Iowa state stun gun & taser laws | ReptiTactical (2023)

Iowa Code § 702.7. Dangerous Weapon

A "dangerous weapon" is any instrument or device designed primarily for use in inflicting death or injury upon a human being or animal, and which is capable of inflicting death upon a human being when used in the manner for which it was designed, except a bow and arrow when possessed and used for hunting or any other lawful purpose. Additionally, any instrument or device of any sort whatsoever which is actually used in such a manner as to indicate that the defendant intends to inflict death or serious injury upon the other, and which, when so used, is capable of inflicting death upon a human being, is a dangerous weapon. Dangerous weapons include but are not limited to any offensive weapon, pistol, revolver, or other firearm, dagger, razor, stiletto, switchblade knife, knife having a blade exceeding five inches in length, or any portable device or weapon directing an electric current, impulse, wave, or beam that produces a high-voltage pulse designed to immobilize a person.

Iowa Code § 704.2. Deadly force

1. The term “deadly force” means any of the following

: . . .

The discharge of a firearm, other than a firearm loaded with less lethal munitions and discharged by a peace officer, corrections officer, or corrections official in the line of duty, in the direction of some person with the knowledge of the person's presence there, even though no intent to inflict serious physical injury can be shown.

1. The discharge of a firearm, other than a firearm loaded with less lethal munitions and discharged by a peace officer, corrections officer, or corrections official in the line of duty, at a vehicle in which a person is known to be.
2. As used in this section, “less lethal munitions” means projectiles which are designed to stun, temporarily incapacitate, or cause temporary discomfort to a person without penetrating the person's body.

Iowa Code § 708.1. Assault defined

1. An assault as defined in this section is a general intent crime.
2. A person commits an assault when, without justification, the person does any of the following: c. Intentionally points any firearm toward another, or displays in a threatening manner any dangerous weapon toward another.

Iowa Code § 708.2. Penalties for assault

. . .

3. A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, and uses or displays a dangerous weapon in connection with the assault, is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. This subsection does not apply if section 708.6 or 708.8 applies.

Iowa Code § 708.6. Intimidation with a dangerous weapon

A person commits a class “C” felony when the person, with the intent to injure or provoke fear or anger in another, shoots, throws, launches, or discharges a dangerous weapon at, into, or in a building, vehicle, airplane, railroad engine, railroad car, or boat, occupied by another person, or within an assembly of people, and thereby places the occupants or people in reasonable apprehension of serious injury or threatens to commit such an act under circumstances raising a reasonable expectation that the threat will be carried out. A person commits a class “D” felony when the person shoots, throws, launches, or discharges a dangerous weapon at, into, or in a building, vehicle, airplane, railroad engine, railroad car, or boat, occupied by another person, or within an assembly of people, and thereby places the occupants or people in reasonable apprehension of serious injury or threatens to commit such an act under circumstances raising a reasonable expectation that the threat will be carried out.

Iowa Code § 708.8. Going armed with intent

A person who goes armed with any dangerous weapon with the intent to use without justification such weapon against the person of another commits a class “D” felony.

Iowa Code § 719.1. Interference with official acts

1. a. A person commits interference with official acts when the person knowingly resists or obstructs anyone known by the person to be a peace officer, emergency medical care provider under chapter 147A, or firefighter, whether paid or volunteer, in the performance of any act which is within the scope of the lawful duty or authority of that officer, emergency medical care provider under chapter 147A, or firefighter, whether paid or volunteer, or who knowingly resists or obstructs the service or execution by any authorized person of any civil or criminal process or order of any court.

….

702. If a person commits interference with official acts, as defined in this subsection, and in so doing inflicts or attempts to inflict serious injury, or displays a dangerous weapon, as defined in section 702.7, or is armed with a firearm, that person commits a class “D” felony.
703. a. A person under the custody, control, or supervision of the department of corrections commits interference with official acts when the person knowingly resists, obstructs, or interferes with a correctional officer, agent, employee, or contractor, whether paid or volunteer, in the performance of the person's official duties.

