If you’re wondering how to get a concealed carry permit in Virginia, the process is refreshingly straightforward. Virginia is a “shall-issue” state: meet the legal requirements, complete the application correctly, and the court must issue your permit. No interview, no judgment call — just a clear set of steps. Consider this your plain-English answer to “how to get concealed carry permit virginia” — every step, in order.
Virginia calls it a Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP). It’s issued by the circuit court in the county or city where you live, it’s valid for five years, and it lets you carry a concealed handgun just about anywhere state law allows. Here’s exactly how to get one.
Who Is Eligible?
Before you start, make sure you qualify. Under Virginia law, you must:
- Be 21 years of age or older
- Apply in the county or city where you reside (members of the U.S. Armed Forces apply where they are domiciled)
- Be legally able to possess a firearm
- Demonstrate competence with a handgun in person (more on this below)
There’s no minimum length-of-residency requirement — you can apply as soon as you live in Virginia.
Certain things will disqualify you. The full list is in Virginia Code § 18.2-308.09, but the most common disqualifiers include felony convictions, an active protective or restraining order, a dishonorable discharge, two or more misdemeanors in the past five years (if one was Class 1), a DUI or public drunkenness conviction in the past three years, assault or brandishing convictions in the past three years, unlawful drug use, and residential mental health or substance abuse treatment within five years. If any of these might apply to you, consult an attorney before applying.
Step 1: Complete an In-Person Handgun Training Course
Virginia requires proof that you’ve demonstrated competence with a handgun in person. Since January 1, 2021, online-only courses no longer count for new applicants.
The good news: the law gives you plenty of options. Any one of these satisfies the requirement:
- A hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the Department of Wildlife Resources (or another state’s equivalent)
- A handgun course covering self-defense use, state handgun laws, and safe storage
- A firearms safety course from the NRA, U.S. Concealed Carry Association, a college, a law-enforcement agency, or a certified training school
- Law-enforcement or security-guard firearms training
- Current military service, an honorable discharge, or organized shooting competition experience
- A current or previously held Virginia concealed handgun license (unless revoked)
- Any in-person course taught by a state-certified, NRA-certified, or USCCA-certified instructor
- Governmental police agency firearms training
- Any other training your circuit court deems adequate
Your proof — a certificate of completion, an instructor affidavit, or competition documentation — never expires, and the court can’t demand anything beyond what’s on this list.
Our Virginia concealed carry class is built specifically to satisfy this requirement: it’s in person, taught by certified instructors, and you’ll leave with the documentation your clerk’s office needs.
Step 2: Fill Out the Application
The application form (VSP Form SP-248) is standardized statewide. You can pick one up at your circuit court clerk’s office or download it from the Virginia State Police website. Some localities also accept applications online or by mail — check with your clerk’s office for local procedures.
Fill it out completely and honestly. You’ll need your personal details, addresses for the past several years, and answers to the eligibility questions.
Step 3: Submit Everything to Your Circuit Court Clerk
Bring or send the following to the clerk of the circuit court in your county or city:
- Your completed application
- A valid government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, or military ID)
- A copy of your handgun competency documentation from Step 1
- Payment for the fee
By law, the total fee cannot exceed $50 — up to $10 for the clerk, up to $35 for the law-enforcement background investigation, and up to $5 for the State Police. Ask your clerk’s office whether first-time applicants in your locality apply in person or are fingerprinted.
Step 4: Pass the Background Check
Once filed, the clerk forwards your application to local law enforcement, which runs a state and federal background check against the eligibility requirements.
Step 5: Receive Your Permit
Here’s the part people love: the court must issue your permit within 45 days of receiving your completed application, unless it finds you’re disqualified.
And there’s a built-in backstop: if the court hasn’t acted within those 45 days, the clerk certifies your application and sends you a copy. That certified application serves as a de facto permit for 90 days — valid with your photo ID — until the court issues your five-year permit or denies the application.
Your actual permit is valid for five years and will be mailed to you. Once you have it, remember the golden rule of carrying: keep your permit and a photo ID on you at all times while carrying concealed. If an officer asks to see them, you must display both — Virginia law sets a $25 civil penalty for failing to do so.
Renewing Your Virginia CHP
Renewal is simpler than your first application — and you don’t have to show up in person.
Apply 90 to 180 days before your permit expires, and the new five-year permit takes effect the day the old one ends — no gap in coverage. The same $50 fee cap and 45-day timeline apply, and you can submit everything by U.S. mail. Include a copy of your existing permit — no new training documentation needed.
