Virginia Concealed Carry Permit: How to Get a Concealed Handgun Permit (2026)

Quick answer: Virginia requires a concealed handgun permit to carry a handgun hidden from common observation outside your home or place of business. Residents 21 and older apply to the clerk of the circuit court in the city or county where they live, show competence with a handgun in person (the Code lists nine ways, including an NRA or USCCA course or a hunter education course), and pay no more than $50.00 in total fees. The court must issue the permit within 45 days unless you are disqualified, and the permit lasts five years. Non-residents apply to the Virginia State Police for $100.00. Facts below are from the Virginia State Police (VSP) resident and nonresident permit pages and the Code of Virginia, checked November 4, 2026.

When you need a permit in Virginia

Under Va. Code § 18.2-308, carrying a pistol or revolver “about his person, hidden from common observation” is a Class 1 misdemeanor. A second violation is a Class 6 felony and a third is a Class 5 felony. The statute does not apply in your own place of abode or its curtilage, or in your own place of business, and it lists other exceptions, such as going to or from a shooting range with the weapon unloaded and securely wrapped. Under § 18.2-308.01, a valid concealed handgun permit lifts the concealed-carry prohibition.

Where residents apply

Under § 18.2-308.02, “Any person 21 years of age or older may apply in writing or electronically to the clerk of the circuit court of the county or city in which he resides.” Members of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed outside Virginia apply in the county or city where they are domiciled. The Code adds that “There shall be no requirement regarding the length of time an applicant has been a resident or domiciliary of the county or city.” You present one valid photo ID issued by a Virginia government agency, the U.S. Department of Defense or the U.S. State Department (passport), and the clerk may not ask for anything beyond what the application form allows.

Showing competence with a handgun

The court requires proof “that the applicant has demonstrated competence with a handgun in person.” Section 18.2-308.02(B) lists nine ways to show it:

1. a hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the Department of Wildlife Resources or a similar agency of another state;
2. any National Rifle Association or United States Concealed Carry Association firearms safety or training course;
3. a firearms safety or training course open to the public, offered by a law-enforcement agency, college, organization or firearms training school using instructors certified by the NRA, USCCA or the Department of Criminal Justice Services;
4. a law-enforcement firearms course for security guards, investigators, special deputies or law enforcement;
5. equivalent experience through organized shooting competition or current military service, or proof of an honorable discharge;
6. having held a license to carry a firearm in Virginia or a Virginia locality, unless it was revoked for cause;
7. an in-person course taught by a state-certified, NRA-certified or USCCA-certified instructor;
8. a governmental police agency firearms course, with qualification to carry on duty;
9. any other firearms training the court deems adequate.

A photocopy of the completion certificate, an affidavit from the instructor or school, or another document showing completion counts as evidence. The Code adds that “no applicant is required to submit to any additional demonstration of competence, nor shall any proof of demonstrated competence expire.” For the nonresident permit, VSP says it stopped accepting online course certificates on January 1, 2021.

Fees

VSP summarizes § 18.2-308.03 as follows:

• the court charges $10.00 to process the application or issue the permit;
• local law enforcement may charge up to $35.00 for the investigation;
• the State Police may charge up to $5.00 for processing;
• “The total amount of the charges may not exceed $50.00, and payment may be made by any method accepted by the court.”

Retirees described in § 18.2-308.03(B) pay no fee.

How long it takes

VSP: “The court shall issue the permit within 45 days of receipt of the completed application unless it appears that the applicant is disqualified.” If the court has neither issued the permit nor found you disqualified within 45 days, the clerk certifies that on your application and sends you a copy. That certified application “shall serve as a de facto permit, which shall expire 90 days after issuance,” and is valid with a government-issued photo ID until the court issues the five-year permit or finds you disqualified.

If the application is denied, the order must state why. You can request an ore tenus hearing within 21 days, and then petition the Court of Appeals.

Renewing a Virginia permit

• Former holders of a Virginia resident permit “shall be issued, upon application, a new five-year permit unless there is good cause shown for refusing to reissue a permit.” The same fees and time limits apply.
• You do not need to appear in person to renew; the application may be sent by U.S. mail.
• If the court receives your renewal at least 90 days but no more than 180 days before your current permit expires, the new permit takes effect on the old one’s expiration date.
• If your permit expires during an active-duty deployment outside your county or city, it stays valid for 90 days after the deployment ends, as long as you carry your deployment orders.

Nonresident permits

VSP: “Nonresidents of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 21 years of age or older, may apply in writing to the Virginia State Police for a five-year permit to carry a concealed handgun.” The application package must include “a money order or cashier’s check in the amount of $100.00, made payable to the Virginia State Police,” and the fee is non-refundable. Packages go to the Firearms Transaction Center, Nonresident CHP Permits, P.O. Box 85608, Richmond, VA 23285-5608. A denied applicant can appeal to the Superintendent of State Police within 30 days.

Carrying with a Virginia permit

Under § 18.2-308.01, you must have the permit on you whenever you carry a concealed handgun and show it with a photo ID (from a Virginia government agency, the U.S. Department of Defense or the U.S. State Department) when a law-enforcement officer asks. Failing to display them is a $25 civil penalty, which a court may waive when you present a valid permit and photo ID.

Virginia’s rules on out-of-state permits change on July 1, 2027. Our concealed carry reciprocity guide covers which permits Virginia honors now, what changes in 2027, and the carry rules for vehicles, open carry and alcohol.

Carrying comfortably once your permit arrives

The Cloudster Pillow holster wedge mounts to the back of any IWB or AIWB holster with hook-and-loop, angles the grip into your body for better concealment and comfort, and has shredded cooling gel memory foam fill you can add or remove to set its thickness. Our Kore 1.5″ ratchet gun belts keep the holster steady. For how other states handle permits and renewals, see our carry permit requirements guide.

Virginia Concealed Carry Permit: Questions People Ask

Can you carry concealed in Virginia without a permit?

No. Carrying a handgun hidden from common observation without a permit is a Class 1 misdemeanor, except in your home or its curtilage, your place of business, and the other situations listed in § 18.2-308.

How much does a Virginia concealed carry permit cost?

For residents, no more than $50.00 in total: $10.00 to the court, up to $35.00 to local law enforcement and up to $5.00 to the State Police. The nonresident permit is $100.00.

Does Virginia accept online training for a concealed carry permit?

The Code requires competence to be demonstrated in person, and VSP stopped accepting online course certificates for nonresident permits on January 1, 2021.

How long does it take to get a Virginia permit?

The court must issue it within 45 days of receiving a complete application unless you are disqualified. If it doesn’t, your certified application works as a de facto permit for 90 days.

Can non-residents get a Virginia concealed handgun permit?

Yes. Non-residents 21 and older apply in writing to the Virginia State Police, with a $100.00 money order or cashier’s check.

Sources, all read November 4, 2026: Virginia State Police, Resident Concealed Handgun Permits and Nonresident Concealed Handgun Permits pages; Code of Virginia §§ 18.2-308, 18.2-308.01, 18.2-308.02, 18.2-308.03, 18.2-308.010 and 18.2-308.014 (law.lis.virginia.gov). Laws change, so confirm with your circuit court clerk or the State Police before you apply. This is general information, not legal advice.