1. Except as provided in subsection 3, a person who sells, loans, gives, or makes available a rifle or shotgun or ammunition for a rifle or shotgun to a minor commits a serious misdemeanor for a first offense and a class “D” felony for second and subsequent offenses.

Attorney's Note

Under the Iowa Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class D felonyup to 5 yearsbetween $1,025 and $10,245
Serious misdemeanorup to 1 yearbetween $430 and $2,560
For details, see Iowa Code902.9 and Iowa Code§ 903.1
Have a question? Click here to chat with a criminal defense lawyer and protect your rights.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 724.22

  • Child: includes child by adoption. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • felony: means any offense punishable in the jurisdiction where it occurred by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, but does not include any offense, other than an offense involving a firearm or explosive, classified as a misdemeanor under the laws of the state and punishable by a term of imprisonment of two years or less. See Iowa Code 724.25
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. Except as provided in subsections 4 and 5, a person who sells, loans, gives, or makes available a pistol or revolver or ammunition for a pistol or revolver to a person below the age of twenty-one commits a serious misdemeanor for a first offense and a class “D” felony for second and subsequent offenses.
 3. A parent, guardian, spouse who is eighteen years of age or older, or another with the express consent of the minor’s parent or guardian or spouse who is eighteen years of age or older may allow a minor to possess a rifle or shotgun or the ammunition therefor which may be lawfully used.
 4. A person eighteen, nineteen, or twenty years of age may possess a firearm and the ammunition therefor while on military duty or while a peace officer, security guard or correctional officer, when such duty requires the possession of such a weapon or while the person receives instruction in the proper use thereof from an instructor who is twenty-one years of age or older.
 5. a. A parent or guardian or spouse who is twenty-one years of age or older, of a person under the age of twenty-one may allow the person, while under direct supervision, to possess a pistol or revolver or the ammunition therefor for any lawful purpose, or while the person receives instruction in the proper use thereof from an instructor twenty-one years of age or older, with the consent of such parent, guardian or spouse.

 b. As used in this section, “direct supervision” means supervision provided by the parent, guardian, spouse, or instructor who is twenty-one years of age or older, who maintains a physical presence near the supervised person conducive to hands-on instruction, who maintains visual and verbal contact at all times with the supervised person, and who is not intoxicated as provided under the conditions set out in section 321J.2, subsection 1, or under the influence of an illegal drug.
 6. For the purposes of this section, caliber .22 rimfire ammunition shall be deemed to be rifle ammunition.
 7. It shall be unlawful for any person to store or leave a loaded firearm which is not secured by a trigger lock mechanism, placed in a securely locked box or container, or placed in some other location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure from a minor under the age of fourteen years, if such person knows or has reason to believe that a minor under the age of fourteen years is likely to gain access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the minor’s parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, the minor lawfully gains access to the firearm without the consent of the minor’s parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, and the minor exhibits the firearm in a public place in an unlawful manner, or uses the firearm unlawfully to cause injury or death to a person. This subsection does not apply if the minor obtains the firearm as a result of an unlawful entry by any person. A violation of this subsection is punishable as a serious misdemeanor.
 8. A parent, guardian, or spouse who is twenty-one years of age or older, of a minor under the age of fourteen years who allows that minor to possess a pistol or revolver or the ammunition pursuant hereto, shall be strictly liable to an injured party for all damages resulting from the possession of the pistol or revolver or ammunition therefor by that minor.
 9. A parent, guardian, spouse, or instructor, who knowingly provides direct supervision under subsection 5, of a person while intoxicated as provided under the conditions set out in section 321J.2, subsection 1, paragraph “a”, “b”, or “c”, commits child endangerment in violation of section 726.6, subsection 1, paragraph “i”.