New York Concealed Carry Resources and Official Links | CCW Hub
New York Concealed Carry Resources and Official Links
New York is a licensed-carry state. You must hold a license to carry a pistol or revolver issued under New York Penal Law 400.00 before you may possess...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Additional Resources for New York Concealed Carry
Updated
Additional Resources for New York Concealed Carry
New York is a licensed-carry state. You must hold a license to carry a pistol or revolver issued under New York Penal Law 400.00 before you may possess or carry a handgun. New York is not a constitutional-carry or permitless-carry state. The licensing standards were rewritten by the Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA), enacted in response to NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022) and effective September 1, 2022. Many CCIA provisions were challenged in Antonyuk v. James (formerly Antonyuk v. Hochul). The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the law in October 2024 (120 F.4th 941), vacating the preliminary injunctions except as to the social media disclosure item and the restricted-location statute as applied to private property held open to the general public, and the Supreme Court denied certiorari on April 7, 2025 (No. 24-795). Litigation continues on a few provisions. Verify the current status of any restriction before relying on it.
The contacts and links below help you reach the right office. Permit requirements, fees, and procedures vary significantly by county, and New York City runs its own separate, stricter handgun licensing system. Always confirm details with your local licensing authority.
One-stop portal launched by Governor Hochul with information about New York's firearm laws for the public, gun owners, and gun dealers
Available in 14 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Russian, Yiddish, Bengali, Korean, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish, French, and Urdu
Dedicated sections:
Resources for Gun Owners - permit recertification info, private gun sale guidance, firearm safety
Handles online pistol permit recertification. Under Penal Law 400.00(10), a license to carry (issued under paragraph (f) of subdivision two) must be recertified every 3 years; standard licenses and semiautomatic rifle licenses recertify every 5 years
Designated point of contact for processing background checks for both firearm and ammunition purchases
Recertification hotline: (518) 464-7120 (for out-of-state residents unable to recertify online who do not hold a NYS Driver License or Non-Driver ID)
The SAFE Act (2013) defines "assault weapon" (Penal Law 265.00(22)) and makes possessing one criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a class D felony (Penal Law 265.02(7))
It defines a "large capacity ammunition feeding device" as a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip or similar device holding, or readily restorable to hold, more than ten rounds (Penal Law 265.00(23)). Possessing one is also criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a class D felony (Penal Law 265.02(8))
Penal Law 265.36 belongs to the same magazine grouping and is still cross-referenced as live law: Penal Law 265.20 lists it twice, in the subdivision (a) exemption roll alongside 265.02 and 265.37, and again at subdivision (e) for qualified retired law enforcement officers. In New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Cuomo the district court struck that section's "and if" clause as unconstitutionally vague, calling the clause "incomplete and entirely indecipherable," and the State did not challenge that ruling on appeal. Read the current text of 265.36 on the New York State Senate legislation site before you rely on it
Penal Law 265.37 is a separate offense: knowingly possessing an ammunition feeding device that contains more than seven rounds. In the possessor's home it is a violation with a $200 fine for a first offense and a class B misdemeanor after that. Anywhere else it is a class B misdemeanor for a first offense and a class A misdemeanor after that
The Second Circuit held that seven-round load limit unconstitutional in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Cuomo, 804 F.3d 242 (2d Cir. 2015), concluding that it "does not survive intermediate scrutiny." Penal Law 265.37 was not repealed, and the court applied intermediate scrutiny, the means-end framework the Supreme Court replaced in Bruen (2022) with a test rooted in text and history. Confirm current enforcement on the state's SAFE Act page rather than assuming
New York's own summary of later amendments to the SAFE Act lists "Suspending the requirement that only magazines that can contain 7 rounds or less can be purchased. Going forward, magazines can be purchased that can contain up to 10 rounds." That is a purchase rule, not the possession offense in 265.37. Confirm the current rule on the state's SAFE Act page before you rely on it
