North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit Application Process

The Headline

Apply for a North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) at the sheriff's office in the county where you reside. G.S. 14-415.13(a). The sheriff is the issuing authority, not a state agency. After you submit a complete application package and the sheriff receives the required records concerning your mental health or capacity, the sheriff has 45 days to either issue or deny the permit. G.S. 14-415.15(a).

North Carolina requires a permit to carry a handgun concealed. It is not a permitless concealed-carry state. The CHP is separate from buying a handgun: North Carolina repealed its pistol purchase permit in 2023, so you no longer need a purchase permit to buy a handgun, though a federal NICS check still applies at a licensed dealer. None of that changes the CHP requirement for concealed carry.

There is no in-person interview, no character reference, and no waiting period beyond the statutory decision window. When you apply, the sheriff may not request employment information, character affidavits, additional background checks, photographs, or other information unless this Article specifically permits it. G.S. 14-415.13(a)(1).

Where to Apply

You apply to the sheriff of the county in which you reside. G.S. 14-415.13(a). You must be a U.S. citizen or a person lawfully admitted for permanent residence as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20), and you must have been a resident of North Carolina for 30 days or longer immediately preceding the filing of the application. G.S. 14-415.12(a)(1).

The 30-day residency clock runs on actual residency in North Carolina, not on driver license issuance or voter registration. The sheriff verifies it from the address on your application and the supporting documentation discussed below.

What You Need Before You Apply

Complete these prerequisites before scheduling your application appointment:

• Approved firearms safety and training course. You must finish an approved CHP course and obtain the original certificate of completion before the sheriff will accept your application. G.S. 14-415.13(a)(4). The course must involve the actual firing of handguns and instruction in the laws of North Carolina governing the carrying of a concealed handgun and the use of deadly force. G.S. 14-415.12(a)(4). The North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission prepares and publishes the general guidelines for courses and instructor qualifications. An approved course is one certified or sponsored by the Standards Commission, the National Rifle Association, the United States Concealed Carry Association, or a law enforcement agency, college, private or public institution or organization, or firearms training school taught by instructors certified by the Standards Commission, the USCCA, or the NRA. G.S. 14-415.12(a)(4). Bring the original certificate of completion, signed by the certified instructor, to the sheriff. See TRAINING_REQUIREMENTS for course content and instructor certification details.
• Proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residence. Acceptable documentation typically includes a U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport, or a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551). The sheriff's office sets the form of proof at intake.
• Proof of North Carolina residency. A North Carolina driver license or state ID at your current address is the standard form of proof. Some sheriffs accept utility bills, rental agreements, or other indicia for the 30-day residency check.
• Mental-health records release. The sheriff will provide the release form (prescribed by the Administrative Office of the Courts) at intake. You sign it, and it authorizes and requires disclosure to the sheriff of any records concerning your mental health or capacity, to be used for the sole purpose of determining whether you are disqualified under G.S. 14-415.12. G.S. 14-415.13(a)(5). The statute does not prohibit submitting information related to an involuntary commitment to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
• Application fee. Bring payment for the $80.00 nonrefundable application fee under G.S. 14-415.19(a), plus an additional fee not to exceed $10.00 for processing your fingerprints under G.S. 14-415.19(b). A reduced fee applies to a retired sworn law enforcement officer who provides the documentation the statute requires ($45.00 application fee under G.S. 14-415.19(a1)). See FEES_COSTS for the full fee schedule and documentation requirements.

The Application Procedure

Follow these steps in order. Most county sheriff's offices require you to schedule an appointment for fingerprinting and intake; some offer walk-in service. Call the sheriff's CHP unit before you go.

1. Complete the approved firearms safety and training course. Receive the original certificate of completion signed by your certified instructor. The certificate attests both to your competency with a handgun and to your knowledge of the laws governing the carrying of a concealed handgun and the use of deadly force. G.S. 14-415.13(a)(4).

2. Obtain the sheriff's application form. The application is completed under oath on a form provided by the sheriff, and the sheriff must make the form available electronically. G.S. 14-415.13(a)(1). Many North Carolina sheriffs publish the form on their county sheriff website. Because the application is sworn, do not sign it until you are in front of the sheriff or a notary.

3. Apply in person at the sheriff's office in your county of residence. Bring the completed application, the training certificate, your proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residence, your proof of North Carolina residency, and payment for the fee. G.S. 14-415.13(a).

4. Submit to fingerprinting. The sheriff takes a full set of your fingerprints at the time of application. G.S. 14-415.13(a)(3). The sheriff submits the fingerprints to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) for a records check of state and national databases, and the SBI submits them to the FBI as necessary. The sheriff also determines your criminal and background history by conducting a check through NICS. G.S. 14-415.13(b).

5. Sign the mental-health records release. The sheriff must request your mental-health records within 10 days of receiving the items listed in G.S. 14-415.13. G.S. 14-415.15(a). The release authorizes disclosure of records concerning your mental health or capacity for the sole purpose of determining whether you are disqualified under G.S. 14-415.12. G.S. 14-415.13(a)(5).

6. Wait up to 45 days for the decision. Within 45 days after the sheriff receives both the items listed in G.S. 14-415.13 and the required records concerning your mental health or capacity, the sheriff must either issue or deny the permit. G.S. 14-415.15(a). The 45-day clock starts when the sheriff has everything needed, not when you first walk in the door. If the mental-health records are slow to return, the clock does not start until they arrive.

