Shelby County Sheriff's Office

You may fill out a pistol permit application online and mail it in with a check or money order.
Fill Out Your Application

Print out a blank pistol permit application.

Certain states honor Alabama concealed weapons permits. Please view the Alabama Attorney General’s website for a listing of reciprocal states.

Guidelines:

The applicant must be a legal citizen of the United States of America, a legal citizen of the State of Alabama, and have primary residence in Shelby County, Alabama.
The applicant must have an Alabama Driver’s License, Alabama Identification Card, or active military identification card.
The applicant must be at least 21 years of age. At age 19, with the expressed permission of a parent or legal guardian, the Sheriff will consider issuance of a license.
The applicant must be a responsible individual of good character, who routinely exercises good judgment.
The applicant must never have been convicted of a criminal felony.
The applicant must not have been convicted of a criminal misdemeanor within the past three years.
The applicant must never have been convicted of domestic violence or assault against a spouse of family member.
The applicant must never have been convicted of any drug charge.
The applicant must not be a drug addict or a habitual drunkard.
The pistol permit allows the qualified applicant to carry a pistol in a vehicle or concealed on or about their person within the State of Alabama for not more than one year from the date of issue.
The applicant must always have the pistol permit in his/her possession when carrying a concealed firearm.
A complete criminal history check will be conducted on the applicant prior to the issuance or renewal of the pistol permit.
The applicant must pay a $20.00 pistol permit fee each year.

State Criminal Code

The Criminal Code of Alabama, Title 13A-11-70 -- 13A-11-84, provides key sections pertaining to pistols and the issuance of pistol permits.

13A-11-75 License to carry pistol in vehicle or concealed on person -- Issuance, term, form, fee, revocation.

The sheriff of a county may, upon the application of any person residing in that county, issue a qualified or unlimited license to such person to carry a pistol in a vehicle or concealed on or about his person within this state for not more than one year from date of issue, if it appears that the applicant has good reason to fear injury to his person or property or has any other proper reason for carrying a pistol, and that he is a suitable person to be so licensed . . .

13A-11-70 Definitions.

For the purposes of this division, the following terms shall have the respective meanings ascribed by this section:
(1) PISTOL. Any firearm with a barrel less than 12 inches in length.
(2) CRIME OF VIOLENCE. Any of the following crimes or an attempt to commit any of them, namely, murder, manslaughter, (except manslaughter arising out of the operation of a vehicle), rape, mayhem, assault with intent to rob, assault with intent to ravish, assault with intent to murder, robbery, burglary, kidnapping and larceny.
(3) PERSON. Such term includes any firm, partnership, association, or corporation.

13A-11-71 Committing crime when armed, evidence of intent.

If any person shall commit or attempt to commit a crime of violence when armed with a pistol, he may, in addition to the punishment provided for the crime, be punished also as provided by this division.

In the trial of a person for committing or attempting to commit a crime of violence, the fact that he was armed with a pistol and had no license to carry the same shall be prima facie evidence of his intention to commit said crime of violence.

13A-11-72 Certain persons forbidden to possess pistol.

(a) No person who has been convicted in this state or elsewhere of committing or attempting to commit a crime of violence shall own a pistol or have one in his or her possession or under his or her control.
(b) No person who is a drug addict or an habitual drunkard shall own a pistol or have one in his or her possession or under his or her control . . .

13A-11-73 License to carry pistol in vehicle or concealed on person -- Required.

No person shall carry a pistol in any vehicle or concealed on or about his person, except on his land, in his own abode or fixed place of business, without a license therefore as hereinafter provided.

Permit Fee

The fee for a pistol permit is $20.00 per year. Proceeds from the sale of pistol permits go in to the Sheriff's Fund, a discretionary account audited by the State Examiner's Office. Legislation is very specific that any money disbursed be for law enforcement purposes only.

From 1997 to 2002, proceeds from the Sheriff's Fund have been spent on the following:

Equipment $234,000
(vehicles, weapons, surveillance equipment, radio equipment)
Training $197,000
(initial certification and continuing education for all employees)
Supplies $170,000
(ammunition, training materials, crime prevention materials)
Communications $90,000
(cellular phones, pagers, radios)

Other expenses include pre-employment screening, prisoner extraditions, miscellaneous office supplies and repairs.

The annual cost of the pistol permit is set by legislation for each individual county. The price of the permit was originally established in 1967 at $5.00, increased in 1980 to $10.00, and then to the present price of $20.00 in 1993.

WARNING
Your pistol permit does not authorize you to carry a pistol while consuming alcohol or drugs.

Your pistol permit does not authorize you to carry a pistol inside an airport, courthouse or any other public building that specifically prohibits firearms. This includes city, state, and federal facilities.

Your pistol permit does not authorize you to carry a pistol at any public gathering such as sporting events, political events, parades, and etc. (Title 13A-11-59)

The Sheriff of Shelby County has the authority to issue, deny, and/or revoke a pistol permit at his discretion.