Licensing and Eligibility (Post-September 1, 2022)
The Concealed Carry Improvement Act (S.51001/A.41001) rewrote the eligibility standards in Penal Law 400.00. Key points, with the statute cited so you can verify them:
Age: Generally 21 to obtain a license to carry a handgun (Penal Law 400.00(1)(a)), with narrow exceptions for certain military and peace officer applicants
Good moral character: Penal Law 400.00(1)(b) defines this as "having the essential character, temperament and judgement necessary to be entrusted with a weapon and to use it only in a manner that does not endanger oneself or others." The CCIA removed the old "proper cause" standard. The good-moral-character requirement was upheld in Antonyuk v. James
In-person meeting: The applicant must meet in person with the licensing officer (Penal Law 400.00(1)). This in-person interview requirement was upheld in Antonyuk v. James
Character references: No fewer than four references who can attest to the applicant's good moral character (Penal Law 400.00(1)(o)(ii)). The character-reference requirement was upheld in Antonyuk v. James
Household and contact disclosures: Names of a spouse or domestic partner and other adults residing in the home (Penal Law 400.00(1)(o)(i))
Social media accounts: Penal Law 400.00(1)(o)(iv) calls for "a list of former and current social media accounts of the applicant from the past three years." It has not been repealed and no court has held it unconstitutional. The Second Circuit affirmed a preliminary injunction against enforcing it in Antonyuk v. James, and a stipulation of partial settlement so ordered by U.S. District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby on March 30, 2026 added a permanent injunction against enforcing the subparagraph against the plaintiff, along with the Superintendent's agreement that "The Superintendent shall ensure that the PPB-3 license application form does not include language requiring social media information." That injunction terminates if the Legislature repeals the subparagraph. The text stays in the statute and the current PPB-3 does not ask for social media accounts. Confirm current guidance with your licensing officer
Training: Penal Law 400.00(19) requires an in-person course of at least 16 hours of classroom curriculum plus a 2-hour live-fire range course, with a live-fire proficiency demonstration, meeting the NYSP-DCJS minimum standards. This 18-hour training requirement was upheld in Antonyuk v. James
Recertification: Carry licenses recertify every 3 years (Penal Law 400.00(10)(d)); failure to recertify acts as a revocation
Semiautomatic Rifle License (Effective September 4, 2022)
You must be at least 21 and hold a license to purchase or take possession of a semiautomatic rifle (Penal Law 400.00(2))
A license is not required for individuals who lawfully possessed semiautomatic rifles before September 4, 2022
These licenses recertify every 5 years (Penal Law 400.00(10)(c))
New York City Is Separate
New York City administers its own handgun licenses through the NYPD License Division under NYC Administrative Code 10-131 and Title 38 of the Rules of the City of New York. NYC fees, processes, and standards are separate from county licensing. Penal Law 400.00(6) says a license to carry that is not otherwise limited "shall be effective throughout the state, except that the same shall not be valid within the city of New York unless a special permit granting validity is issued by the police commissioner of that city," subject to the narrow transport provisos in that subdivision. Contact the NYPD License Division for city applications.
Where Carry Is Restricted
These restrictions carry criminal penalties. Read the statute and note the litigation:
Sensitive locations (Penal Law 265.01-e): It is a class E felony to possess a firearm, rifle, or shotgun in a listed sensitive location when you know or reasonably should know it is one. The statutory list includes government buildings and courts, health and behavioral health facilities, places of worship, libraries, public parks and playgrounds, zoos, schools and colleges, public transit and its facilities, bars and other on-premise liquor establishments, entertainment and sporting venues, polling places, protests and assemblies, permitted public events, and the area known as Times Square. Treat the whole list as in force, places of worship included. In Antonyuk v. James the Second Circuit said "we VACATE the district court's preliminary injunction against enforcement of" section 265.01-e(2)(c), the place-of-worship provision. Carrying in a place of worship is a class E felony. The only exception written into the statute itself is for "those persons responsible for security at such place of worship," a carve-out the Legislature added effective May 3, 2023. One preliminary injunction against that provision, issued in the Spencer case and left intact by the Second Circuit, runs only to the plaintiffs in that case and protects nobody else. A place of worship is also private property, so its operator may prohibit firearms through signage or property law. That is a separate point, and it is not permission to carry. Section 265.01-e(3) lists exemptions, including active and certain retired law enforcement (paragraph (a)) and lawful hunting under a DEC license (paragraph (i))
