code chapter 724. Check the statute or the sheriff for age limits, places and situations that stay restricted. Residents can still apply for a nonprofessional permit to carry through the Des Moines County Sheriff. Under Iowa Code 724.7 the permit runs five years, and first-time applicants must show firearm safety training under section 724.9. It is useful when you travel to states that honor it. Carrying a firearm on school grounds is a felony under Iowa Code 724.4B, with listed exceptions, and Iowa Code 724.4A doubles the maximum fine for a firearm offense within 1,000 feet of a school or in a public park.
The Iowa DNR 2026-27 deer seasons run youth and disabled hunter September 19 to October 4, early muzzleloader October 17 to 25, shotgun season one December 5 to 9, shotgun season two December 12 to 20 and late muzzleloader December 21 to January 10. Iowa has two resident deer zones. Zone B covers Crawford, Ida, Lyon, O'Brien, Plymouth, Shelby, Sioux and Woodbury counties, where general licenses are antlered-buck only except in listed seasons; Zone A is every other county, and some Zone A counties keep a buck-only limit in the first gun season. Legal firearms for the youth and shotgun seasons include shotguns, handguns with a barrel of at least 4 inches and certain straight-wall or necked-down rifle cartridges that meet DNR specifications. Check the current DNR regulations for Des Moines County and for the exact cartridge list.
Des Moines County has Mississippi River bottoms and wooded uplands, and hunters should check Iowa DNR waterfowl zone rules for the river. Iowa deer seasons and antlerless license quotas are set by county, so check the Iowa DNR regulations and the current quota page for Des Moines County before you apply.
Starr's Cave Nature Preserve and Flint Creek on the north side offer timbered ravines, and Mississippi backwaters nearby draw waterfowl hunters.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources lists nine public shooting ranges across the state, and eight are shown below. Some ranges, such as Banner, Butch Olofson and Cody, may charge fees or have set hours, and ranges can close, so check the DNR range alerts and closures page before you drive. Spring Run near Spirit Lake is not shown here; check its DNR page for its current status.
Source: Iowa Department of Natural Resources shooting range pages; addresses checked October 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.
Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in West Burlington, Danville, Mediapolis, Burlington or anywhere in Des Moines County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.
Iowa does not require a permit to buy a handgun from a dealer in many cases, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. You complete Form 4473 and pass a background check at the licensed dealer near Burlington that receives your order.
Iowa does not have a state waiting period that we could confirm from official sources. The dealer can release the firearm once the background check is approved, so confirm timing with the dealer.
The Des Moines County Sheriff takes applications for the nonprofessional permit to carry. First-time applicants must show firearm safety training, and the permit lasts five years under Iowa Code 724.7.
We ship it to a licensed dealer near Burlington that you pick at checkout. The dealer runs the background check and hands the firearm over. Ammunition, optics and most parts ship to your door where legal.
Iowa Code 724.5 allows lawful unlicensed carry by many adults, with restrictions in places such as school grounds. Age limits and other rules apply, so check Iowa Code chapter 724 or ask the Des Moines County Sheriff before you carry.
A shotgun, a hunting license, the habitat fee and federal waterfowl stamps are generally needed, and non-toxic shot is required for waterfowl. Check the current Iowa DNR waterfowl regulations for dates, zones and gun requirements.
Each dealer sets its own fee, commonly $20 to $75. Call before you order to confirm the price and that they accept firearms shipped from an online store.
General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of October 2026. See our Iowa gun law overview and check with Des Moines County Sheriff or a local attorney about your own situation.