West Virginia Concealed Carry License Renewal

The Headline

West Virginia is a permitless-carry state. Under W. Va. Code 61-7-7(c), any person who is at least 21 years old, is a United States citizen or legal resident, and is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under W. Va. Code 61-7-7 or 18 U.S.C. 922(g) or (n) may carry a concealed pistol or revolver without any license at all. For most people, an expired license has no effect on the right to carry inside West Virginia. The license still matters for out-of-state reciprocity and as a NICS alternative at gun dealers, so renewing it on time is worth doing.

Two license types exist, and they renew very differently:

• Standard license (W. Va. Code 61-7-4). Issued by the county sheriff to applicants 21 and older. Valid for five years. Renewable through the same sheriff.
• Provisional license (W. Va. Code 61-7-4a). Issued by the county sheriff to applicants 18 to 20 years old. It is not a five-year license and it cannot be renewed. Under 61-7-4a(g) it is valid only until the holder turns 21, then it ends by operation of law.

Both license types are issued by the county sheriff, not by the West Virginia State Police. The State Police prepare the uniform application forms and maintain the statewide registry, but the sheriff is the issuing and renewing authority.

License Term and When to Renew

Under W. Va. Code 61-7-4(h), a standard license is valid until the licensee's birthday during the fifth year from the date of issuance, or five years from the date of issuance, whichever is later. A renewed license is valid for five years from the licensee's most recent birthday. There is no separate statutory expiration scheme for renewals beyond that five-year-from-birthday rule.

The statute lets the sheriff process both initial and renewal applications, but it does not set a fixed early-filing window or a formal grace period. File before the current license expires so there is no gap in out-of-state reciprocity coverage. Confirm the exact intake window with your county sheriff, because that is agency practice, not a statutory deadline.

If your license lapses, your in-state carry rights are unaffected so long as you are 21 or older and not prohibited (W. Va. Code 61-7-7(c)). You simply submit a new application to the sheriff to restore the licensed status.

Renewal Eligibility

A renewal applicant must still satisfy every licensing requirement in W. Va. Code 61-7-4(b). The sheriff must deny or revoke when any of those requirements is no longer met (W. Va. Code 61-7-4(o); revocation under W. Va. Code 61-7-5). The disqualifiers that most often arise during a license term include:

1. A felony conviction that has not been expunged, set aside, pardoned, or followed by restoration of civil rights (61-7-4(b)(5)).
2. A misdemeanor crime of violence within the five years before the application (61-7-4(b)(6)).
3. A misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(33), or a qualifying West Virginia assault or battery offense against a domestic victim (61-7-4(b)(7)).
4. Being under indictment for a felony, under court-ordered supervision, or subject to an emergency, temporary, or final domestic violence protective order (61-7-4(b)(8)).
5. An adjudication of mental incompetence or involuntary commitment without a later order restoring firearm rights (61-7-4(b)(9)).
6. Any prohibition under W. Va. Code 61-7-7 or federal law, including 18 U.S.C. 922(g) or (n) (61-7-4(b)(10)).
7. Disqualifying substance use, shown by court-ordered treatment or two or more DUI/DWI convictions within the prior three years (61-7-4(b)(4)).

W. Va. Code 61-7-5 provides that a license is deemed revoked the moment the holder becomes unable to meet the criteria for initial licensure in 61-7-4, and the holder must immediately surrender the license to the issuing sheriff.

Training on Renewal

A renewal applicant who has previously qualified does not have to repeat the live-fire training course. W. Va. Code 61-7-4(b)(11) waives the training requirement "in the case of a renewal applicant who has previously qualified." This waiver is tied to having qualified before, not to any five-year certificate window. There is no statutory rule that a training certificate "expires" after five years for renewal purposes. A first-time applicant who never qualified must complete an approved course under 61-7-4(e); see TRAINING_REQUIREMENTS.

Renewal Application Components

W. Va. Code 61-7-4(b) lists what the verified application must set forth, and 61-7-4(f) requires it to be notarized. A renewal package generally includes:

1. The completed, verified application prepared by the Superintendent of the West Virginia State Police (61-7-4(b)).
2. Proof of identity and residency, such as a valid driver's license or other state-issued or federally issued photo identification (61-7-4(b)(2)).
3. Notarization by a notary public licensed under W. Va. Code 39-4-1 et seq. Falsifying any part of the application is false swearing punishable under W. Va. Code 61-5-2 (61-7-4(f)).
4. The application fee. Under 61-7-4(a), the resident fee is $50 and the nonresident fee is $100. The statute does not set a separate reduced renewal fee. Honorably discharged veterans and honorably retired law-enforcement officers are exempt from fees under 61-7-4(q). See FEES_COSTS.
5. A training certificate only if required. A previously qualified renewal applicant is exempt from training under 61-7-4(b)(11), so no new certificate is needed.