7. Receive the permit (or the written denial). If approved, the permit is issued in certificate form prescribed by the SBI, approximately the size of a North Carolina driver license, bearing your signature, name, address, date of birth, and the driver license identification number used in applying. G.S. 14-415.17(a). Within five days of the date the permit is issued, the sheriff sends a copy to the SBI. G.S. 14-415.17(b). The CHP is valid throughout the State for five years from the date of issuance. G.S. 14-415.11(b).

The Sheriff's Investigation

Once your application is in, the sheriff conducts the statutory investigation. The sheriff may conduct any investigation necessary to determine your qualification or competency, including record checks. G.S. 14-415.15(a). In practice this means three concurrent steps:

• State and national criminal-history check. The SBI runs your fingerprints against state and national databases and submits them to the FBI as necessary. G.S. 14-415.13(b).
• Federal NICS check. The sheriff queries NICS for any federal prohibiting record. The federal prohibited categories appear in 18 U.S.C. 922(g) (for example, a qualifying felony conviction, a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, fugitive status, unlawful controlled-substance use, a prior adjudication of mental incompetence or involuntary commitment, and a dishonorable discharge). G.S. 14-415.13(b).
• Mental-health records check. The records released under G.S. 14-415.13(a)(5) are searched for any adjudication of lacking mental capacity or mental illness, or any involuntary commitment, that would disqualify you under G.S. 14-415.12(b)(6).

No person, company, mental-health provider, or governmental entity may charge you additional fees for the background checks conducted under this subsection. G.S. 14-415.15(a). The fingerprint-processing fee (not to exceed $10.00) under G.S. 14-415.19(b) is the only background-check fee.

Denial, Notice, and Appeal

A permit may be denied only if you fail to qualify under the criteria listed in this Article, which are the qualification criteria and disqualifiers in G.S. 14-415.12. G.S. 14-415.15(c). The sheriff has no general discretion to deny on subjective grounds; the inquiry is whether you meet every shall-issue criterion in G.S. 14-415.12(a) and avoid every disqualifier in G.S. 14-415.12(b).

If the sheriff denies your application:

• The sheriff must notify you in writing within 45 days, stating the grounds for the denial. G.S. 14-415.15(c).
• You may appeal the denial by petitioning a district court judge of the district in which the application was filed. G.S. 14-415.15(c).
• The court's determination on appeal is upon the facts, the law, and the reasonableness of the sheriff's refusal, and the court's determination is final. G.S. 14-415.15(c).

The same district-court appeal route is available for a revocation or nonrenewal of a permit. G.S. 14-415.15(c). The revocation and nonrenewal framework is set out in G.S. 14-415.18. See PERMIT_BASICS.

Temporary (Emergency) Permits

If you face a documented emergency, the sheriff may issue a temporary permit good for a period not to exceed 45 days based on a partial application package. G.S. 14-415.15(b). To qualify for a temporary permit you must present:

• The items required under G.S. 14-415.13(a)(1), (2), and (3): the application completed under oath, the nonrefundable application fee, and a full set of fingerprints.
• Evidence that the sheriff reasonably believes shows an emergency situation that may constitute a risk of safety to you, your family, or your property.

A protective order issued under G.S. 50B-3 for the protection of the applicant may be submitted as evidence of an emergency situation. G.S. 14-415.15(b).

The temporary permit:

• Is good for no more than 45 days.
• May not be renewed.
• May be revoked by the sheriff without a hearing.

The temporary-permit mechanism is a bridge while a full application package (including the mental-health records and the full background investigation) is processed. It is not a substitute for the regular permit.

After You Receive the Permit

Once issued, the CHP carries ongoing statutory duties:

• Carry the permit together with valid identification whenever you are carrying a concealed handgun. G.S. 14-415.11(a).
• Disclose to any law enforcement officer, when approached or addressed by the officer, that you hold a valid permit and are carrying a concealed handgun, and display both the permit and the proper identification upon the officer's request. G.S. 14-415.11(a). See DUTY_TO_INFORM for the full operational rule.
• Notify the issuing sheriff within 30 days of any change in your permanent address. G.S. 14-415.11(d).
• Replace a lost or destroyed permit by submitting a notarized statement to that effect to the issuing sheriff and paying the $15.00 duplicate-permit fee under G.S. 14-415.19(a). G.S. 14-415.11(d).

A permittee who is found carrying a concealed handgun without the permit in their possession, or who fails to disclose to an officer as required by G.S. 14-415.11, is guilty of an infraction and is punished in accordance with G.S. 14-3.1. G.S. 14-415.21(a).

Recordkeeping and Privacy

The sheriff maintains a listing, including identifying information, of those persons who are issued a permit. Within five days of the date a permit is issued, the sheriff sends a copy to the State Bureau of Investigation. G.S. 14-415.17(b). The SBI makes the list of permit holders and the application information available to law enforcement officers and clerks of court on a statewide system.

The list of permit holders and the information collected by the sheriff to process your application are confidential and are not a public record under G.S. 132-1. G.S. 14-415.17(c). The only access carve-outs are for state and local law enforcement agencies and, through the SBI statewide system, for law enforcement officers and clerks of court. Otherwise, your application file is not subject to public-records disclosure.

Quick Reference: Application Workflow

For the renewal procedure, see RENEWAL_PROCESS. For the full fee schedule including the retired sworn law enforcement officer discount, see FEES_COSTS. For the training course content and approved sponsors, see TRAINING_REQUIREMENTS. For the disqualification list under G.S. 14-415.12(b), see PERMIT_BASICS.