APPLYING FOR A Georgia Firearms Permit

ALL APPLICATIONS HANDLED AS FIRST TIME ONLY - NO RENEWALS OF FIREARM PERMITS

To obtain a firearms license in this court, you must reside in Gwinnett County, be age 21 or over, have a valid Georgia Driver's License or State issued I.D., proof of Gwinnett County address if it is not on the Driver's License or I.D. card (this can be in the form of an original utility bill, lease, or closing papers if buying a home), and be a U.S. citizen or a legal resident.

In order to apply for a Georgia Firearms Permit, you MUST:

1. Be a citizen of the United States. If you were born outside the United States and are a naturalized citizen, you must provide your original Naturalization papers or a valid, government issued U.S. Passport. No expired documents will be accepted. All applicants who are citizens must provide a valid Georgia Driver's License or Georgia State issued picture I.D. card with your correct name, address, and date of birth. If there is any information on your driver's license or I.D. card that is not correct, you must have this corrected before coming into Probate Court. Or,
   
   
2. Be a Resident Alien and provide a valid Georgia Driver's License or Georgia State issued picture I.D. card, a valid Resident Alien card, and a Georgia Hunting License (Can be obtained by logging onto www.georgiawildlife.com) and proof of your 90-day residency (Example: You must provide three months of an original utility bill, rental receipts, etc., in your name immediately preceding the date of application. Sample: you are applying on May 10, 2009 for your Firearm Permit. You will need to provide an original utility bill covering the period of February 10, 2009 to March 10, 2009; March 10, 2009 to April 10, 2009; and April 10, 2009 to May 10, 2009.). Or,

3. Be a Permanent Resident and provide a valid Georgia Driver's License or Georgia State issued picture I.D. card, a Permanent Resident Card, and proof of your 90-day residency (Example: You must provide three months of an original utility bill, rental receipts, etc., in your name immediately preceding the date of application. Sample: you are applying on May 10, 2009 for your Firearm Permit. You will need to provide an original utility bill covering the period of February 10, 2009 to March 10, 2009; March 10, 2009 to April 10, 2009; and April 10, 2009 to May 10, 2009.).

 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE APPLICATION FOR FIREARMS LICENSE

• Use blue or black ink to complete the application. NO WHITE OUT IS ALLOWED.
• Print neatly. Any illegible information on the application will delay the processing time of your permit.
• NO REFUNDS are given under any circumstances.

NO FIREARM PERMIT SHALL BE ISSUED TO:

• Convicted felons, unless pardoned and unless said pardon reinstates all rights, specifically the right to bear arms;
• Convicted violators of laws concerning controlled substances or dangerous drugs, whether pardoned or not (O.C.G.A. 16-11-129(b)(5)(a).
• Persons convicted of Domestic Violence.
• Persons with pending criminal cases still open.

Effective July 1, 2009, ALL Firearm Permit applicants will pay a TOTAL fee of $65.00 for their Permit. After completing your Firearms Permit Application, submitting I.D. and a payment of $15.00 (cash or personal check to the Probate Court), you must be fingerprinted at the Gwinnett County Permits Unit located at the Gwinnett County Government Annex Building located at 750 South Perry Street, Suite 200, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30045. At this location, you will pay two additional fees:

$40.00 fee is for the GBI/FBI Background Check (Cash or Credit Card - Visa, Master Card, or Discover Card), and,
$10.00 fee is for the Permits Unit fingerprinting (Cash or Credit Card - Visa, Master Card, or Discover Card)

Hours of Operation at the Gwinnett County Permits Unit
Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. only
NO EXCEPTIONS

If you have any questions regarding fingerprinting, please call the Permits Unit at 678.377.4300.

You must be fingerprinted at the Gwinnett County Permits Unit within six months of completing your application. If you have not been fingerprinted within this time, your file will be closed and you will have to reapply. New application and fees would be required. The GBI and FBI will conduct a background check. After all records are returned to the Probate Court, and if your background check has met all the qualifications and requirements, your permit will be issued. Please allow 4-5 months for this process. If you have not received your permit after this time, you may call the Probate Court at 770.822.8250 to check the status of your application.

REPLACEMENT PERMITS

If your permit is lost, damaged, or stolen, you will need to notify the Gwinnett County Probate within 48 hours to receive a duplicate permit. The fee for a duplicate permit is $5.00.