Obtain a New Concealed Weapons Permit

Here you can find all of the relevant resources on creating to obtaining or managing your concealed weapons permit.

General Eligibility

Applicants must:   

• be a resident of this state or a United States citizen;
• be twenty-one years of age or older;
• not be under indictment for a felony offense;
• not be convicted of a felony offense, unless: the conviction has been expunged, set aside, vacated or pardoned, or the individuals civil rights must be restored AND the individual must not be a prohibited possessor under state or federal law.
• not suffer from mental illness and been adjudicated mentally incompetent or committed to a mental institution;
• not be unlawfully present in the United States;
• satisfactorily complete a firearms safety training program approved by the department of public safety pursuant to ARS §13-3112.O.

State Prohibitors

ARS 13-3101(6) - Prohibited possessor 

means any person -

• who has been found to constitute a danger to himself or to others or to be persistently or acutely disabled or gravely disabled pursuant to court order under section 36-540, and whose right to possess a firearm has not been restored pursuant to section 13-925;
• who has been convicted within or without this state of a felony or who has been adjudicated delinquent and whose civil right to possess or carry a gun or firearm has not been restored;
• who is at the time of possession serving a term of imprisonment in any correctional facility or detention facility;
• who is at the time of possession serving a term of probation pursuant to a conviction for a domestic violence offense as defined in section 13-3601 or a felony offense, parole, community supervision, work furlough, home arrest or release on any other basis or who is serving a term of probation or parole pursuant to the interstate compact under title 31, chapter 3, article 4;
• who is an undocumented alien or a nonimmigrant alien traveling with or without documentation in this state for business or pleasure or who is studying in this state and who maintains a foreign residence abroad. This subdivision does not apply to:
  • Nonimmigrant aliens who possess a valid hunting license or permit that is lawfully issued by a state in the United States.
  • Nonimmigrant aliens who enter the United States to participate in a competitive target shooting event or to display firearms at a sports or hunting trade show that is sponsored by a national, state or local firearms trade organization devoted to the competitive use or other sporting use of firearms.
  • Certain diplomats.
  • Officials of foreign governments or distinguished foreign visitors who are designated by the United States Department of State.
  • Persons who have received a waiver from the United States Attorney General.

Federal Prohibitors

United States Code, Title 18, Section 922(d) states “it shall be unlawful for any person to sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm or ammunition to any person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that such person –

• is under indictment for, or has been convicted in any court of, a  crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year:
• is a fugitive of justice;
• is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substance Act (21 United States Code 802)
• has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution;
• who, being an alien-
  • is illegally or unlawfully in the United States; or
  • except as provided in subsection (y)(2), has been admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa (as that term is defined in section 101(a)(26) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act (8 United States Code 1101(a)(26)).
• who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions;
• who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship;
• is subject to a court order that restrains such person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner or person, or engaging in conduct that would place an intimate partner in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, except that this paragraph shall only apply to a court order that –
  • was issued after a hearing of which such person received actual notice, and at which such person had the opportunity to participate; and
  • expected to cause bodily injury;
  • includes a finding that such person represents a credible threat to the physical safety of such intimate partner or child; or
  • by its terms explicitly prohibits the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against such intimate partner or child that would reasonably be expected to cause bodily injury;  
• has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Initial and renewal concealed weapons permit applications are processed by Department of Public Safety Criminal Records Specialists. The application data is entered into our CCW database. Background criminal history checks are performed utilizing several systems:

• Arizona Criminal Justice Information System (ACJIS)
• National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
• Arizona Crime information Center (ACIC)
• National Instant Background Check System (NICS)
• Interstate Identification Index (III)
• Automatic Fingerprint Information System (AFIS)
• Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
  

Our policy is to deny a concealed weapons permit to an applicant due to any disqualifiers in accordance to U.S. Federal 18 U.S.C. § 922 and Arizona State ARS §13-3112, ARS §13-3101(6).

Applicants must satisfactorily complete a DPS approved CCW Training Program (8 hours). Permit training must take place within Arizona. Applicants trained outside of Arizona are subject to suspension or revocation, as well as the instructor and organization. Certain law enforcement officers and county detention officers are exempt from the initial training.

Concealed weapons permits may be renewed every four or five years (permits issued after August 11, 2005 are valid for five years). See renewal procedure.

Procedure (Obtaining a Permit)

1. Once you have determined that you are qualified to obtain a concealed weapon permit, locate an organization that provides an approved CCW training course. The course is a minimum of 8 hours in length and is taught by a CWPU authorized instructor. You must qualify with a handgun firing live ammunition.
2. Upon completion of the course, the instructor will provide you with an application, two fingerprint cards and a return envelope. Ensure that the instructor certifies the training on the application to include the Training Program Number, the Training Instructor Number and the Training Organization Number. An organizational stamp or seal must also be affixed.
3. You must be fingerprinted utilizing the "Applicant" fingerprint cards provided by the instructor. The organization may offer fingerprinting services or you may be required to locate a provider. Some police agencies provide this service for a small fee (DPS does not). Call your local police agencies for inquiries. Regardless of who completes the fingerprint process for you, the prints must be clear, distinct and classifiable. Do not place tape over the top of the prints!
4. Using the return envelope provided, send the completed application, two complete sets of fingerprints, and the appropriate fee in the form of a money order, cashier's or certified check (payable to the AZ DPS) to the CWPU. For a current list of fees click here. Fees are non-refundable.

If an 'expired permit issued by the Department' is presented as proof that the individual has previously attended the required firearms-safety training program, the 'permit' they are presenting must be in good standing to be eligible as proof. Revoked permits will not be considered.

The applicant must:

• complete and submit an original Concealed Weapons Permit application
• submit two sets of classifiable fingerprints utilizing CWPU approved applicant fingerprint cards
• submit your expired Arizona Concealed Weapons Permit card
• submit the applicable fee required to obtain a NEW permit

Applicants may request the new permit application and applicant fingerprint cards by contacting the Concealed Weapons Permit Unit.

This will NOT be considered a 'renewal' process. The applicant must submit the fee required to obtain a new permit. Fees are non-refundable.

Persons who were born outside of the United States or one of its territories must send a copy of proof of citizenship or alien status. Any of the following documents are acceptable:

• Certificate of Naturalization
• Resident Alien Card
• Record of Birth Abroad to US citizens
• Record of Birth Abroad to Armed Forces Personnel
• US Passport

Applications with errors or containing incomplete information will be returned for correction.

Allow 75 days for the processing your application and the delivery of your permit. Please do not call DPS regarding the status of your application. If you have not received your permit or notification regarding your application after this time frame contact our staff.

Once you have received your permit, inspect it for errors. If you find an error, return the permit along with a completed copy of the CWPU "Change, Error or Non-Receipt of Permit Form" available under printable forms on this web page.

• All changes of address and phone numbers must be reported in writing to the CWPU within 10 days of the change. Utilize the 'Change, Error or Non-Receipt of Permit Form' available under printable forms on this web page.
• All training for an AZ CCW permit MUST be conducted within the borders of the state of Arizona.