NRA / ILA
Firearms Laws for
North Carolina
(as of February 2010)
A synopsis of state laws on purchase,
possession and carrying of firearms.
QUICK REFERENCE CHART
Rifles and
Shotguns Handguns
Permit to Purchase No Yes
Registration of Firearms No No*
Licensing of Owners No No*
Permit to Carry No Yes
*Sheriff to retain and make available to law enforcement
agencies a list of permitees.
STATE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION
“A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a
free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall
not be infringed, and, as standing armies in time of peace are
dangerous to liberty, they shall not be maintained, and the
military should be kept under strict subordination to and
governed by the civil power. Nothing herein shall justify the
practice of carrying concealed weapons, or prevent the General
Assembly from enacting penal statutes against that practice.”
Article 1, Section 30.
PURCHASE
No state permit is required to purchase a rifle or
shotgun.
It is lawful for citizens of the State to purchase rifles
and shotguns and ammunition in states contiguous to this
State.
A license or permit must be obtained to purchase, sell,
give away, transfer, inherit, or receive a handgun by applying
to the county sheriff in which the purchase is to be made or
where the receiver resides. A purchase permit is good for five
years from the date of issue. Antique firearms are excepted.
The sheriff shall issue such license or permit to a resident of
that county, unless the purpose of the license or permit is for
collecting, in which case a license or permit may be issued to a
nonresident.
Compiled by:
NRA-Institute for Legislative Action
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
(800) 392-8683
www.nraila.org
When the sheriff shall have fully satisfied himself as
to the good moral character of the applicant, the applicant
has successfully completed a criminal history check, and that
the applicant desires the possession of the handgun for the
protection of the home, business, person, family or property,
target shooting, collecting, or hunting, such permit or license
shall be issued.
For good cause shown, a license or permit may be
denied, and within seven (7) days of such refusal a written
statement of the reason shall be issued to the applicant. Each
applicant for any such license or permit shall be informed
within thirty (30) days of the date of such application whether
such license or permit shall be granted or denied, and, if
granted, such license or permit shall be immediately issued
to said applicant. A permit or license may not be issued to a
person:
• who is under indictment or who has been convicted of
a felony except that if a person has been later pardoned
or is not prohibited from purchasing a firearm under
the Felony Act, he may obtain a permit or license;
• who is a fugitive from justice;
• who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a drug;
• who has been adjudicated mentally incompetent or
has been committed to any mental institution;
• who is dishonorably discharged from the military;
• who has renounced his or her citizenship; or
• who is under a court restraining order for harassing,
stalking, threatening an intimate partner or a child.
An appeal from such refusal may be made to the
Chief Judge of the District Court for the district in which the
application was filed.
A permit is valid for the purchase of only one handgun.
To obtain another handgun, an applicant must procure another
permit and must convince the issuing authority that he needs
more than one handgun.
POSSESSION
There are no state licensing requirements to possess a
rifle, shotgun, or handgun.
It is unlawful for any person under 18 to possess or
carry a handgun. (This prohibition shall not apply to personnel
of the Armed Forces of the U.S. when in discharge of their
official duties; educational or recreational purpose while
supervised by an adult who is present or an emancipated minor
who possesses such handgun inside his or her residence; while
hunting or trapping with written permission from a parent or
guardian.
It is unlawful for a child under the age of 12 to possess
or use any gun, loaded or unloaded, unless the child is under
the direct supervision of a parent or guardian.
CARRY
At least 45 days prior to the expiration date of a permit,
the sheriff of the county where the permit was issued shall send
a written notice to the permittee explaining the permit is about
to expire, including information about the requirements for
renewal of the permit. The notice shall be sent by first class mail
to the last known address of the permittee. Failure to receive a
renewal notice shall not relieve a permittee of the requirements
imposed for renewal of a permit.  The permit of a permittee
who applies for renewal within the 90 day period before
expiration, who complies with this section, shall remain valid
beyond the expiration date of the permit until the permittee
either receives a renewal permit or is denied a renewal permit
by the sheriff.  During the renewal period, a sheriff may waive
the requirement to take another firearms safety and training
course.  If a permit expires, a sheriff may waive the requirement
of taking another firearms safety and training course if the
permittee applies within 60 days after a permit expires.
It is unlawful to carry concealed about one’s person
a firearm except on one’s own premises, or if the person has a
concealed handgun permit. The sheriff shall issue a permit
within 90 days after receipt of a complete application to an
applicant who:
• is at least 21 and a citizen of the U.S. and has been a
resident of the State for at least 30 days immediately
prior to filing the application;
• does not suffer from a physical or mental infirmity that
prevents the safe handling of a handgun;
• has successfully completed an approved firearms safety
and training course which involves the actual firing
of handguns and instruction in the law governing the
carrying of a concealed handgun and the use of deadly
force;
• is not currently or has not been adjudicated or
administratively determined to be lacking mental
capacity or mentally ill;
• is or has not been adjudicated guilty or judgment
continued or suspended sentence for a violent
misdemeanor;
• has not had judgment continued for or free on bond
or personal recognizance pending trial, appeal, or
sentencing for a disqualifying criminal offense;
• has not been convicted of an impaired driving offense
within three years prior to the date on which the
application is submitted;
• is not ineligible under federal or state law to possess,
receive, or own a firearm.
