Here at Harry’s Holsters, we specialize in manufacturing some of the most comfortable premium concealed carry holsters available on the market today. It can be easy to research and shop for holsters and firearms online, but figuring out where to start to acquire your concealed carry permit can be confusing. That’s why we compiled the essential steps you need to take to secure the permit you’re looking for below. But first, a few words about concealed carry permits, what they do and what they don’t.
What is a Concealed Carry Permit?
A concealed carry permit in the United States allows the holder to carry a weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one’s person or nearby. Usually, the concealed weapon is a handgun, but some states require permits to carry things like high-volume pepper spray containers. There are currently no federal statutes or laws that speak to the matter of carrying concealed; however, all 50 states have passed legislation that speaks to the legality of carrying concealed firearms in public within each state.
Though all 50 states have concealed carry laws, they vary on how they refer to the permit itself. Depending on your state of residence, you may see permits called: Concealed Carry Pistol (CCP), Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW), Concealed Carry License (CCL), Concealed Pistol License (CPL), Concealed Handgun License (CHL), Licence To Carry (LTC), or License to Carry Firearm (LTCF) to name a few.
Another important detail to note is the issue status of your state of residence. Typically, a state operates under unrestricted jurisdiction, shall-issue jurisdiction, may-issue jurisdiction, or no-issue jurisdiction. This status determines how states legally allow their residents and non-residents to acquire concealed carry permits, carry concealed, and more.
- Unrestricted jurisdiction: a permit is not required to carry a concealed handgun
- Shall-issue jurisdiction: a permit is required to carry a concealed handgun; however, the granting of such a permit is subject only to what the law requires.
- May-issue jurisdiction: a permit is required to carry a concealed handgun, and local authorities use their discretion to grant permits
- No-issue jurisdiction: private citizens are not allowed to carry a concealed handgun in public
You can see what kind of jurisdiction your state of residence allows for concealed carry permits here.
How to Acquire Your Permit
As you can see, different states have different requirements for and regulations on how they administer concealed carry permits. Harry’s Holsters is headquartered in North Carolina, so we will walk through the steps required by our state for a resident to carry their weapon concealed. See what your state’s process is here.
Step 1: Check Eligibility Requirements
In North Carolina, one has to be a United States-born or naturalized citizen and at least 21 years old to be considered eligible to obtain an NC Concealed Carry Handgun Permit. Other eligibility requirements include: being a resident for a minimum of 30 days in the county where you wish to apply for the permit, having a clear mental and physical bill of health for handling handguns, and having a valid North Carolina driver’s license or photo ID with a current address.
Step 2: Complete a Concealed Carry Class
Another eligibility requirement in the state of North Carolina is the successful completion of a concealed carry course. This usually consists of eight hours of classroom training, a written test, and a qualification test at a shooting range.
Step 3: Apply for a Permit
After passing the written and shooting tests, you can apply for your concealed carry permit through your local county’s government. You will be required to present your concealed carry class certificate, complete an application, submit fingerprints and pay a non-refundable processing fee. Your local office will then take that information to approve your permit within 45 days.
What to Do With Your Permit
Once you have your concealed carry permit, you can purchase a handgun at your preferred retailer as your permit acts as a background check to expedite the process. And always, carry your permit with you if you are also carrying your weapon. We recommend carrying your permit with you at all times.
One final thing to note is to check in on your state of residence’s concealed handgun reciprocity if you plan to travel or if you go out of state at all.
You are subject to the laws of each state you visit; however, some states offer reciprocity to concealed carry handgun permits, meaning they will honor your concealed carry permit while you are in their state lines.
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At Harry’s Holsters, we believe in providing the most comfortable holsters to those who wish to conceal carry, no matter your carrying style. We offer premium inside the waistband (IWB) holsters, outside the waistband (OWB) holsters, and Kydex J frame revolver holsters online.
good clear article
Nicely written with good information.
Good info…seriously considering getting my carry permit….
I was just asking a friend about this yesterday. Thanks for a great article.
Just now getting into ccw. Harry’s makes some of the nicest holsters
This was a very through article. I am planning on getting my permit soon.
Have a harry’s holster and love it.
We finally got constitutional carry in Kentucky but I will eventually get around to getting my CCDW permit anyway, just not in a big hurry.
I’m in WV. Thankfully, a ‘shall issue’ state. Concealed carry is simple to accomplish legally.