Restricted locations (Penal Law 265.01-d): Penal Law 265.01-d(1) makes it a class E felony to possess a firearm, rifle or shotgun and enter or remain on private property "where such person knows or reasonably should know that the owner or lessee of such property has not permitted such possession by clear and conspicuous signage indicating that the carrying of firearms, rifles, or shotguns on their property is permitted or by otherwise giving express consent." By its terms the statute reaches private property generally. It has not been repealed and it has not been struck down. On October 10, 2024 the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York permanently enjoined the defendants "from enforcing" the section "with respect to private property open to the public," and the Second Circuit affirmed that injunction on May 18, 2026 in Christian v. James, 176 F.4th 189. The State Police say on gunsafety.ny.gov that they are "not currently enforcing this provision with respect to possession of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun upon private property that is held open to the public." As to private property that is not held open to the public, 265.01-d still applies on its own terms. The Supreme Court reached the same conclusion about a Hawaii law in Wolford v. Lopez, No. 24-1046 (June 25, 2026). Property owners keep the right to exclude firearms, and you must honor a posted prohibition or an owner's direct notice
Carrying without a license: Criminal possession of a firearm under Penal Law 265.01-b is a class E felony; criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (Penal Law 265.01) is a class A misdemeanor; criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (Penal Law 265.02) is a class D felony; second degree (Penal Law 265.03) is a class C felony. Exemptions are listed in Penal Law 265.20
Self-Defense and Use of Force
New York imposes a duty to retreat before using deadly physical force outside the home. Penal Law 35.15 requires you to retreat if you can do so with complete personal safety, except that there is no duty to retreat when you are in your own dwelling and are not the initial aggressor (the Castle exception). New York has no "stand your ground" law. Penal Law 35.20 covers defense of premises and the use of force to prevent certain crimes on your property. Read both sections before relying on a self-defense theory.
Firearm Dealer Requirements
Required Dealer Warning Notice (Effective January 7, 2025)
Every licensed gunsmith or firearm dealer must post a warning notice:
At the entrance to the sales site
In at least one additional area where sales occur
The notice must be at least 8.5" x 11" in bold print, minimum 26-point type
Pistol permit applications are processed at the county level outside New York City. Each county's licensing officer sets its own forms, fees, office hours, appointment rules and fingerprinting arrangements, so they differ from county to county. Confirm those details with the county office itself before you rely on them. The counties below are a sample. If yours is not listed, contact its county clerk or sheriff's office.
New York's gun laws generally do not affect most hunters, but license holders should know these intersections:
Handgun possession while hunting requires a valid NYS pistol license. New York does not recognize handgun licenses issued by other states
Muzzleloading pistols used for hunting also require a NYS pistol license
Westchester County and Long Island: Environmental Conservation Law 11-0931(5)(a) says "No person shall use a rifle for hunting on Long Island or in Westchester County," and carrying a rifle in the woodlands there is presumptive evidence of illegal use, except for members of a duly organized target shooting club carrying unloaded rifles to and from the range
Auto-loading firearms: Environmental Conservation Law 11-0931(1)(c) bars using in hunting, or possessing in the fields, forests or on the waters of the state, any auto-loading firearm built to hold more than six shells in the magazine and chamber combined, with exceptions including a firearm using .22 caliber rimfire ammunition and one altered to hold no more than six
Lawful hunting under a DEC license is one of the exemptions to the sensitive-location law (Penal Law 265.01-e(3)(i))
Form 6 Import Permit: Required for nonimmigrant aliens bringing firearms into NY for hunting - download application (PDF). Allow 6 to 12 weeks for processing.