A person shall apply to the sheriff of the county in which
the person resides to obtain a concealed handgun permit. The
applicant shall submit to the sheriff an application completed
under oath, on a form provided by the sheriff, an $80.00 non-
refundable permit fee, a full set of fingerprints administered by
the sheriff, an additional fee not to exceed $10.00 to pay for
the costs of processing the applicant’s fingerprints, an original
certificate of completion of an approved safety course, a release
that authorizes and requires disclosure to the sheriff of any records
concerning the mental health or capacity of the applicant.
The permit holder must carry the permit, together with
valid identification, whenever carrying a concealed handgun,
and is required to disclose to any law enforcement officer who
addresses or approaches the permit holder that he or she is a
permit holder and is carrying a concealed handgun.
The permit is valid throughout the state for 5 years
from the date of issuance. The permit holder shall apply to
renew the permit at least 30 days prior to its expiration date
by filing a renewal form, a notarized affidavit stating that the
permit holder remains qualified, a full set of fingerprints and
a $75.00 renewal fee. The sheriff may require the permittee to
take another firearms safety and training course prior to renewal.
The permit holder shall notify the sheriff who issued the permit
of any change in the permanent address within 30 days. If a
permit is lost or destroyed, the sheriff who issued the permit
shall be notified.
If the sheriff denies the application for a permit, the
sheriff shall within 90 days notify the applicant in writing,
stating the grounds for denial. An applicant may appeal the
denial, revocation, or nonrenewal of a permit by petitioning a
district court judge of the district in which the application was
filed. The determination of the court shall be final.
The sheriff may issue a temporary permit for a period
not to exceed 90 days to a person who the sheriff reasonably
believes is in an emergency situation that may constitute a risk
of safety to the person, the person’s family or property. The
temporary permit may not be renewed and may be revoked by
the sheriff without a hearing.
A permit does not authorize a person to carry a concealed
handgun:
• on public or private school property;
• in any assembly where a few has been charged for
admission;
• in any establishment where alcoholic beverages are sold
and consumed;
• in the State Capitol Building, the Executive Mansion, or
the Western Residence of the Governor, or the grounds
of any of these building;
 • in any building or portion of a building used for court
purposes;
• in a place prohibited by federal law,
• in a law enforcement or correctional facility,
• in a building housing only state, federal or government
offices;
• in any financial institution;
• in any premises where notice that carrying a concealed
handgun is prohibited by the posting of a conspicuous
notice or statement by the person in legal possession or
control of the premises;
• in any parade, funeral procession, picket line, or
demonstration upon any public place owned or
under the control of the state or any of its political
subdivisions.
It is unlawful for any person to transport or possess off
his own premises any “dangerous weapon” in any area under
a declared state of emergency or in the immediate vicinity of a
riot.
ANTIQUES AND REPLICAS
Antique firearms are exempt from purchase restrictions.
MACHINE GUNS
It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to
manufacture, sell, give away, dispose of, use or possess a machine
gun. This also includes any frame or receiver of such a weapon,
or parts used in converting a weapon into a machine gun. State
law requires a permit to possess the weapon from the sheriff.
Federal law does not automatically legitimize the possession of
a machine gun in the various counties of North Carolina, nor
does such federal licensing require the sheriff to issue a permit
for the possession of such a weapon.
by any person.
No political subdivisions, boards, or agencies of the state
nor any county, city, municipality, municipal corporation,
town, township, village, nor any department or agency thereof,
may enact ordinances, rules or regulations concerning legally
carrying a concealed handgun. This does not prohibit a unit of
local government from posting against carrying where state law
forbids concealed firearms.
Unless otherwise permitted by statute, no county or
municipality, by ordinance, resolution, or other enactment,
shall regulate in any manner the possession, ownership, storage,
transfer, sale, purchase, licensing, or registration of firearms,
ammunition, components of firearms, dealers in firearms, or
dealers in handgun components or parts.
The General Assembly has declared that the lawful sale
and use of firearms and ammunition is not an unreasonably
dangerous activity and does not constitute a nuisance.
No government entity, agency, department or authority
in the state may pursue an action for damages, abatement,
injunctive relief, or any other remedy related to the lawful
manufacture of firearms or ammunition. Only the Attorney
General, acting on behalf of the state, is authorized to bring a
suit against a firearms or ammunition manufacturer with regard
to the lawful manufacture of firearms or ammunition. A local
government entity is only authorized to bring an action for
breach of contract or breach of warranty.
SOURCE: N.C. Gen. Statutes 14-34 et seq., 14-269 et seq.,
14-277.2, 14-288.8, 14-315 et seq., 14-316, 14-402, 14-403,
14-404, 14-405, 14-407.1, 14-409, 14-409.40 et seq., 14-415,
103-103.2

MISCELLANEOUS

It is unlawful to hunt on Sunday with a firearm.

It is unlawful to import, manufacture, possess, sell,
transfer, or acquire any teflon-coated bullet.
Any person who resides in the same premises as a person
under 18, owns or possesses a firearm, and stores or leaves the
firearm in a condition that the firearm can be discharged and 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 misdemeanor. This prohibition does not apply if
the minor obtained the firearm as a result of an unlawful entry

CAUTION: Firearm laws are subject to frequent change and court interpretation.  This summary is not intended as legal advice or
restatement of law.  This summary does not include federal or local laws, ordinances or regulations.  For any particular situation, a
licensed local attorney must be consulted for an accurate interpretation. YOU MUST ABIDE WITH ALL LAWS: STATE, FEDERAL
AND LOCAL.
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