Additional Resources for New York Concealed Carry | CCW Hub
Additional Resources for New York Concealed Carry
New York is a licensed-carry state. You must hold a license to carry a pistol or revolver issued under New York Penal Law 400.00 before you may possess or...
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Additional Resources for New York Concealed Carry
Additional Resources for New York Concealed Carry
New York is a licensed-carry state. You must hold a license to carry a pistol or revolver issued under New York Penal Law 400.00 before you may possess or carry a handgun. New York is not a constitutional-carry or permitless-carry state. The licensing standards were rewritten by the Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA), enacted in response to NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022) and effective September 1, 2022. Many CCIA provisions were challenged in Antonyuk v. James (formerly Antonyuk v. Hochul); the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit largely upheld the law in October 2024, but a few applications were enjoined and litigation is ongoing. Verify the current status of any restriction before relying on it.
The contacts and links below help you reach the right office. Permit requirements, fees, and procedures vary significantly by county, and New York City runs its own separate, stricter handgun licensing system. Always confirm details with your local licensing authority.
One-stop portal launched by Governor Hochul with information about New York's firearm laws for the public, gun owners, and gun dealers
Available in 14 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Russian, Yiddish, Bengali, Korean, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish, French, and Urdu
Dedicated sections:
Resources for Gun Owners - permit recertification info, private gun sale guidance, firearm safety
Handles online pistol permit recertification. Under Penal Law 400.00(10), a license to carry (issued under paragraph (f) of subdivision two) must be recertified every 3 years; standard licenses and semiautomatic rifle licenses recertify every 5 years
Designated point of contact for processing background checks for both firearm and ammunition purchases
Recertification hotline: (518) 464-7120 (for out-of-state residents unable to recertify online who do not hold a NYS Driver License or Non-Driver ID)
Website:safeact.ny.gov - official information portal for the NY SAFE Act, including FOIL exemption details
The SAFE Act (2013) defines and bans "assault weapons" (Penal Law 265.00(22), 265.02) and limits magazines to 10 rounds (Penal Law 265.00(23), 265.36 and 265.37). The separate 7-round load limit the SAFE Act originally imposed was struck down in NYSRPA v. Cuomo (2d Cir. 2015) and is not enforced
Licensing and Eligibility (Post-September 1, 2022)
The Concealed Carry Improvement Act (S.51001/A.41001) rewrote the eligibility standards in Penal Law 400.00. Key points, with the statute cited so you can verify them:
Age: Generally 21 to obtain a license to carry a handgun (Penal Law 400.00(1)(a)), with narrow exceptions for certain military and peace officer applicants
Good moral character: Penal Law 400.00(1)(b) defines this as "having the essential character, temperament and judgement necessary to be entrusted with a weapon and to use it only in a manner that does not endanger oneself or others." The CCIA removed the old "proper cause" standard. The good-moral-character requirement was upheld in Antonyuk v. James
In-person meeting: The applicant must meet in person with the licensing officer (Penal Law 400.00(1)). This in-person interview requirement was upheld in Antonyuk v. James
Character references: No fewer than four references who can attest to the applicant's good moral character (Penal Law 400.00(1)(o)(ii)). The character-reference requirement was upheld in Antonyuk v. James
Household and contact disclosures: Names of a spouse or domestic partner and other adults residing in the home (Penal Law 400.00(1)(o)(i))
Social media accounts: The CCIA listed a disclosure of former and current social media accounts from the past three years (Penal Law 400.00(1)(o)(iv)). The Second Circuit struck this requirement down as unconstitutional in Antonyuk v. James, and it is not being enforced. Do not treat it as an operative application requirement, and confirm current guidance with your licensing officer
Training: Penal Law 400.00(19) requires an in-person course of at least 16 hours of classroom curriculum plus a 2-hour live-fire range course, with a live-fire proficiency demonstration, meeting the NYSP-DCJS minimum standards. This 18-hour training requirement was upheld in Antonyuk v. James
Recertification: Carry licenses recertify every 3 years (Penal Law 400.00(10)(d)); failure to recertify acts as a revocation
Semiautomatic Rifle License (Effective September 4, 2022)
You must be at least 21 and hold a license to purchase or take possession of a semiautomatic rifle (Penal Law 400.00(2))
A license is not required for individuals who lawfully possessed semiautomatic rifles before September 4, 2022
These licenses recertify every 5 years (Penal Law 400.00(10)(c))
New York City Is Separate
New York City administers its own handgun licenses through the NYPD License Division under the NYC Administrative Code 10-131 and Title 38 of the Rules of the City of New York. NYC fees, processes, and standards are stricter and separate from county licensing. A license issued by a county does not by itself authorize carry in NYC. Contact the NYPD License Division for city applications.
