Minnesota Suppressor Laws in 2026: Legal If Lawful Under Federal Law

By Cole Harlan, Editor · The Release Desk · Updated Oct 21, 2026 · How we verify · Editorial standards

Minnesota has allowed suppressors since 2015, but its statute is written around federal law. Minn. Stat. 609.66, subdivision 1a makes it a felony to sell or possess a suppressor "that is not lawfully possessed under federal law." ATF stopped enforcing NFA registration for suppressors on October 9, 2026, and Minnesota hasn't said whether a can bought without registration meets that test. Here's the statute, the open question, the hunting rules and the safe way to buy.

Not legal advice. This page summarizes the Minnesota Statutes and federal guidance as of the date above. We found no Minnesota court ruling, Attorney General opinion, BCA guidance or legislation since October 9 that addresses suppressors acquired without federal registration. Talk to your dealer or a Minnesota attorney before you rely on a 4473-only purchase.

The short answer

Suppressors are legal in Minnesota when they're lawfully possessed under federal law. Possessing or selling one that isn't is a felony under 609.66, subd. 1a(a)(1).
The penalty: up to two years and a $5,000 fine, or up to five years and $10,000 in a public housing, school or park zone (subd. 1a(b)).
An unregistered can is the open question. ATF has stopped enforcing registration, but it hasn't changed the law, and it says it "cannot opine" on whether an unregistered item counts as lawfully held for state purposes.
The safe path is a voluntary Form 4 (or Form 1 if you build). ATF still accepts them, and the tax is $0.
Hunting with a suppressor is legal. The 2015 law that legalized ownership also repealed the hunting code's silencer ban. A suppressor does raise the stakes on certain hunting convictions (97A.421, subd. 3a).

What Minn. Stat. 609.66 says

Subdivision 1a(a) says whoever "sells or has in possession a suppressor that is not lawfully possessed under federal law" is guilty of a felony. Subdivision 1a(c) defines a suppressor as "any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm," including combinations of parts designed and intended for building one, and any part intended only for that purpose.

Minnesota's current wording dates to 2015. Before then, the same subdivision banned possessing "any device designed to silence or muffle the discharge of a firearm," with narrow exceptions. Chapter 65 of the 2015 Session Laws, signed by the governor on May 22, 2015, rewrote it to today's "not lawfully possessed under federal law" test and repealed the old hunting-code ban, 97B.031, subdivision 4, which had said a person "may not own or possess a silencer for a firearm." The repeal took effect August 1, 2015.

Why ATF's October 9 change doesn't settle it

ATF's open letter says it will stop enforcing the NFA's approval, registration and related requirements for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs and AOWs, including the ban on possessing an unregistered one. Its FAQ says "most states require that individuals who possess NFA items comply with federal law or register them" and that ATF "cannot opine" on whether an unregistered item held under the policy "will qualify for state-law purposes as lawfully held (or registered) under federal law." The NFA itself hasn't been repealed.

So a Minnesota owner who skips registration would be relying on the argument that ATF's non-enforcement makes possession "lawful under federal law." No Minnesota court or official has tested that. Minnesota wasn't among the 15 states that Firearms Policy Coalition wrote to on October 9 asking attorneys general to stop enforcing laws tied to federal registration, though 609.66's wording raises the same issue. Black Diamond Armory, a Minnesota dealer, wrote on October 12 that it sells suppressors on a Form 4473 but offers a free $0 Form 4 with every one, because it hasn't seen Minnesota guidance on what "lawfully possessed under federal law" now means.

What Minnesota buyers should do now

File a voluntary Form 4 for a dealer purchase, or a Form 1 if you build. The tax is $0, and an approved form is the clearest proof that your can is lawful under federal law.
Keep a copy of the approval with the can, especially when you hunt, travel or shoot on public land.
Ask your dealer how it transfers. Some Minnesota dealers now sell on a 4473; some will file a Form 4 for you.
Federal basics still apply: Form 4473, a background check, an in-state dealer, and age 21 to buy a suppressor from a dealer (18 U.S.C. 922(b)(1)).
Watch your host gun. Minnesota's suppressor law is separate from its short-barreled shotgun ban (609.67). A suppressor doesn't change what's legal to put it on.

Hunting with a suppressor in Minnesota

Hunting with a suppressor has been legal in Minnesota since the 2015 repeal of 97B.031, subd. 4. The same law added 97A.421, subdivision 3a: a person convicted of certain violations while possessing "a firearm with a suppressor" may not obtain a hunting license or hunt wild animals for five years. The covered violations are trespass under 97A.315, subd. 1(b); hunting game in closed season; hunting more than half an hour before or after legal shooting hours; and using artificial lights to spot, locate or take wild animals while in possession of a firearm. The usual rules still apply: your license, legal firearms and ammunition for the species, and the Minnesota DNR's season and zone rules.

Bottom line for Minnesota buyers

Minnesota is suppressor-friendly on paper, but its law hangs on federal lawfulness. Until the Legislature, the courts or the Attorney General clarify what that means now, a $0 Form 4 is the way to own and hunt with a can without doubt. Browse the new suppressors of 2026, compare Wisconsin next door, and read the national suppressor buying guide.

Frequently asked questions

Are suppressors legal in Minnesota in 2026?

Yes, when they're lawfully possessed under federal law. Minn. Stat. 609.66, subd. 1a makes it a felony to sell or possess a suppressor that is not lawfully possessed under federal law.

Do I still need a Form 4 for a suppressor in Minnesota after October 9, 2026?

It's the safe choice. ATF stopped enforcing registration, but Minnesota's law turns on whether the can is lawfully possessed under federal law, and Minnesota hasn't said whether an unregistered one qualifies. A voluntary Form 4 costs $0.

Can you hunt with a suppressor in Minnesota?

Yes. Minnesota repealed its hunting-code silencer ban (97B.031, subd. 4) effective August 1, 2015. Under 97A.421, subd. 3a, a conviction for trespass, closed-season hunting, hunting outside shooting hours or using artificial lights while possessing a suppressed firearm brings a five-year hunting ban.

What is the penalty for an illegal suppressor in Minnesota?

It's a felony under 609.66, subd. 1a: up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine, or up to five years and $10,000 if committed in a public housing, school or park zone.

When did Minnesota legalize suppressors?

In 2015. Chapter 65 of the 2015 Session Laws, signed May 22, 2015, replaced the old silencer ban with the current federal-law test and repealed the hunting-code ban effective August 1, 2015.

Sources

Supplementary sources

News reports, advocacy groups, dealer practice and unofficial copies. They add context or report statements; the primary sources above control.