If I had a dollar for every social media post asking about Pennsylvania LCF, where to go, or how it works; I would have enough money to afford Crye Precision pants like the cool kids. We thought a 3 minute article was justified in helping to get clarity of this topic. As we always say, if you can get the permit, then get it. Always better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
For roughly $20.00 and 20 minutes, most applicants over the age of 21 with a valid driver's license can walk away with a valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms (LCF). In most cases, it takes longer to drive to the Sheriff's Office where your permit was issued than it takes to complete the whole process. With currently no training requirement for PA residents, this is one of the least difficult permits to acquire for PA residents. However, the State of Pennsylvania requires non-residents to have a permit in their home state in which they reside, in good standing, before they may issue a Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms (LCF).
Here are a few things to know:
Firstly, as a Pennsylvania resident, applications should be submitted to the Sheriff's Office in the county in which you reside. If you live in a city of the first class (PA cities with 1 million plus residents), such as Philadelphia, you will need to submit the application to the Chief of Police within that geographical location.
As a non-resident applicant, it is important to have a valid driver's license and concealed carry permit in the home state in which you reside, prior to application approval, and throughout the duration you wish to keep your PA LCF valid. Within that, only certain counties within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will issue to non-residents of Pennsylvania. Though there are other counties somewhat nearby that will issue to non-residents (Always Subject to Change: click this LINK for a list of counties), the go-to county and location most people travel to from the Delmarva Peninsula, seems to be York County, PA. Please click this LINK for the York County, PA LCF Application.
York County allows applicants the option to submit their application online, through the mail, or in-person. The York County Judicial Center accepts applications to be dropped off M-F, 0800 - 1630 hours.
All Pennsylvania issuing agencies are required to process applications within 45 days of reciept. However, York County typically takes less than one week. We have seen several applications approved within a matter of hours. All PA LCF's must be picked up in person within 30 days of approval, with most locations and their satellite locations requiring appointment. If you're anything like me and you're prickly like a cactus (carry a lot of knives), make sure you secure all that EDC equipment prior to entering the facility as you will most likely be processed by security/LE at the entrance depending on the location. Some facilities allow on-site storage for said equipment, but I would call ahead to confirm. You'll need to bring in your valid driver's license and valid home state permit (if applicable). They'll snap a passport quality photo of you and send you off after paying the $20.00 fee. If you don't show within 30 days of approval, they will remove your application from the system and you will have to reapply. Every time I went, I had to schedule an appointment, but it was so quick I could have left the truck running.
Some counties in Pennsylvania will require you to keep on-file with them a copy of your valid home state permit in order for your LCF to be active. If your LCF expiration extends past your home state expiration (which in most cases it should since PA LCF is issued for 5 years), make sure to send them an updated copy when the time comes. The Delaware Resident Permit will need to be a front and back copy as the expiration is located on the back.
Again, law is based on location and always subject to change. Please know the law and how it applies. To view Pennsylvania Permit Reciprocity, please click this LINK. For more information on concealed carry within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, click this LINK. We also recommend contact the Sheriff's Office in advance to confirm the aforementioned before taking the road trip. For additional information, please reach out to the Firearms Owners Against Crime ILLEA for Pennsylvania by clicking this LINK. They are an excellent, far-reaching resource in this area and will provide support. We hope this information was helpful. For a list of our courses, please visit our Training Division. Stay safe out there!
Comments