When you apply for an Iowa PCW, you are asked for a reason for issuance.  Typically, a Sheriff will place this reason on your permit as a "justification."  Justifications can be reasonable, like "Demonstrated Responsibility" or "Self-defense."  There are a number of Sheriffs in Iowa that do not see these as reasonable justifications, however, and will only issue a permit for justifications such as "Carries Large Sums of Money" or "Hunting, Fishing and Trapping."

Additionally, a Sheriff may issue a permit with restrictions such as "Valid only when carrying more than $500" or "Valid only while traveling to and from a shooting range."

Iowa Carry does not support either of these on permits.  Citizens should be allowed to obtain a permit with no justification, and there should be no additional restrictions placed on a permit over and above what is restricted by law.

Citizens can also find themselves in a bad situation if the "Justification" of a permit is interpreted as a "Restriction" by some Sheriffs.  Iowa Carry has not been able to get a good ruling on that situation.  There are some Sheriffs who will view a justification as a defacto restriction; i.e., if you were issued a permit for "Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping" then your permit is only valid while performing those activities.  This is a very grey area in the law, and one that can unwittingly trap otherwise law-abiding citizens.

Iowa Carry is working to ensure that any Shall Issue law that gets passed will not contain language that permits a Sheriff to restrict a permit beyond what is contained in the law, and further, ensure that there is no longer any justification needed to obtain a Permit to Carry Weapons.