Where Carry Is Restricted
These restrictions carry criminal penalties. Read the statute and note the litigation:
Sensitive locations (Penal Law 265.01-e): It is a class E felony to possess a firearm, rifle, or shotgun in a listed sensitive location when you know or reasonably should know it is one. The statutory list includes government buildings and courts, health and behavioral health facilities, places of worship, libraries, public parks and playgrounds, zoos, schools and colleges, public transit and its facilities, bars and other on-premise liquor establishments, entertainment and sporting venues, polling places, protests and assemblies, permitted public events, and the area known as Times Square. The Second Circuit upheld most of this list in Antonyuk v. James as criminally enforceable, with one exception: the place-of-worship restriction (Penal Law 265.01-e(2)(c)) has been enjoined and is not enforced. A license holder generally may carry in a place of worship. Keep in mind that a place of worship is private property, so its operator may still prohibit firearms through signage or property law, and persons responsible for security at the location are separately exempt. Section 265.01-e(3) lists exemptions, including active and certain retired law enforcement and hunting under a DEC license
Restricted locations (Penal Law 265.01-d): By its terms, this statute makes it a class E felony to carry on another person's private property that is held open to the public unless the owner has posted clear and conspicuous signage allowing it or has given express consent, a default of no-carry. A federal court (WDNY, Case 22-CV-695-JLS) struck down this private-property default as unconstitutional, and its enforceability on appeal is unsettled, so do not treat the statutory default as firmly operative. At the same time, do not assume you may carry freely on private property: a private owner may always bar firearms under property and trespass law, so the safe practice is to carry on private commercial property only where the owner permits
Carrying without a license: Criminal possession of a firearm under Penal Law 265.01-b is a class E felony; criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (Penal Law 265.01) is a class A misdemeanor; criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (Penal Law 265.02) is a class D felony; second degree (Penal Law 265.03) is a class C felony. Exemptions are listed in Penal Law 265.20
Self-Defense and Use of Force
New York imposes a duty to retreat before using deadly physical force outside the home. Penal Law 35.15 requires you to retreat if you can do so with complete personal safety, except that there is no duty to retreat when you are in your own dwelling and are not the initial aggressor (the Castle exception). New York has no "stand your ground" law. Penal Law 35.20 covers defense of premises and the use of force to prevent certain crimes on your property. Read both sections before relying on a self-defense theory.
Firearm Dealer Requirements
Required Dealer Warning Notice (Effective January 7, 2025)
Every licensed gunsmith or firearm dealer must post a warning notice:
At the entrance to the sales site
In at least one additional area where sales occur
The notice must be at least 8.5" x 11" in bold print, minimum 26-point type
Pistol permit applications are processed at the county level outside New York City. Requirements, fees, and procedures vary significantly by county. Below are key county contacts.
Applications by appointment only (one person per appointment)
NYS law requires the application form to be double-sided
You are not required to own a firearm at time of application; the permit does not expire even if no firearm is placed on it
Fingerprinting:
City of Rochester residents: RPD by appointment, Mon-Fri 1:00-2:30 PM; schedule at tinyurl.com/RPDFingerPrint
Suburban residents: Monroe County Sheriff's Dept. by appointment, Mon-Fri 9:00 AM-3:30 PM; call (585) 753-4175
Note: Fingerprinting accepted only from RPD or the Sheriff's Office, not IdentoGo or other companies
Residents of fewer than 3 consecutive years must provide the standard 4 Monroe County character references plus 3 additional notarized references from the state or county where they previously lived (Proof of Character Form)
Additional services: transferring firearms (to or from a dealer or family member), co-registering, semiautomatic rifle permits, plastic card conversion, recertification, SAFE Act information, removal of restrictions
Suffolk County (Long Island)
Processed by law enforcement, not the County Clerk:
East End Towns (Southold, Shelter Island, Southampton, East Hampton, Riverhead):
Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, 100 Center Drive, Riverhead, NY 11901
Permits issued unrestricted; licensees may carry where permitted by law
Older permits with restrictions (for example, "Sport/Recreation") can be upgraded to unrestricted at the County Clerk's Office
No limit on the number of handguns registered to a license
Must notify the office within 10 days of an address change
Out-of-state handgun purchases must be transferred through an FFL dealer in both states; the NY dealer completes the background check and issues a dealer receipt
Available forms: FOIL Opt-Out, Change of Address, Private Bill of Sale, Estate Bill of Sale, Co-Ownership Form, Transfer Out Affidavit
Form 6 Import Permit: Required for nonimmigrant aliens bringing firearms into NY for hunting - download application (PDF). Allow 6 to 12 weeks for processing.