Background Check on Renewal

For both initial and renewal applications, W. Va. Code 61-7-4(c) requires the sheriff to conduct a nationwide criminal background investigation consisting of:

• The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
• West Virginia criminal history record responses.
• The National Interstate Identification Index.

The sheriff may not issue or renew unless NICS confirms that receipt or possession of a firearm by the applicant would not violate W. Va. Code 61-7-7 or federal law, including 18 U.S.C. 922(g) or (n). New disqualifying conduct during the prior term will defeat the renewal.

Note that W. Va. Code 61-7-4 does not impose a fingerprinting requirement for the standard license. The background check is records-based through the systems listed above.

Renewal Decision Timeline

W. Va. Code 61-7-4(g) requires the sheriff to issue, reissue, or deny within 45 days after the application is filed, provided all authorized background checks are complete. The sheriff issues unless the application is incomplete, contains materially false or incorrect statements, or the applicant otherwise fails the requirements.

Renewal Denial and Appeal

If a renewal is denied, the sheriff must state the specific reasons for the denial (W. Va. Code 61-7-4(k)). The applicant may file a petition for review in the circuit court of the county where the application was made, within 30 days of the denial. The court determines whether the applicant is entitled to a license under the statutory criteria. If the court's findings fail to uphold the denial, the applicant may recover reasonable costs and attorney fees payable by the sheriff's office. If the denial is upheld, the applicant may appeal under the Rules of Appellate Procedure of the Supreme Court of Appeals.

Common renewal-denial grounds track the eligibility list above: a new felony or qualifying misdemeanor conviction, a current domestic violence protective order, a new involuntary commitment, a federal prohibitor under 18 U.S.C. 922(g) or (n), or a materially false statement on the application.

Moving to a New County or Out of State During the Term

W. Va. Code 61-7-4(m) governs relocation, and it does not require a full new application when you move. Within 20 days of relocating, the licensee must notify the relevant sheriff in writing of the old and new addresses. The sheriff then issues a new license card bearing the new address and the original expiration date, for a fee not to exceed $5. The license stays valid for the remainder of the original five-year term unless the person is no longer eligible. The specific subdivision depends on the move:

• Resident moving to another West Virginia county: notify the sheriff of the new county; receive a new resident license with the original expiration date (61-7-4(m)(1)).
• Resident moving out of state: notify the issuing-county sheriff; receive a new nonresident license with the original expiration date. Any renewal after expiration then requires the nonresident fee (61-7-4(m)(2)).
• Nonresident moving to a different out-of-state address: notify the issuing-county sheriff; receive an updated nonresident license (61-7-4(m)(3)).
• Nonresident moving into West Virginia: notify the sheriff of the new county; receive a new resident license (61-7-4(m)(4)).

At the next renewal, file with the sheriff of your current county of residence. Moving out of West Virginia does not automatically void the current card, but the resident license is tied to West Virginia residency for renewal purposes, and out-of-state reciprocity rules will govern how useful it remains.

Lost or Destroyed License Mid-Term

A lost or destroyed license is replaced, not renewed. Under W. Va. Code 61-7-4(l), the holder files a notarized statement with the sheriff indicating the license was lost or destroyed and pays a $5 fee for a duplicate or substitute. The replacement carries the same expiration date as the original. (The provisional-license equivalent is W. Va. Code 61-7-4a(k), also a $5 fee.)

Provisional License Holders Turning 21

A provisional license under W. Va. Code 61-7-4a does not renew. By 61-7-4a(g) it is valid only until the holder turns 21, then it ends automatically. When a provisional holder reaches 21:

1. Permitless carry becomes available immediately. At 21, a non-prohibited citizen or legal resident may carry concealed without any license under W. Va. Code 61-7-7(c). No filing is required to carry inside West Virginia.
2. A standard license is still worth obtaining for out-of-state reciprocity and as a NICS alternative at dealers. The provisional card is expressly marked "NOT NICS EXEMPT" and does not satisfy 18 U.S.C. 922(t)(3) (61-7-4a(h)). To get those benefits, file a fresh standard application with the county sheriff under W. Va. Code 61-7-4, including the $50 resident fee and the standard training requirement (which the provisional holder will already have satisfied through prior qualification).

Confidentiality of License Records

Under W. Va. Code 61-7-4(r), application materials, supporting documents, permits, renewals, and any information identifying an applicant or holder are confidential. The records may be disclosed to law enforcement only to verify a license, assist a criminal investigation or prosecution, or for other lawful law-enforcement purposes. Unauthorized disclosure is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $50 to $200 per offense.

Key Statutes