Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Polk County. Des Moines sits where the Raccoon River meets the Des Moines River, with the capitol, insurance headquarters and farm country on all sides. Orders ship to licensed dealers across Polk County and the suburbs from Ankeny to West Des Moines.
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 dropped its mandatory permit to acquire handguns in 2021, so no permit is needed to buy from a dealer. County sheriffs still issue the permit to residents who want one, and it can save time at the counter and help with reciprocity. There is no state waiting period and dealers run the federal check. Federal ages apply at a dealer, 21 for handguns and 18 for long guns, while the age for a private handgun transfer dropped to 18 in 2025. Online orders ship to the Iowa dealer you choose.
Dealers in these communities all work for Des Moines-area buyers:
Iowa has allowed permitless carry, openly or concealed, since July 1, 2021, and the minimum age dropped to 18 on July 1, 2025. The optional nonprofessional permit to carry weapons is issued by the sheriff of the county where you live and runs five years. Iowa residents who travel often still hold one because other states recognize it. The usual restrictions apply in schools, courthouses and on posted private property, and employers may set their own rules.
Iowa deer hunting is built around shotguns and straight-wall cartridges rather than standard rifles. For 2026-27 the first gun season runs December 5 to 9 and the second December 12 to 20, with archery in October and November and late muzzleloader into January. Legal gun-season firearms include shotguns, handguns with barrels of at least four inches, muzzleloaders, and rifles chambered for expanding straight-wall cartridges from .350 to .500 caliber producing at least 500 foot-pounds. Polk County sits in the new statewide Zone A.
Polk County is in Iowa's Zone A, with the first shotgun season December 5 to 9 and the second December 12 to 20. The Iowa DNR runs the Butch Olofson range at Saylorville just north of the metro.
Saylorville and Red Rock reservoirs draw waterfowl hunters and give the metro its nearest public ground, and Iowa's timbered river corridors are known for heavy-bodied whitetails taken with slugs and straight-wall rifles.
The public ranges below are run or officially listed by state wildlife agencies, state forests or the national forests in the states we cover. Most ask for a hunting license, a range permit or a small day fee, and hours change with the season, so check the agency page before you drive out.
Source: State wildlife agency and U.S. Forest Service public range lists, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.
Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, Des Moines or anywhere in Polk County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.
No. The permit has been optional since 2021, though the Polk County Sheriff still issues it and it can shorten your time at the dealer.
Yes. Since July 1, 2025 the minimum age for permitless carry is 18, although a dealer may still only sell a handgun to a buyer 21 or older.
Rifles chambered for expanding straight-wall cartridges from .350 to .500 caliber with at least 500 foot-pounds of energy, along with shotguns, handguns and muzzleloaders.
In many states yes, in calibers such as .350 Legend, .450 Bushmaster, 6.5 Grendel or .308 Winchester, and some states allow .223 or 5.56 for deer while others do not. Check your state's current regulations on legal calibers before you buy.
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 September 2026. See our buying guide and check with Polk County Sheriff or a local attorney about your own situation.