How do I get my Virginia concealed carry permit?
GETTING YOUR VIRGINIA CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT IS NOT HARD. Let’s get that out of the way right now. For years I’ve watched good people who want their concealed carry permits shy away because the process seems vague and difficult and who’s got the time to deal with the government, especially when it has to do with GUNS? What if you make a mistake? It seems complicated, you don’t want to go to jail, right?
The following article will walk you through STEP BY STEP exactly how easy it is to get your permit in the state of Virginia. My hope is that this helps change the mind of at least one person who thought this process was going to be too daunting, and that they then take the steps necessary to begin carrying concealed. In my humble opinion, all law abiding citizens should obtain a permit if needed, build the skills required to do so safely, and carry a firearm for personal protection. It is our own right & responsibility to be our own protectors and the protector of our loved ones.
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Standard legal disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nothing below should be misconstrued as legal advice or counsel. If you have specific questions regarding your state’s laws contact an attorney in your state. All of the information presented below is presented under the assumption that you understand and are already in compliance with all of your state’s laws governing the ownership of firearms.
The Process Summed up:
In today’s age of 10 second tic tocks and drone-scrolling I won’t kid myself into thinking I can hold every single person’s attention through this whole article so for those of you who are already tapping into the depths of your reserves of focus having read this far, here is a step by step list of the process, we will dive into details after:
- Take an in person course. While of course I think ours is the best (upcoming schedule here: CFI CCW Schedule) many companies offer a VA CCW course, it has to be in person. It is only ONE class on ONE day, and usually runs between 3-6 hours end to end.
- Receive a certificate of completion from said course.
- Complete your application (Barley over 1 page long). You can download it here: VA CCW Application
- Self Address an Envelope
- Find your county’s courthouse. It’s typically going to be your circuit court, you can google it or use this directory here: Courthouse Directory
- Go to your courthouse. Bring your Driver’s License/ID, Course Completion Certificate, Application, Envelope, & method of payment.
- Turn in documents to appropriate department. Security personnel will tell you exactly where to go.
- Wait. Your permit will be issued or denied within 45 days. If not, you can get a provisional permit while you wait.
- That’s it. Keep in mind, THIS IS NOT AN ODD THING YOU’RE DOING. They get 100s of these applications/renewals a day at many courthouses.
1. Take an in-person course
Back in 2020 they made it mandatory in the state of Virginia to take an in-person concealed carry course, so the online option will no longer work. While a live-fire portion of the class is not mandatory, I would highly recommend working with a company that makes it a part of the class. At CFI we take advantage of the time together to train some fundamentals of shooting both for accuracy and speed and we absolutely make sure we’ve witnessed safe and competent gun handling prior to putting our “stamp” on someone to get their permit. This is not a “be a bullseye marksman or fail” kind of test, this is a chance to train while the instructors help coach and evaluate safety along with basic marksmanship. Don’t forget, your CCW class is NOT all the training you need to be safe, confident, and competent when you carry. If you’re new to using a holster don’t forget to join us for our Holster 101 course
2. Receive your Certificate
Keep in mind that many companies won’t reissue certificates, or if they do there is a time limit on when they will do so. Make sure you hang onto the original copy or the electronic document if they choose to send it that way. We offer a hard copy and send all students an electronic copy should they want to hang onto a copy for themselves as well. Try and get out to the courthouse within a month of taking your class, but keep in mind that the certificate doesn’t necessarily expire so if you lose track for a few months it’s not the end of the world. Certainly get it done within the year.
3. Complete your application (this can also be done in person at the courthouse)
Many people worry about the application and the subsequent background check. The application is barely a page long and the police don’t care about that parking ticket you got when you were visiting your buddy at college. A good rule of thumb is: if you’re cleared to purchase a firearm in the state, you will likely be cleared to get your permit. So if you’ve bought a firearm in Virginia and haven’t committed any crimes since, odds are you will be just fine. You can get the application right here: VA CCW Application
*Make sure your version of the application is at least the one published in July of 2021 as they made some changes to the form and they will make you re-do it in person if you bring the old one.
4. Self Address an Envelope (this can also be done in person the day-of)
If you need my assistance on this one, we have bigger problems than how to get your permit.
5. Find your County Courthouse
Like I said above, this will likely (but not always) be your county or city’s circuit court. You can always use the directory we’ve found for you here: Courthouse Directory or you can simply type “*your county* concealed carry permit” and it should show you the place you need to go. Please note that some courthouses are desperately clinging to the covid-era reduced hours and silly rules. Most all have done away with the severe regs but make sure you check what days they’re open to the public.
Pro Tip : Go to the courthouse within the first hour of their opening. Most courts open at one time but don’t begin trials/hearings until at least an hour later. Beat the lawyers and the rush and get in and out of there in a jiffy. Many courthouses will take you longer to park than to actually get in and drop off paperwork.
6. Go to your Courthouse
DO NOT BRING YOUR GUN!
I REPEAT: DO NOT BRING YOUR GUN!
I once had a student ask me if they had to bring the gun they planned to carry to the courthouse or if they could just bring any gun whatsoever. DO NOT BRING ANY GUN. A courthouse is a government building where it would be felony to bring your gun EVEN IF YOU HAD A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT which you don’t even have yet.
DO bring: Driver’s License, Course Certificate, Payment Method, Completed Application, Envelope
7. Turn in your Documents
If you don’t know where to go when you get to the courthouse, walk in the front door, go through security if applicable, and ask the first security person you see where to go for concealed carry permits and they’ll happily point you in the right direction. There are also signs on most of the walls to guide you.
YOU AREN’T DOING ANYTHING WRONG OR WEIRD. MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE SECURED THEIR CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS AND THOUSANDS MORE DO EVERY DAY ACCROSS THE COUNTRY. Depending on the size of your court they likely process a couple hundred of these every day.
8. Wait
Honestly, in the age of amazon, package tracking, 1 day shipping and instant streaming, this is probably the hardest part of the process for everyone that goes through it. The average is about 2 weeks but can take up to 45 days to be issued. If you pass your checks, they will mail it right to you with no more input needed on your part. If you get denied they will issue you a letter on why. If 45 days passes and nothing has happened you can go back to your courthouse and get a provisional permit allowing you to carry in the interim while you wait for your official answer.
8. BONUS - Sign & Laminate your card.
As a congratulations for making it this far, I’d like to offer you some free lamination for your new CCW permit card down at clark brothers any day Tuesday-Sunday!
Get it done ASAP, that card won’t last too long without it! Get in touch with me via phone call, text, or email and let me know when you’re coming in.
Make sure you sign the card on the lower right corner before you have it laminated!
Conclusion
That’s it for this one guys and girls, short and sweet. It’s an easy process, and I highly recommend you do it if you haven’t already. Even if you don’t plan to carry, having the option is always a great thing. Please keep in mind, the CCW class is the BEGINNING of your training to carry, NOT THE END. Safely carrying a firearm is a massive responsibility. Keep apprised of your local laws and always follow them. Keep training and build your level of competence to an unconscious level so, God forbid, if you ever need to use your firearm and you fall to the level of your training, you will be falling to a level that will serve you well.