Renewal Process - Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms

Overview

A Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) is valid for five (5) years from the date of issuance unless sooner revoked. Renewal is handled by the same authority that issues the license: the sheriff of the county where you reside, or, if you live in a city of the first class (Philadelphia), the chief of police of that city.

Governing statute: 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(f)(1)

A license issued under 18 Pa.C.S. 6109 is required to carry a firearm concealed on or about your person or in a vehicle anywhere in Pennsylvania. Carrying without a valid license is an offense under 18 Pa.C.S. 6106, so letting the license lapse is not a minor administrative gap. Renew before the expiration date printed on the card.

Renewal Timeline

• At least 60 days before expiration: The issuing sheriff is required by statute to send the licensee an application for renewal at the address on file. See 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(f)(2).
• Failure to receive a renewal application does NOT excuse you. The statute states plainly that failure to receive a renewal application does not relieve a licensee of the responsibility to renew. Keeping your address current with the issuing authority is the only way to be sure the notice reaches you.
• County reminder practices vary. Some counties send an additional courtesy reminder, but the legal duty to renew on time rests with the license holder regardless of any reminder.

"A license to carry a firearm issued under subsection (e) shall be valid throughout this Commonwealth for a period of five years unless extended under paragraph (3) or sooner revoked. At least 60 days prior to the expiration of each license, the issuing sheriff shall send to the licensee an application for renewal of license. Failure to receive a renewal application shall not relieve a licensee from the responsibility to renew the license."

• 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(f)(1)-(2)

How to Renew

Step 1: Complete the Application

Submit a completed License to Carry Firearms application. The form is uniform across Pennsylvania and is prescribed by the Pennsylvania State Police, and issuing authorities must use only that form for both new applications and renewals (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(c)). Complete the application in full. Incomplete applications can be rejected.

Step 2: Provide Required Identification

• Valid Pennsylvania driver's license or state-issued identification card. The address on your application should match your current address. If you have recently moved, update your address with the sheriff first.
• Alien identification if you are a lawfully present non-citizen, as your county requires.

Specific document lists and acceptable proofs of residency are set at the county level, so confirm with your sheriff's office before your appointment.

Step 3: In-Person Appointment

Renewal is handled in person at the sheriff's office (chief of police in Philadelphia). At the appointment:

• A photograph is taken for the license. The statute requires the sheriff to place a photograph on the license in a form compatible with the Commonwealth Photo Imaging Network (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(e)(4)).
• You pay the fee (see Fees below), which is payable to the sheriff at the time of application (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(h)(5)).
• The sheriff conducts the same background investigation required for an initial application.

Step 4: Background Investigation

Under 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(d), the sheriff will:

1. Investigate your record of criminal conviction.
2. Investigate whether you are under indictment for, or have ever been convicted of, a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year.
3. Investigate whether your character and reputation are such that you would be likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety.
4. Determine whether you would be precluded from receiving a license under 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(e)(1) or 6105(h).
5. Conduct a criminal background, juvenile delinquency, and mental health check following the procedures in 18 Pa.C.S. 6111, and obtain and record a unique approval number from the Pennsylvania State Police.

The investigation may not exceed 45 days (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(e)(1)), and the sheriff must issue or refuse the license within 45 days of receiving the application (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(g)).

Step 5: Issuance

If approved, the renewed license is issued for another five-year term. Under 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(e)(5), the original license is issued to the applicant, the first copy is forwarded to the Pennsylvania State Police within seven days of issue, and the second copy is retained by the issuing authority for seven years.

Fees

Notes on the license fee:

• The $19 base fee in 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(h)(1) already includes a $1.50 renewal notice processing fee and a $5 administrative fee under the Sheriff Fee Act, so the $19 is not added on top of those items.
• An additional $1 goes to the Firearms License Validation System Account under 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(h)(3), bringing the total payable to $20.
• No fee other than those provided by 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(h) or the Sheriff Fee Act may be charged for the background check (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(h)(4)).
• Accepted payment methods (cash, check, card) are set by each county. Confirm before your appointment.

Address-change and duplicate-license charges are not fixed by 18 Pa.C.S. 6109. They are county administrative fees and the exact amount varies, so verify the current figure with your sheriff's office.

Keep Your Address Current

Because the renewal notice goes to the address on file, keeping that address updated is important. Counties generally allow address updates in person, by mail, and in some cases by email, each with a copy of your updated ID and any applicable fee. Procedures vary by county, so contact your sheriff's office for the accepted method.

