New York Pistol Permit: How to Get a Concealed Carry License (2026)

Quick answer: To carry a handgun in New York you need a concealed carry license from your county or local licensing officer, or from the NYPD License Division in New York City. The state requires a 16-hour classroom course and a 2-hour live-fire course, four character references, details of the adults in your home and an in-person interview. You must be at least 21 unless you are an honorably discharged veteran. Every fact below is from New York’s own official pages, checked November 4, 2026.

License or permit: what New York calls it

New York’s gun safety FAQ (issued August 27, 2022) says the terms license and permit “are used interchangeably.” The two most common handgun licenses are a “premises license,” which lets you keep a pistol or revolver at one location such as your home or business, and a “concealed carry license,” which “authorizes the license holder to carry a pistol or revolver on their person.” This guide covers the concealed carry license.

Who issues a New York pistol permit

• Outside New York City: the state FAQ says you “can apply for a firearm license to your county/local licensing officer at any time.” The State Police publish the county application forms, including the PPB 3 license application and the PPB 3B fingerprint form.
• In New York City: the NYPD License Division issues handgun licenses. Its office is at One Police Plaza, Room 110A, in Lower Manhattan, and the Handgun Section’s phone number is (646) 610-5560.
• Nonresidents: the state FAQ says “New York law does not require residency or in-state employment to apply for a firearm license,” and that licensing officers may accept applications from nonresidents.

Requirements for a concealed carry license

New York Penal Law 400.00 (most recent revision dated October 23, 2026 on the Senate’s site, read November 4, 2026) and the state FAQ set these requirements:

• Age: 21 or older. The age limit does not apply to an applicant honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard, or the New York National Guard.
• Good moral character: the statute defines it as “having the essential character, temperament and judgement necessary to be entrusted with a weapon and to use it only in a manner that does not endanger oneself or others.”
• Training: a minimum of sixteen hours of in-person classroom curriculum and a minimum of two hours of live-fire range training, with at least eighty percent correct answers on a written test. The FAQ says training costs and locations “will be set by the instructor,” and licensing officers may count a firearm safety course completed in the previous 5 years toward part or all of it.
• In-person interview with the licensing officer.
• Household and references: names and contact information for your spouse or domestic partner and any other adults living in your home, and no fewer than four character references.
• Background check: the NYPD’s instructions say a background check is conducted, covering factors such as arrests, summonses, domestic violence, orders of protection and mental illness.

You do not have to show a special need. The state FAQ says: “You are not required to show a need for self-defense to get a pistol or revolver license.”

How long it takes

Penal Law 400.00 requires the licensing officer to act on an application “within six months of the date of presentment,” and any delay must be for good cause, with written notice stating the reasons. The NYPD’s instructions say that within approximately six months of receiving your handgun application and all required documents, you will get a letter saying whether it was approved.

Applying in New York City: the NYPD process and fees

The NYPD License Division’s application instructions (read November 4, 2026) say:

• Since January 1, 2018, it accepts only online applications and renewals, through the NYPD Permitting & Licensing portal. Paper applications are no longer accepted.
• The application fee for a handgun license, and for its renewal, is $340. The fingerprint fee is $88.25. Fees are non-refundable and are paid by credit card or money order.
• After you submit online, the License Division schedules a visit to pay fees and be fingerprinted (bring the originals of all uploaded documents), reviews your file, and then schedules an in-person interview.
• NYPD handgun licenses run three years and must be renewed every three years.

The NYPD issues several license types. Its carry business license “permits the carrying of a handgun concealed on the person”; a premises license allows a handgun only at the address on the license.

A license from elsewhere in New York is not valid in NYC

Penal Law 400.00(6) says a license to carry “shall be effective throughout the state, except that the same shall not be valid within the city of New York unless a special permit granting validity is issued by the police commissioner of that city.” The NYPD’s special carry license is that permit, issued alongside a valid county carry license.

Renewal and recertification

The state FAQ and the State Police recertification page (both read November 4, 2026) explain the two systems:

• New York City, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties: the license expires and must be renewed every 3 years. Renewing a concealed carry license on or after September 1, 2022 requires the 16-hour plus 2-hour training course.
• Everywhere else in the state: the license does not expire, but you must recertify with the New York State Police every 3 years for a concealed carry license and every 5 years for a premises license. Recertification “can only be done online,” and the State Police say there are no fees for it. The training course is not required to recertify.

Where you still cannot carry

A license does not cover every place. New York’s Attorney General lists “sensitive places” where firearms are prohibited even with a license, such as schools, houses of worship, public transportation including the subway, hospitals, stadiums and theaters, and polling places. Read the Attorney General’s current list (checked November 4, 2026) before you carry anywhere new.

Carrying comfortably once you are licensed

Once your license arrives, carrying every day is easier with a stiff belt and a holster that doesn’t dig in. The Cloudster Pillow holster wedge mounts to the back of any IWB or AIWB holster with hook-and-loop and has shredded cooling gel memory foam fill you can add or remove to set its thickness. Our Kore 1.5″ ratchet gun belts hold the holster steady. For the rules in other states, see our concealed carry laws guide and reciprocity guide.

New York Pistol Permit: Questions People Ask

How do I get a pistol permit in New York?

Apply to your county or local licensing officer, or online to the NYPD License Division if you live in New York City. You need the 16-hour classroom and 2-hour live-fire course, four character references, details of the adults in your home and an in-person interview, and you must be 21 or an honorably discharged veteran.

How much is a pistol permit in NYC?

The NYPD’s handgun license application fee is $340, and the fingerprint fee is $88.25 (read November 4, 2026). Fees outside the city are set by each county.

How long does a New York pistol permit take?

State law requires the licensing officer to act within six months of the application being presented, unless there is good cause for a delay. The NYPD says you should hear within approximately six months of submitting all documents.

Do I have to recertify my New York pistol permit?

Outside New York City and Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties, yes: every 3 years for a concealed carry license and every 5 years for a premises license, online with the State Police, at no fee. Licenses from those four areas instead expire and are renewed every 3 years.

Can a nonresident get a New York pistol permit?

The state FAQ says New York law does not require residency or in-state employment to apply, and that licensing officers may accept applications from nonresidents.

Is a New York carry license valid in New York City?

Not on its own. Penal Law 400.00(6) says it is not valid in the city unless the NYPD police commissioner issues a special permit.

Sources, all read November 4, 2026: New York Penal Law 400.00 (NY Senate, revision of October 23, 2026); NY gun safety FAQ on the new concealed carry law (issued August 27, 2022); NY State Police firearms and pistol permit recertification pages; NYPD License Division firearms licensing page and new application instructions; NY Attorney General’s gun laws page. Laws change, so confirm with your licensing officer before you apply. This is general information, not legal advice.