In the State of North Carolina you are required to present and turn in a Pistol Purchase Permit in order to obtain a firearm from a private sale or a Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealer if you do not have a NC Concealed Carry Handgun license. You must apply for your pistol purchase permit in the county of your residence. Each county has their own set of rules to apply for a permit. The amount of time it takes for your application to be processed depends on the volume of requests and your counties procedures. It’s generally around $5 and the process is not uniform across North Carolina.
General Requirements:
Must be 21 years of age or older to purchase from an FFL and 18 for a private sale.
Must provide current/valid ID in the form of either a NC driver’s license or NC state identification card.
Must be a US Citizen or a permanent resident.
Must be a resident of North Carolina for a minimum of 30 days and provide proof of residency in your county. (NC ID or driver’s license)
Must provide a list of previous addresses back to age 16 or the past 20 years.
Must be of good moral character as judged by your sheriff.
Must not have any pending criminal charges that would be a disqualifying offense if convicted.
Must pass criminal history background check. No felonies.
Must be eligible to own, possess or receive a firearm under the provisions of state or federal law.
Applicant must be required to authorize a mental health check – Involuntary Commitments to mental health institutions may be disqualifying.
Must not have a current 50b or a domestic violence conviction.
Tips:
Go to your counties website and see exactly what you need.
Complete what you can online to speed up the process.
Get the process started a month before you feel that you want to purchase your firearm.
Once you have it, make a copy for your own records and keep it in a designated folder.
When you go to purchase your pistol you must bring it with you and hand over the original, even in a private sale.