….

702. If a person violates this subsection and in so doing inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily injury other than serious injury to another, displays a dangerous weapon, as defined in section 702.7, or is armed with a firearm, the person commits a class “D” felony.
703. If a person violates this subsection and uses or attempts to use a dangerous weapon, as defined in section 702.7, or inflicts serious injury to another, the person commits a class “C” felony.

Iowa Code § 719.7. Possessing contraband

1. “Contraband” includes but is not limited to any of the following

. . .

1. A dangerous weapon, offensive weapon, pneumatic gun, stun gun, firearm ammunition, knife of any length or any other cutting device, explosive or incendiary material, instrument, device, or other material fashioned in such a manner as to be capable of inflicting death or injury.

Iowa Code § 724.3. Unauthorized possession of offensive weapons

Any person, other than a person authorized herein, who knowingly possesses an offensive weapon commits a class “D” felony.

Iowa Code § 724.4 Carrying Weapons

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who goes armed with a dangerous weapon concealed on or about the person, or who, within the limits of any city, goes armed with a pistol or revolver, or any loaded firearm of any kind, whether concealed or not, or who knowingly carries or transports in a vehicle a pistol or revolver, commits an aggravated misdemeanor.

….

4. Subsections 1 through 3 do not apply to any of the following:
5. A person who goes armed with a dangerous weapon in the person's own dwelling or place of business, or on land owned or possessed by the person.
6. A peace officer, when the officer's duties require the person to carry such weapons.
7. A member of the armed forces of the United States or of the national guard or person in the service of the United States, when the weapons are carried in connection with the person's duties as such.
8. A correctional officer, when the officer's duties require, serving under the authority of the Iowa department of corrections.
9. A person who for any lawful purpose carries an unloaded pistol, revolver, or other dangerous weapon inside a closed and fastened container or securely wrapped package which is too large to be concealed on the person.
10. A person who for any lawful purpose carries or transports an unloaded pistol or revolver in a vehicle inside a closed and fastened container or securely wrapped package which is too large to be concealed on the person or inside a cargo or luggage compartment where the pistol or revolver will not be readily accessible to any person riding in the vehicle or common carrier.
11. A person while the person is lawfully engaged in target practice on a range designed for that purpose or while actually engaged in lawful hunting.
12. A person who carries a knife used in hunting or fishing, while actually engaged in lawful hunting or fishing.
13. A person who has in the person's possession and who displays to a peace officer on demand a valid permit to carry weapons which has been issued to the person, and whose conduct is within the limits of that permit. A person shall not be convicted of a violation of this section if the person produces at the person's trial a permit to carry weapons which was valid at the time of the alleged offense and which would have brought the person's conduct within this exception if the permit had been produced at the time of the alleged offense.
14. A law enforcement officer from another state when the officer's duties require the officer to carry the weapon and the officer is in this state for any of the following reasons:

(1) The extradition or other lawful removal of a prisoner from this state.

(2) Pursuit of a suspect in compliance with chapter 806.

(3) Activities in the capacity of a law enforcement officer with the knowledge and consent of the chief of police of the city or the sheriff of the county in which the activities occur or of the commissioner of public safety.

1. A person engaged in the business of transporting prisoners under a contract with the Iowa department of corrections or a county sheriff, a similar agency from another state, or the federal government.

