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Blogging my way through the process to get a carry permit would be kind of anticlimactic. In Cobb County all you do is show up with your driver’s license, $75 in cash and a SASE. You fill out an application form, they fingerprint you and if there’s nothing in your background check, three weeks later your permit comes in the mail. No classes required.

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48 COMMENTS

  1. There will be blood in the streets I tell ya! Yeah, mine was sort of anti-climatic as well. I personally think people wig out too much on handguns and associated laws. Crooks are not going to care about gun laws anyway.

  2. In Iowa, show up with $50, Safety certificate, drivers license and you walk out with permit in hand. No finger prints and the background check takes seconds.

  3. Its even easier in Washington, you show up at the sheriffs office with 55 dollars, and a picture ID, thats it, no training. Fill out the paperwork, get your fingerprints taken and walk out the door. It comes in a maximum of 30 days, mine took less then 2 weeks and is nicely laminated. Heck, its an easier process then getting a drivers licence, or just about any other interaction with local government.

  4. 5 to 6 years ago, Cobb would have taken 90+days to send out the license. GeorgiaCarry.Org sued Cobb and several other Probate Judges to get them to follow the law. Looks like the Judges figured out that they better follow the law or GCO will sue them

    Hopefully this year, GCO will get us a couple more off-limits locations lifted (colleges, schools, and government buildings) and cheapen the renewal price.

  5. Here in PA, went to the sheriff with 20 bucks and my driver’s license, filled out the application, got my picture taken, got it in the mail 2 weeks later. No required training, no fingerprints. And I feel perfectly safe.

    • Really? It’s that easy? I gotta go down and get mine. Last time I applied about 12 years ago, they gave me problems with my references being too far away. Got some “attitude” from the deputy as well. Haven’t bothered since then.

      • It depends on your county and your sheriff. I know in Lehigh, the sheriff demands that your two references be from Lehigh county, which is ludicrous and he’s taking flak for it. In other counties, your references could be from Fiji for all they care, and you walk out with your license same day.

        • Heck, we are “neighbors”, I live in Monroe county. And at the time I applied, I got the same thing, they wanted the references from Monroe county. Something about they didn’t want to pay long distance phone charges when calling folks to check on me. At the time, I was a new resident to the area, having swam for freedom from the Demokratic People’s Republik of New Jersey.

  6. Got mine next door in Paulding County, GA. The wife and I applied on a Monday, and had them in hand on Thursday. I was shocked.

  7. Dear Editor:

    In our state its called a GWL or “Georgia Weapons License”.

    We can open carry or conceal with our permit. The permit also covers a variety of other categories (like knife blades over 5″ in length).

    You do not need a permit to carry (any method mentioned above) on your own land, at your place of business, or while in your own motor vehicle.

    Just FYI…

  8. Up in SC you take a class, pass a written and practical exam – not standardized but with a curriculum approved by SLED. The instructor must keep records of all students on hand for a minimum of 3 years. After completing class you send off application along with $50 check or money order and copy of your Driver’s License and after 90 days and a clean back ground check you get your permit in the mail. Upon request you may be required to provide SLED with a copy of verification of your training.

    As there is no open carry in SC this is your only option to legally protect yourself or enjoy the 2nd Amendment “right” to keep in bare arms – at least an until constitutional carry passes (SC h. 3292).

  9. Michigan was a little more difficult, but not insurmountable. Have to being your training certificate, DL, $105, and get fingerprinted. 45 days from there for final approval by gun board (MI is shall-issue, just have to go through the normal buracracy), and about 10 days later, you get your permit, good for 5 year.

    On the bright side, the MI permit is good for all 41 states who like to play nice. 🙂

  10. Missouri:

    Eight hours of training ($150), fingerprints & background check ($50, as I recall) at City Hall. Approval comes in the mail, and I went to the DMV and got a separate state ID card for my CCW permit that I have to carry when I have the weapon.

  11. And that’s why there will never be a nationwide reciprocal standard. There will need to be a national CCW standard of training before Congress will entertain the idea.

  12. Thanks! You guys and gals in the free world just keep rubbing it in. Thanks again from the people’s republic of Joisy.

  13. It’s even easier in New York City. Just show up with your membership in the Screen Actor’s Guild and you’re in.

  14. What’s the obsession with fingerprints? I don’t know how I’d react to filing for a permit if I had to have my fingerprints on file.

    • When I enlisted, I was fingerprinted. When I was bonded, I was fingerprinted. When I was admitted to practice law, I was fingerprinted. When I applied for firearms permits, I was fingerprinted. I’ve absorbed so much ink through my fingertips that my blood is the color of grape jelly.

      Ain’t no big thing.

