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General Information
Learning the laws regulating the use of firearms is a must for responsible ownership. Local regulations differ and laws vary from state to state. Citizens must check with the jurisdiction where the gun is to be used.
The Sheriff and his staff are required to follow strict state guidelines when performing the necessary background checks for Concealed Handgun Permits. Due to the nature of the detailed due diligence, appointment times and processing times can take multiple weeks. During the application process, you will be asked to schedule an appointment (for New and Renewal Concealed Handgun Permits). Please note that you will be asked to pay now to reserve your appointment.
Concealed Handgun Permits must be obtained from the county sheriff of your county of residence.
If you are RENEWING a Concealed Handgun Permit, you MUST apply no more than 90 days PRIOR to the expiration date.
Pricing
- A New Concealed Handgun Permit costs $90.00, which includes the $10.00 fingerprinting fee.
- A Renewal Concealed Handgun Weapon costs $75.00
- A Duplicate Concealed Weapon Permit costs $15.00
- For a CHANGE OF ADDRESS you MUST have a valid Polk County Concealed Carry Permit. NOTE: If your permit is from another county, you MUST contact that county's Sheriff's Office that issued the permit first.
- Appointments for Concealed Handgun Permits and Renewals will be processed between 9:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday.
- Click the links on the left to apply for a permit.
Please visit the below website for further information regarding NC Firearms Laws and reciprocity:
NC DOJ Information
Gaining competency with firearms is like learning to drive a car or fly an airplane. You need expert instruction and practice. There is no shortcut. If you are not willing to invest the time and effort to become competent, then having a firearm and trying to use it can, in many instances, be more hazardous than any impending threat.
Concealed Handgun Permit Requirements: must meet ALL requirements
Applicant Must:
- be twenty-one (21) years of age;
- have attained at least one month's residency (30 days) in Polk County;
- be a citizen or a naturalized citizen of the United States or a lawful permanent resident alien;
- not suffer from any mental or physical infirmity which would prevent safe handgun handling and operation
- at the time of appointment, provide a valid driver's license or other Government ID with current address provided by the State of North Carolina.
- successfully complete a firearms training and safety course that has been designed by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Standards Commission (See Yellow Pages or a firearms dealer for businesses that provide training).
A criminal background check is performed on each applicant before granting the permit. The processing of the concealed handgun permit takes much longer than the handgun purchase permit. The Sheriff has forty-five (45) days from the time all application materials, to include receipt of the mental health records, are received to either issue or deny a permit. N.C. General Statute 14-415-15(a).
Anyone interested in applying for a concealed hangun permit must make an appointment online using this system. Prior to using this system, make sure you have the following information available.
- NC Driver's license number
- NC Firearms Training Certificate Number (located at the bottom right corner of the certificate)
If you are a current Law Enforcement Officer (N.C.G.S § 14-415.12(A)), you MUST bring the following items with you in order to exempt you from taking the NC Firearms Safety Training Course:
- Firearms Qualification Scores that are within the last 12 months.
- A letter from your superior stating that you are not under any disciplinary action and are eligible to carry your weapon.
- Your law enforcement ID badge
Please visit the below website for further information regarding NC Firearms Laws and reciprocity:
NC Firearms Laws
A Concealed Handgun Permit requires a $90.00 non-refundable fee (which includes a $10.00 fingerprint fee) payable online using any major credit or debit card. A cash payment can be made at the time of the appointment. Please bring exact change as we keep a small amount of change on hand.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office offers this online service as a convenience to the community. In addition to the permit fee, the system will charge a per transaction fee for the convenience of applying and paying for your permit online. The service fee is not collected by the Sheriff. This fee is paid to the company that provides this order, payment and processing system to the public. You do have the option of applying and paying via cash in person at the Sheriff’s office. By doing so, you will not be charged the service fee.
Please note that this website has been certified to work using the following browsers: IE 8 or higher, Firefox, Safari or Chrome.
For More Information, Contact:
Polk County Sheriff's Office
164 Government Complex Drive (off Hwy 108)
Columbus NC 28722
Phone: (828) 894-3001
For Technical Support, Contact:
Permitium Software
Email: help@permitium.com
Phone: 855-642-2453
NC General Statute 14-315.1: Storage of firearms to protect minors
(a) Any person who resides in the same premises as a minor, owns or possesses a firearm, and stores or leaves the firearm (i) in a condition that the firearm can be discharged and (ii) in a manner that the person knew or should have known that an unsupervised minor would be able to gain access to the firearm, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if a minor gains access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the minor's parents or a person having charge of the minor and the minor:
- Possesses it in violation of G.S. 14-269.2(b);
- Exhibits it in a public place in a careless, angry, or threatening manner;
- Causes personal injury or death with it not in self defense; or
- Uses it in the commission of a crime.
(b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a person from carrying a firearm on his or her body, or placed in such close proximity that it can be used as easily and quickly as if carried on the body.
(c) This section shall not apply if the minor obtained the firearm as a result of an unlawful entry by any person.
(d) "Minor" as used in this section means a person under 18 years of age who is not emancipated. (1993, c. 558, s. 2; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 14, s. 11.)
GUN SAFETY TIPS FOR PARENTS
- If you keep a handgun in your home, always keep it unloaded and locked up!
- Always lock and store bullets separately from your gun. Young children can figure out how to load a gun.
- Keep a gun lock on your gun after it is unloaded. [Gun locks are excellent devices when used in combination with other safety habits. Gun locks can provide a false sense of security. All it takes is forgetting to lock a gun just one time. Or leaving the key where a child can find it. Always be diligent when using a gun lock. Always double check to make sure that it is locked at all times.
- Make sure children don't have access to the keys to gun locks and gun and ammunition storage areas.
- Even if you don't own a gun, talk with your children about the danger of guns and what to do if they find one while playing or at a friend's house.
- Explain to your children that guns are dangerous and that they should never touch them.