IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE SHERIFF
Thank you for continuing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by practicing the 3W's: by WEARING a face covering, WAITING 6 feet apart, and WASHING your hands.
General Information
Learning the laws regulating the use of firearms is a must for responsible ownership. Local regulations differ and laws vary from state to state. Citizens must check with the jurisdiction where the gun is to be used.
Generally, laws require the following:
- Permits to buy handguns in North Carolina can be obtained from the county sheriff (or, in 10 counties, the clerk of superior court). In Buncombe County it is the City-County Bureau of Identification (BCSO) located in the Detention Facility located at 20 Davidson Drive, Asheville. The Cost is $5.00.
- Gun permit applications completed online and will be processed on normal business days (Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM). Click the "Let's get Started" button to apply for a permit.
Gaining competency with firearms is like learning to drive a car or fly an airplane. You need expert instruction and practice. There is no shortcut. If you are not willing to invest the time and effort to become competent, then having a firearm and trying to use it can, in many instances, be more hazardous than any impending threat.
Effective December 1, 2015
North Carolina General Statute 14-404(e1) requires applicants to sign a release of court orders concerning mental health and capacity for pistol purchase permits.
After completing the online portion of the application, please find the attached mental release form which must be signed and notarized.
In order for us to process your application; the completed form must be returned. Please feel free to drop off the form or mail the form to:
City-County Bureau of Identification
ATTN: AOC SP917
20 Davidson Drive
Asheville, NC 28801
Your application process will not begin until this final step has been completed.
Handgun Purchase Permit Requirements: must meet ALL requirements
Applicant Must:
- be a citizen, a naturalized citizen or a resident alien;
- be twenty-one (21) years of age;
- have attained at least one month's residency in Buncombe County;
- provide a valid driver's license or other picture ID with current address provided by the State of North Carolina.
Please note that as part of the application process, you will authorize the Buncombe County Clerk of Superior Court to inform the Sheriff of Buncombe 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.
A permit to purchase a handgun has a processing cost of $5.00 (each). A convenience fee of $3.00 (per application, plus a credit card processing fee) will also be charged for using the online application service.
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:
Gun Permits
City-County Bureau of Identification (BCSO)
20 Davidson Drive
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: 828-250-4665
gunpermits@buncombecounty.org
For Technical Support, Contact:
Permitium Software
Email: help@permitium.com
Phone: (855) 642-2453
NC General Statute 14-351.1: 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:
- Possesses it in violation of G.S. 14-269.2(b);
- Exhibits it in a public place in a careless, angry, or threatening manner;
- Causes personal injury or death with it not in self defense; or
- 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.)