Concealed Handgun Permit Forms

Do not sign the application upon completion. All applications are taken under oath and notarized and must be signed before a Notary Public or Forsyth County Sheriff's Office personnel.

Adobe PDFThe files below are in .pdf format and can be opened using Adobe Acrobat Reader.

New Applications (Print all 4 forms)

Location

Application for a concealed handgun permit takes place in person at the Forsyth County Public Safety Center located at 301 N. Church Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.

Hours of Operation:

Walk-ins – Residents are served on a first-come, first-serve basis.

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (excluding Holidays)
    8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Appointments – Residents may select the preferred available date and time for an appointment by clicking the “View Online Calendar” below.

View Online Calendar

Fee

New Application - $95.00 (includes notary fee and fingerprinting fee)

Method of Payment

Cash or Credit/Debit cards are accepted.

*A processing fee will be charged by the vendor for each transaction.*

Processing Information for Concealed Handgun Permit

Processing may take up to 45 days after the background check is complete and all mental health returns are received. This process generally takes 90 days from the date of application. If the application for a permit is denied, the applicant will be notified in writing, stating the reason for the denial. An applicant may appeal the denial, revocation, or non-renewal of a permit by petitioning the Chief District Court Judge.

The Permits Unit does not provide application status over the phone. Any applicant wanting to check the status after 90 days from application date of a permit may request an update by emailing permits@fcso.us or by appearing in person at the Sheriff's Office. Once the permit is approved, the applicant will be contacted by an auto dialer via the phone number provided at time of your application. Applicant must provide proper identification when permit is picked up.

Application Requirements

  • Must be 21 years of age or older.
  • Must provide current/valid identification in the form of either a N.C. Drivers License or N.C. Identification card showing your Forsyth County address.
  • Must provide a list of previous addresses within for past 20 years or until the age of 18. Your current address must be listed first.
  • Must have successfully completed an approved N. C. Concealed Handgun Training Course and provide the original certificate with application.
  • Sworn Law Enforcement Officers and Armed Security personnel may exempt the CHP class requirement by bringing in a copy of their most recent qualification scores signed by either their range officer or direct supervisor.
  • Must provide complete set of legible fingerprints (taken at time of application).

General Information

  • Permit is valid for a period of 5 years.
  • Renewal of existing permit can be submitted up to 90 days before the expiration date. Failure to renew an existing permit prior to the expiration date may result in requiring a new firearms safety certificate.
  • When a change of address occurs, applicant must notify the Permits Unit within thirty days. There is no fee incurred for this process, unless the individual requests a duplicate permit. If a duplicate permit is not obtained, the Change of Address Form must be kept with existing permit at all times.
  • Fingerprints are submitted to the SBI and FBI for criminal background checks; rejection of fingerprints may result in the denial of an application.
  • There is no fingerprint requirement on renewals if prints were submitted electronically via AFIS machine after June 30, 2001.
  • For further assistance or questions, contact our office at permits@fcso.us