Wake County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Hero

PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING

***** Facial masks are required to enter our facility *****

Pistol Purchase Permits: Applicants must fill out an on-line application. Applicants will be notified of approval contingent upon signing the required mental health release form. Upon notification of contingent approval applicants may pick up their permits without an appointment Monday-Friday 8:40 AM-12:00 PM and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM. Applications are not considered complete until the applicant has signed the mental health release form. Applicants have 28 days from date of notification to pick up the permits or the application will expire, and the applicant will be required to reapply.

Welcome! This is an official application for a permit to purchase and own a pistol or handgun. You must completely and accurately fill-out this application to be considered for a permit. Any falsification of the information within this application will result in the refusal of this application for a purchase permit.

A non-refundable fee of $5.00 is required for each permit. In addition, a convenience fee of $3.00 is required to process payment. These fees will be charged even if your application is denied.

Processing may take longer during periods of high volume

Let's Get Started



Handgun Purchase Permit Requirements: must meet ALL requirements

Applicant Must:

  • be a citizen, a naturalized citizen or a resident alien;
  • be eighteen (18) years of age or older;
  • Must be a resident of Wake County;
  • At the time of pickup, provide a valid government issued identification confirming the identity of the applicant :
  • Must provide proof of recidency of Wake County 
  • Resident Aliens: Must bring a resident alien card;
  • Naturalized Citizens: Must bring your Naturalization Certificate or valid US Passport.

Applicant Must NOT:

  • Must NOT be convicted of any felony, or similar offense in any jurisdiction or currently under indictment for any felonious offense.
  • Must NOT be a fugitive from justice.
  • Must NOT be an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana, any depressant, stimulant or narcotic drug.
  • Must NOT be adjudged incompetent on grounds of mental illness, nor have been committed to any mental institution.
  • Must NOT be convicted of a Domestic Violence Offense.
  • Must NOT have unresolved criminal charges pending.
  • Must NOT have a suspended driver's license.
  • Must NOT have a substantial history of convictions, arrests, or reports demonstrating a continuing pattern of criminal activity.
  • Must NOT be discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions.
  • Must NOT be an illegal alien or unlawfully residing in the United States.
  • Must NOT have been a citizen of the United States and renounced that citizenship.
  • Must NOT have an active court order of protection (50B) that alleges any domestic threat or violence.

Please note that as part of the application process, you will authorize the Wake County Clerk of Superior Court to inform the Sheriff of Wake County whether or not the clerks’ records contain the record of any involuntary mental commitment proceeding under Article 5 of Chapter 122C of the General Statutes in which you have been named as a respondent. The purpose of this release is to enable the Sheriff to determine your qualification and competence to purchase and handle a handgun.

The Wake County Sheriff’s office offers this online service as a convenience to the community. In addition to the per permit fee of $5, the system will charge a per transaction fee for the convenience of applying and paying for your permits online. The convenience 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 convenience 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:

John H. Baker Jr. Public Safety Center
330 S. Salisbury St.
Raleigh, NC 27602

Phone: 919-856-6949

 

For Technical Support, Contact:

Permitium Software
Email: help@permitium.com

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:

  1. Possesses it in violation of G.S. 14-269.2(b);
  2. Exhibits it in a public place in a careless, angry, or threatening manner;
  3. Causes personal injury or death with it not in self defense; or
  4. 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.)