If your permit has already expired, you can still apply for a new five-year permit — the law covers anyone who previously held one — but you lose the seamless handoff, so don’t carry concealed in the gap.
Deployed military members get extra protection: a permit that expires during an active-duty deployment outside your home county or city stays valid for 90 days after the deployment ends. Carry your deployment orders with your permit and ID.
What Your Virginia Permit Does NOT Allow
A concealed handgun permit is powerful, but it has firm boundaries. Know these before you carry:
Schools are off-limits. Virginia law (§ 18.2-308.1) prohibits firearms on K-12 school property — buildings, grounds, and buses. The one narrow exception for permit holders: you may keep a concealed handgun while inside your vehicle in a school parking lot, traffic circle, or drop-off loop. Walking into the building with it is a felony.
You can’t drink while carrying. You may carry in restaurants and clubs that serve alcohol, but consuming alcohol while carrying a concealed handgun is a Class 2 misdemeanor. And carrying while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in any public place is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
No duty to inform — but show it when asked. Virginia does not require you to proactively tell an officer you’re carrying during a traffic stop or other encounter. However, you must display your permit and photo ID whenever a law enforcement officer demands it.
Private property rules. Your permit doesn’t override a property owner’s wishes. If a business posts “no firearms” or the owner asks you to leave your gun outside, respect it — refusing to leave when asked can become a trespassing issue.
Other prohibited places include courthouses, airport terminal secure areas, places of worship during religious services (unless you have a good and sufficient reason), and public college and university buildings (§ 18.2-283.2 — expanded July 1, 2026; the old campus carve-out now covers only approved curriculum and campus programs).
Our Virginia self-defense laws guide goes deeper on where you can and can’t carry.
Carrying in Your Vehicle: What Virginia Law Says
With a valid CHP, you can carry a concealed handgun on your person while driving — the same as anywhere else you’re lawfully allowed to carry.
Even without a permit, Virginia law (§ 18.2-308) carves out an exception: anyone who may lawfully possess a firearm may carry a handgun in their personal vehicle if it’s secured in a container or compartment — a closed glove box or center console, not loose on the seat.
New since July 1, 2026 — unattended vehicles. Leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle is now a Class 4 misdemeanor unless it is out of plain view and in a locked, hard-sided container (§ 18.2-308.7:2). A locked glove box or locked center console qualifies, as does a lockbox cabled to the vehicle. Tossing it under the seat or into an unlocked glove box is out. “Unattended” means parked on a public road, public property, or a commercial or retail lot (employee-only lots count) with nobody able to keep an eye on it.
One hard boundary: school property. Permit holders may stay in their vehicle with a concealed handgun in a school parking lot or drop-off loop, but stepping out of the car with it is a felony.
What About Non-Residents?
Don’t live in Virginia? You can apply for a nonresident permit directly through the Virginia State Police (the fee is $100). Many of our DC and Maryland students train with us through our DMV concealed carry training program, built around multi-state permitting.
Virginia Concealed Carry: Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get my permit?
The court must issue it within 45 days of receiving your application. If it hasn’t acted by then, the clerk certifies your application — and that certified copy serves as a de facto permit for 90 days (with photo ID) until the court decides.
I’m a veteran. What training documentation do I need?
Current service or an honorable discharge (your DD-214) satisfies the competency requirement — no separate course needed.
What if I move to a different county or city in Virginia?
Get a replacement permit from your new clerk’s office. The change-of-address fee can’t exceed $10.
Can I renew by mail?
Yes — renewing holders aren’t required to appear in person. Mail it to your circuit court clerk.
What if my application is denied?
The denial order must state the reason and your appeal rights. You can request an ore tenus hearing — where you address the judge directly — within 21 days, and you may bring a lawyer. After that, you can petition the Virginia Court of Appeals.
Get Your Training Done Right
The training requirement is the one step you fully control — and the one that actually makes you safer, not just legal. As a veteran-owned company training Northern Virginia since 2012, we’ve helped thousands of first-time permit holders get it right the first time.
Ready to check the biggest box on the list? Join our Virginia concealed carry class — in-person, certified, and built around exactly what the clerk’s office wants to see. Then grab your seat on the training calendar and you’ll be at the courthouse before you know it.
Disclaimer: Firearm laws change, and this article is for general information only — not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with the Virginia State Police or your circuit court clerk’s office before applying.