Air travel: It is a federal crime to carry a firearm or weapon on or attempt to board an aircraft in the secured area, and firearms in checked baggage must be unloaded and declared (49 U.S.C. 46505). This is separate from TSA's administrative rules
Prohibited persons: Federal firearm prohibitions appear in 18 U.S.C. 922(g); a separate provision, 18 U.S.C. 922(n), covers persons under felony indictment
LEOSA: Qualified active and retired law enforcement officers may carry under 18 U.S.C. 926B and 926C. This is a federal authority, not a New York state exemption, though NY also exempts these officers from the sensitive-location law (Penal Law 265.01-e(3)(a))
Interstate transport: 18 U.S.C. 926A protects transport of an unloaded, secured firearm between two places where possession is lawful, regardless of states crossed
Legal Resources
NY Courts - CourtHelp:nycourts.gov/courthelp - self-help legal information including safety, protection orders, and firearms-related court proceedings
LawHelp New York:lawhelpny.org - free and low-cost legal aid referrals
FOIL Public Records Exemption: Gun owners may request exemption from public disclosure of their firearms license information. Contact your county clerk for the NYS Firearms License Request for Public Records Exemption form. Most counties provide this form on their website (see county listings above).
Enacted after NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022); removed "proper cause," added good-moral-character and training standards, in-person meeting, references, sensitive and restricted locations, and shorter recertification
Penal Law 400.00
License to carry a handgun: eligibility (subd. 1), good moral character (subd. 1(b)), training (subd. 19), recertification (subd. 10)
Penal Law 265.01
Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (class A misdemeanor)
Penal Law 265.01-b
Criminal possession of a firearm (class E felony)
Penal Law 265.01-d
Criminal possession of a weapon in a restricted location (class E felony). Still on the books. Enforcement is permanently enjoined as to private property open to the public (W.D.N.Y. Oct. 10, 2024, affirmed in Christian v. James, 176 F.4th 189 (2d Cir. May 18, 2026)), and the State Police say they are not enforcing it there. It still applies on its own terms to private property that is not held open to the public. Wolford v. Lopez (U.S. No. 24-1046, June 25, 2026) reached the same conclusion about a Hawaii law
Penal Law 265.01-e
Criminal possession of a firearm, rifle or shotgun in a sensitive location (class E felony); the categories in subdivision 2 are in force, places of worship included, and the preliminary injunction against the place-of-worship provision was vacated in Antonyuk v. James
Penal Law 265.02
Criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (class D felony)
Penal Law 265.03
Criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (class C felony)
Penal Law 265.20
Exemptions from the weapon-possession offenses
Penal Law 35.15 / 35.20
Justification: duty to retreat with a Castle exception in the dwelling; defense of premises
NY SAFE Act (2013)
Assault-weapon definition and possession offense (Penal Law 265.00(22), 265.02(7)); large capacity ammunition feeding device, more than ten rounds (Penal Law 265.00(23), 265.02(8)); the separate seven-round load offense (Penal Law 265.37), still in the Penal Law and held unconstitutional on intermediate scrutiny in NYSRPA v. Cuomo, 804 F.3d 242 (2d Cir. 2015). Penal Law 265.36 is cross-referenced as live in Penal Law 265.20(a) and 265.20(e); the district court in NYSRPA v. Cuomo struck its "and if" clause as unconstitutionally vague and that ruling was not challenged on appeal, so read the section's current text on the New York State Senate legislation site
NYC Administrative Code 10-131; 38 RCNY
New York City's separate, stricter handgun licensing
Important Phone Numbers
Agency
Phone
NYS Police Firearms Unit
(518) 464-7120
NY Sex Offender Registry (disqualification inquiries)
1-800-262-3257 or (518) 457-5837
NY Red Flag Law Assistance
877-NYS-0101
ATF (Federal)
(304) 616-4550
Permit requirements, fees, and procedures vary significantly by county, and New York City runs a separate system. Always contact your local county clerk or sheriff's office, or the NYPD License Division for NYC, for current procedures. A few CCIA questions are still open, and each has a date attached. In Christian v. James the district court lifted its stay on August 17, 2026 and directed the parties to propose a schedule by August 27, 2026 for the remaining public-transit issue, so Penal Law 265.01-e(2)(n) stays in force while that claim is undecided. The plaintiffs there said they anticipated petitioning for certiorari on the public parks ban before a September 16, 2026 deadline. In Antonyuk v. James, summary-judgment briefing runs through September 18, 2026 with no ruling. Check gunsafety.ny.gov for the current picture, and consult an attorney for advice on your specific situation.
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