Air travel: It is a federal crime to carry a firearm or weapon on or attempt to board an aircraft in the secured area, and firearms in checked baggage must be unloaded and declared (49 U.S.C. 46505). This is separate from TSA's administrative rules
Prohibited persons: Federal firearm prohibitions appear in 18 U.S.C. 922(g); a separate provision, 18 U.S.C. 922(n), covers persons under felony indictment
LEOSA: Qualified active and retired law enforcement officers may carry under 18 U.S.C. 926B and 926C. This is a federal authority, not a New York state exemption, though NY also exempts these officers from the sensitive-location law (Penal Law 265.01-e(3)(a))
Interstate transport: 18 U.S.C. 926A protects transport of an unloaded, secured firearm between two places where possession is lawful, regardless of states crossed
Legal Resources
NY Courts - CourtHelp:nycourts.gov/courthelp - self-help legal information including safety, protection orders, and firearms-related court proceedings
LawHelp New York:lawhelpny.org - free and low-cost legal aid referrals
FOIL Public Records Exemption: Gun owners may request exemption from public disclosure of their firearms license information. Contact your county clerk for the NYS Firearms License Request for Public Records Exemption form. Most counties provide this form on their website (see county listings above).
Enacted after NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022); removed "proper cause," added good-moral-character and training standards, in-person meeting, references, sensitive and restricted locations, and shorter recertification
Penal Law 400.00
License to carry a handgun: eligibility (subd. 1), good moral character (subd. 1(b)), training (subd. 19), recertification (subd. 10)
Penal Law 265.01
Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (class A misdemeanor)
Penal Law 265.01-b
Criminal possession of a firearm (class E felony)
Penal Law 265.01-d
Criminal possession of a weapon in a restricted location, the private-property default (class E felony); a WDNY court struck down the statutory default and its appellate status is unsettled
Penal Law 265.01-e
Criminal possession of a firearm, rifle or shotgun in a sensitive location (class E felony); upheld in Antonyuk v. James except the place-of-worship provision, which is enjoined
Penal Law 265.02
Criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (class D felony)
Penal Law 265.03
Criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (class C felony)
Penal Law 265.20
Exemptions from the weapon-possession offenses
Penal Law 35.15 / 35.20
Justification: duty to retreat with a Castle exception in the dwelling; defense of premises
NY SAFE Act (2013)
Assault-weapon definition and ban (Penal Law 265.00(22), 265.02); 10-round magazine limit (Penal Law 265.00(23), 265.36, 265.37)
NYC Administrative Code 10-131; 38 RCNY
New York City's separate, stricter handgun licensing
Correction Law 168-o
Sex Offender Registry levels (relevant to firearms disqualification)
Important Phone Numbers
Agency
Phone
NYS Police Firearms Unit
(518) 464-7120
NY Sex Offender Registry (disqualification inquiries)
1-800-262-3257 or (518) 457-5837
NY Red Flag Law Assistance
877-NYS-0101
ATF (Federal)
(304) 616-4550
Albany County Sheriff (Pistol Permits)
(518) 487-5413
Suffolk County Clerk
(631) 852-2000
Dutchess County Pistol Permit Bureau
(845) 486-3883
Rockland County Clerk
(845) 638-5320
Ulster County Sheriff
(845) 340-4237
Oneida County Pistol Licensing
(315) 798-5821
Monroe County Sheriff (Fingerprinting)
(585) 753-4175
Permit requirements, fees, and procedures vary significantly by county, and New York City runs a separate system. Always contact your local county clerk or sheriff's office, or the NYPD License Division for NYC, for current procedures. Several CCIA provisions remain in litigation. Consult an attorney for advice on your specific situation.
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