Pistol purchase permits no longer issued in Buncombe County

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said pistol purchase permits are no longer being issued by Sheriffs in North Carolina, effective immediately.

This comes after all state laws regarding the issuance of pistol purchase permits by Sheriffs in North Carolina were repealed on March 29 following a vote by the General Assembly on Senate Bill 41.

The Sheriff’s Office noted the importance of understanding that North Carolina concealed handgun laws have not changed. Any person residing in Buncombe County wishing to carry a concealed handgun in North Carolina must still apply for and be issued a concealed handgun permit by the Sheriff.

Anyone who wants to buy a handgun through a firearms dealer will still undergo a background check as required under the current law. For private transfers of handguns, while no National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) criminal background check is required under current law prior to making a private transfer, criminal penalties still apply to any person that knowingly transfers a handgun to a person who may not lawfully possess the firearm.

A Buncombe County criminal background check may be obtained at the Buncombe County Clerk of Superior Court’s Office for a $25 fee.

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