Iowa Code § 724.6 Professional Permit to Carry Weapons

1. A person may be issued a permit to carry weapons when the person's employment in a private investigation business or private security business licensed under chapter 80A, or a person's employment as a peace officer, correctional officer, security guard, bank messenger or other person transporting property of a value requiring security, or in police work, reasonably justifies that person going armed. The permit shall be on a form prescribed and published by the commissioner of public safety, shall identify the holder, and shall state the nature of the employment requiring the holder to go armed. A permit so issued, other than to a peace officer, shall authorize the person to whom it is issued to go armed anywhere in the state, only while engaged in the employment, and while going to and from the place of the employment. A permit issued to a certified peace officer shall authorize that peace officer to go armed anywhere in the state at all times. Permits shall expire twelve months after the date when issued except that permits issued to peace officers and correctional officers are valid through the officer's period of employment unless otherwise canceled. When the employment is terminated, the holder of the permit shall surrender it to the issuing officer for cancellation.
2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, fire fighters, as defined in section 411.1, subsection 10, airport fire fighters included under section 97B.49B, and emergency medical care providers, as defined in section 147A.1, shall not, as a condition of employment, be required to obtain a permit under this section. However, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a person designated as an arson investigator by the chief fire officer of a political subdivision.

Iowa Code § 724.7 Nonprofessional Permit to Carry Weapons

1. Any person who is not disqualified under section 724.8, who satisfies the training requirements of section 724.9, and who files an application in accordance with section 724.10 shall be issued a nonprofessional permit to carry weapons. Such permits shall be on a form prescribed and published by the commissioner of public safety, which shall be readily distinguishable from the professional permit, and shall identify the holder of the permit. Such permits shall not be issued for a particular weapon and shall not contain information about a particular weapon including the make, model, or serial number of the weapon or any ammunition used in that weapon. All permits so issued shall be for a period of five years and shall be valid throughout the state except where the possession or carrying of a firearm is prohibited by state or federal law.

Iowa Code § 724.8 Persons Eligible for Permit to Carry Weapons

No professional or nonprofessional permit to carry weapons shall be issued to a person who is subject to any of the following:

1. Is less than eighteen years of age for a professional permit or less than twenty-one years of age for a nonprofessional permit.
2. Is addicted to the use of alcohol.
3. Probable cause exists to believe, based upon documented specific actions of the person, where at least one of the actions occurred within two years immediately preceding the date of the permit application, that the person is likely to use a weapon unlawfully or in such other manner as would endanger the person's self or others.
4. Is subject to the provisions of section 724.26.
5. Has, within the previous three years, been convicted of any serious or aggravated misdemeanor defined in chapter 708 not involving the use of a firearm or explosive.
6. Is prohibited by federal law from shipping, transporting, possessing, or receiving a firearm.

Iowa Code § 902.7. Minimum sentence--use of a dangerous weapon

At the trial of a person charged with participating in a forcible felony, if the trier of fact finds beyond a reasonable doubt that the person is guilty of a forcible felony and that the person represented that the person was in the immediate possession and control of a dangerous weapon, displayed a dangerous weapon in a threatening manner, or was armed with a dangerous weapon while participating in the forcible felony the convicted person shall serve a minimum of five years of the sentence imposed by law. A person sentenced pursuant to this section shall not be eligible for parole until the person has served the minimum sentence of confinement imposed by this section.

Iowa Admin. Code 681-13.14(262) General rules on use of grounds and facilities. (Iowa State University of Science and Technology – Standards of Conduct on Campus)

13.14(5) Weapons are not permitted on the campus except for purposes of law enforcement and as specifically authorized for purposes of instruction, research or service. A weapon is any instrument or device which is designed primarily for use in inflicting death or injury upon a human being or animal and which is capable of inflicting death or injury when used in the manner for which it was designed. Weapons include any pistol, revolver, shotgun, machine gun, rifle or other firearm, BB or pellet gun, taser or stun gun, bomb, grenade, mine or other explosive or incendiary device, ammunition, archery equipment, dagger, stiletto, switchblade knife, or knife having a blade exceeding five inches in length. Residents of university housing may possess knives having a blade exceeding five inches for cooking purposes.

*Various Iowa cities and municipalities may have regulations regarding stun guns and TASER CEWs, including but not limited to: Blackhawk County, Council Bluffs, Des Moines and Storm Lake. Please be sure to check with the local government regarding their regulations.

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