      • When the constitution was written it said nothing of fingerprinting..it was clear…it said shall not be infringed…

        CCPs are unconstitutional.

  15. Well in Texas its a lot more involved, and costly! The wife and I took a special class, a couples invite. Usually $100.00 per person was $150.00 for a couple, 12 hours long. Then $140.00 per license, plus the cost of fingerprints and passport type of photo. Then mail it all in and wait. 7 weeks for the wife, 10 weeks for mine, and we mailed on the same day. Its another class (at what ever the cost of the class will be) and $70.00 for each renewal. NO open carry, concealed only.

    But almost every business allows concealed carry. Of course the normal restrictions apply, not in any school, certain government buildings, bars and such. We have seen a couple of “no weapons inside” signs at a couple of pawn shops but thats about it. The there is a more common sign, ” No UNLICENSED weapons allowed” and the legal mumbo-jumbo follows.

    There are sporting goods stores and banks that have signs that actually welcome the licensed concealed carry patrons. Those types of welcome signs makes you feel at home,,,,,,,,,,,, and safe inside!

    • I think you get every third application off. Just fill out the form and send it in, no classes, no shooting. At least, I was told that when I had completed my third renewal and the instructor said, “Hey, you didn’t have to do this if it’s your third renewal.” Something about being in the classes three times in 15 years was enough.

      Check into that. I took the class anyway because it’s always important to stay up on use of force laws, definitions, etc.

  16. PA is even better:

    You walk in, you hand them your completed application along with payment of 20 USD*, they take your photo, and from that point you will either get a denial letter or your LTCF within 45 days, as required by law.

    Some counties use PICS/NICS and issue the LTCF on site, while others pull nonsense like stretching the timeframe out to 45 “business days.” My county is somewhere in the middle, and generally runs about three weeks from application to receipt of LTCF.

    *Methods of payment accepted vary, my local Sheriff accepts only checks and money orders

  17. And in Arizona, you buy a gun, stick it in your holster and walk out. It kinda makes up for the heat.

    • I believe Tombstone still has a city ordinance prohibiting open carry. However, since AZ is a no license required CCW State, just tuck the firearm out of sight when in Tombstone.

  18. In NH it’s $10 and a small form to the town. No photo or fingerprints. Must issue within 14 days.

    But, yeah, AZ, VT, & AK got us beat.

  19. Oh, here in NJ it’s even easier! You fill out your application, submit three references, a letter explaining why you need a permit to carry, pay $20….Then you wait a month and receive your GUARANTEED denial due to “lack of justifiable need.” It’s that easy.

    • It’s even easier in MD. They won’t even give you the form (dead serious, I know a couple of people who have experienced this), they just tell you you won’t get a permit so stop wasting their time. Takes 5 mins and is free.

      • Sounds like it’s time to have a Tea Party for your rights or an armed revolt… I chose the latter!

  20. WA is very similar. I filled out the form there in the sheriff’s office, but I could have done it at home. They have up to (I believe) 30 days, but the permit showed in the mail within 3 weeks.

    And, of course, I could theoretically open carry while I was waiting for that to show.

    • The only minus about that is without a CPL you can’t carry a loaded pistol in a vehicle. So if you’re driving you have to unload the pistol, and conceal it somewhere (it can’t be in view). I guess you have to do if you’re taking a bus.

      Anyway, Washington makes it cheap and easy to comply with the law. King County takes the full thirty days, but it’s not because of any anti-gun bias, just simply because it’s the biggest county in the state. The sheriff here is very pro-gun. When she was asked by a council member about cuts to his security detail her response was “get a gun and learn how to use it.”

  21. In CA as long as you are a famous person your carry permit will be issued. Sean Penn had a permit despite a lengthy criminal record for assault and other charges. But he’s special because he’s famous and your not.

  22. TN here, just for the record:
    Take 8-hour course (between $80-100). Go to DMV with $115 and submit application. Get fingerprinted at separate location. Get carry licence within 90 days (I think).

  23. Wyoming is also in the “buy a gun a stick it in your pants” category now. Kinda makes me regret moving to Utah where I had a $40 class, $60 filing fee and three weeks of waiting. :/

  24. Colorado – you need to take a class ($100+-), application to SO with fingerprints and $152.50 (at least where I live) and wait about 90 days. We are a “shall issue” state. Wish I could say my Class 3 was this easy…

    Oh yeah, the permit is good for 5 years then it is $52.50 for a renewal.

    Seriously, shouldn’t one CWC permit cover every state!?!?

  25. Hi Guys, New info. As of Feb 1, 2015 new fee is $77.50 for a carry permit in Cobb County. Renewal is still $30.00.

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