Staff members at right process information for individuals seeking concealed carry permits during a satellite event with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department at the Glassport Senior Center this summer.
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More than 1.6 million Pennsylvania residents are licensed to carry a gun concealed on their body or vehicle, according to state police.
But who approved those licenses? And what goes into the determination process?
Citizens who are 21 or older can apply for a concealed-carry permit at their county sheriff’s office. Applications to carry a gun in Philadelphia are handled by the city’s police chief.
Once the application and fee are submitted, authorities have 45 days to determine whether a person is eligible for a license.
An investigation is performed that includes a criminal background check by the Pennsylvania Instant Check System, which is the same system used when a gun is bought or transferred in the state.
In addition to the criminal background check, the sheriff investigates whether an applicant has been indicted or convicted of a crime that carries a prison term of more than a year, according to the law that gives sheriffs the authority to issue or revoke permits.
They also check an applicant’s juvenile delinquency and mental health records and “whether the applicant’s character and reputation are such that the applicant will not be likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety.”
Even if a person holds a concealed-carry permit, they must undergo a criminal background check each time they buy or transfer a gun, according to state police.
If a person meets the qualifications, a permit is issued. It is valid for five years.
An application can be rejected, or a permit revoked, if a person has been convicted of drug crimes, including low-level offenses.
Fugitives from justice for nontraffic offenses, illegal immigrants, people who have been dishonorably discharged from the military and applicants who are not of sound mind or who have ever “been committed to a mental institution” also can’t get a permit.
Other scenarios that would lead to disqualification include being a “habitual drunkard” or being “addicted to or an unlawful user of marijuana or a stimulant, depressant or narcotic drug.”
