What federal locations commonly encountered in Minnesota (post offices, federal courthouses, VA hospitals) prohibit firearms regardless of state carry permits, and what federal statutes apply?
Executive summary
Federal law makes it a crime to possess firearms in most federal facilities — a category that includes federal courthouses, Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and U.S. Postal Service buildings — subject to narrow statutory exceptions and agency rules; the governing statute is 18 U.S.C. § 930, implemented and reinforced by agency regulations and the federal property rules at 41 C.F.R. §102‑74.440 and agency-specific rules such as 39 C.F.R. §232.1 for postal property [1] [2] [3]. Courts have recently tested the scope of those rules (notably challenges to postal bans), but the baseline remains that federal ownership or control of a building triggers the §930 prohibition unless an enumerated exception applies [4] [5].
1. Federal courthouses: a near‑absolute ban with heightened penalties
Federal court facilities are singled out in §930 and carry stiffer criminal penalties: knowingly possessing a firearm in a federal court facility can result in fines and up to two years’ imprisonment, and courts retain independent authority to regulate weapons on their premises [1]. The statute defines “Federal court facility” and authorizes courts to issue orders or contempt sanctions beyond §930’s text, so federal courthouses encountered across Minnesota — the U.S. District Courthouse, bankruptcy or magistrate court locations — are off limits to private carriers regardless of a state permit unless one of the statute’s narrow exceptions applies [1] [5].
2. Other federal facilities (including VA hospitals): prohibited unless specifically authorized
The broader §930(a) bars firearms in “Federal facilities,” a term Congress defined to mean buildings owned or leased by the federal government where federal employees are regularly present performing official duties; that definition encompasses VA medical centers and other federal office buildings found in Minnesota [1] [5]. Violations for non‑court federal facilities count as misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in prison unless the possessor falls within statutory exceptions [1]. Federal administrative guidance and DHS/FPS FAQs reiterate that items deemed “dangerous weapons” under §930 — including firearms and some defensive devices — are not allowed in federal facilities absent authorization [6] [7].
3. U.S. Post Offices and postal property: explicit postal rules plus ongoing litigation
Postal property has long been treated as federal property subject to §930 and the Postal Service’s own rule, 39 C.F.R. §232.1, which states that no person may carry or store firearms on USPS property except for official purposes [3] [8]. That combined statutory/regulatory regime has been the target of litigation: a federal district judge in Florida dismissed an indictment and held that applying §930 to ordinary post offices could violate the Second Amendment in particular contexts, prompting debate about the law’s reach; however, those decisions have been limited in scope and the statutory prohibition and postal regulations remain on the books unless and until broader relief is ordered or Congress acts [4] [9] [10].
4. Notice, exceptions, and interplay with state permits
Federal law requires conspicuous posting of §930 prohibitions at facility entrances and ties criminal liability in part to notice, but lack of posted notice does not automatically legalize possession if the person had actual notice; courts and agencies also acknowledge narrow statutory exemptions (for authorized federal or state law enforcement and certain other persons “authorized by law,” and limited “lawful purposes” carved out in subsection (d)) that do not include a general override for state carry permits [11] [1] [12]. In practice, state permits (including Minnesota permits or out‑of‑state permits recognized by Minnesota) do not negate the federal prohibition where §930 applies; entities leasing space in federal facilities or co‑located state courtrooms may still be obliged to comply with federal rules [13] [2].
5. Practical takeaways and contested terrain
For Minnesotans the clear safe rule is that federal courthouses and most federally controlled buildings — including VA hospitals and post offices — prohibit carrying firearms under federal law unless an explicit statutory or agency authorization applies; penalties differ (up to one year for federal facilities, up to two years for federal court facilities) and agency regulations (41 C.F.R., 39 C.F.R.) and posting requirements supplement §930 [1] [2] [3]. That legal baseline is actively contested in litigation over postal property and related rules, meaning that case‑specific developments can change how §930 is applied — but contemporary federal criminal statutes and federal regulations remain the operative authorities until higher courts or Congress alters them [4] [10].