Disqualifying Factors

The same eligibility standards that govern an initial license apply at renewal. Under 18 Pa.C.S. 6109(e)(1), a license shall not be issued to a person who:

• Has a character and reputation such that the person would be likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety (6109(e)(1)(i)).
• Has been convicted of an offense under The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act (6109(e)(1)(ii)).
• Has been convicted of a crime enumerated in 18 Pa.C.S. 6105 (6109(e)(1)(iii)).
• Within the past ten years, has been adjudicated delinquent for a crime enumerated in 6105 or for a Controlled Substance Act offense (6109(e)(1)(iv)).
• Is not of sound mind or has ever been committed to a mental institution (6109(e)(1)(v)).
• Is addicted to or is an unlawful user of marijuana or a stimulant, depressant, or narcotic drug (6109(e)(1)(vi)).
• Is a habitual drunkard (6109(e)(1)(vii)).
• Is charged with or has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year, except as provided in 18 Pa.C.S. 6123 (waiver of disability or pardons) (6109(e)(1)(viii)).
• Is an alien illegally in the United States (6109(e)(1)(x)).
• Has been discharged from the armed forces under dishonorable conditions (6109(e)(1)(xi)).
• Is a fugitive from justice, except where the fugitive status is based only on a nonmoving or moving summary offense under Title 75 (vehicles) (6109(e)(1)(xii)).
• Is otherwise prohibited from possessing or transferring a firearm under 18 Pa.C.S. 6105 or under federal law (6109(e)(1)(xiii)-(xiv)).

A license must also be revoked if any of these grounds arises during the term of the license (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(i)).

If Your Renewal Is Denied

Pennsylvania provides two distinct avenues depending on the reason for the denial.

• If the denial rests on inaccurate background-check records: You may challenge the accuracy of your criminal history, juvenile delinquency history, or mental health record by submitting a challenge to the Pennsylvania State Police within 30 days of the denial, under 18 Pa.C.S. 6111.1(e). The PSP uses an administrative challenge form (Form SP 4-197) for this process. The State Police must review the record, bears the burden of proving its accuracy, and communicates a final decision within 60 days. If the challenge is ruled invalid, you may appeal to the Attorney General within 30 days, and the Attorney General's decision may be appealed to the Commonwealth Court (18 Pa.C.S. 6111.1(e)(2)-(4)).
• If the sheriff refuses the license for other cause: The sheriff must notify you in writing, by certified mail, of the refusal and the specific reasons (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(g)). That action is subject to judicial review in the manner and time provided by 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 Subch. B (judicial review of local agency action), per 18 Pa.C.S. 6114.

Under 18 Pa.C.S. 6114, a judgment sustaining a refusal to grant a license does not bar a new application after one year.

Carry During a Lapse: 6-Month Statutory Exception (18 Pa.C.S. 6106(b)(12))

There is no grace period that authorizes carrying on an expired license. The practical instruction is unchanged: renew before the expiration date.

That said, 18 Pa.C.S. 6106(b)(12) lists a narrow exception to the no-license-carry offense in 6106(a). It applies to a person who held a lawfully issued license under 6109 that expired within six months prior to the date of arrest and who is otherwise eligible for renewal. This is a statutory exception that the defendant must raise, not an affirmative authorization to keep carrying past expiration. It does not apply if you are ineligible for renewal for any reason, and it does nothing to protect you in Philadelphia from the separate licensing requirement in 18 Pa.C.S. 6108 for public streets and property. Treat it as a limited legal backstop, not a renewal strategy.

Offense Grades for Carrying Without a Valid License

If your license lapses and you carry concealed or in a vehicle without a valid license, the penalty turns on your circumstances under 18 Pa.C.S. 6106(a):

• Felony of the third degree is the default grade for carrying a firearm in a vehicle, or concealed on or about the person (outside your home or fixed place of business), without a valid and lawfully issued license (18 Pa.C.S. 6106(a)(1)).
• Misdemeanor of the first degree applies if you are otherwise eligible to possess a valid license and have not committed any other criminal violation (18 Pa.C.S. 6106(a)(2)).

Note that open carry of a firearm by a person who may lawfully possess it does not require a license statewide, except in Philadelphia, where 18 Pa.C.S. 6108 requires a license to carry on public streets or property. (The Superior Court held 6108 unconstitutional as applied in Commonwealth v. Sumpter, 340 A.3d 977 (Pa. Super. 2025); the ruling is as-applied, not facial, and 6108 has not been repealed, so treat Philadelphia as still requiring a license until the Pennsylvania Supreme Court or the General Assembly resolves it.) A lapsed LTCF can therefore expose you to the 6106 offense for concealed or vehicle carry, and additionally to 6108 in Philadelphia.

Important Notes

• Statewide validity: A renewed LTCF is valid throughout Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(f)(1)).
• No state shooting or training requirement: The LTCF process under 18 Pa.C.S. 6109 does not include a firearms training or qualification requirement. The statutory requirements are limited to the application, the background investigation, the photograph, and the fee. This is separate from Act 235 (Lethal Weapons Training Act) certification, which is its own program for armed agents and has its own training requirements.
• Military deployment extension: A license held by a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or the Pennsylvania National Guard on federal active duty deployed overseas, scheduled to expire during deployment, is extended until 90 days after the deployment ends (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(f)(3)). During that extension, the license plus a copy of the military orders showing the deployment dates is a defense to a charge under 6106 or 6108 (18 Pa.C.S. 6109(f)(4)).
• County-specific procedures: The application form is uniform statewide, but appointment scheduling, office hours, accepted documents, and payment methods are set by each county. Contact your county sheriff's office (or the Philadelphia Police Department's Gun Permit and Tracking Unit) for current procedures.
• Do not let the license lapse: A valid LTCF is required to carry concealed or in a vehicle in Pennsylvania. Carrying after expiration can be charged under 18 Pa.C.S. 6106.