Applying for a Pistol Permit

You may apply for a pistol permit if you have been a resident of Monroe County for at least six months at the time of application. By New York State Law, you must be 21 years of age to be issued a pistol permit and to purchase a pistol. You are not required to buy or own a gun at the time of application and your permit will not expire even if you don’t place a pistol on it. Due to the number of agencies involved, the processing of a pistol permit application can take approximately six-eight months. Please allow at least eight months to pass before inquiring about your application's status.

Effective Monday, November 1, 2010:

You may visit the Monroe County Clerk's Office at 39 West Main Street, Room 101, Rochester, NY 14614 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to pick up your pistol permit application packet free of charge.

In order to avoid unnecessary delays in the processing of your application, please read and follow all instructions in the packet carefully and be sure to complete all forms before returning to our office with the completed packet. Applicants must appear in person to turn in their application. The cost to apply for a pistol permit is specified in the application packet.

Amending a Pistol Permit

The permit holder must appear in person whenever he or she wishes to add or delete a firearm from the license. The cost to complete an amendment to your permit is $3.

Adding a Gun from an Individual - When a gun is obtained from an individual, a dated notarized bill of sale or a notarized statement of permission is required to add it to the new owner’s permit. The bill of sale or consent statement must show the names, addresses, pistol permit carry numbers and the original date of issue of both the seller’s and the buyer's permit. The gun must be described by make, caliber, serial number and whether the gun is a revolver or semi-automatic.

A Bill of Sale will indicate that the seller will be removing the firearm(s) from their permit and will be transferring ownership to the buyer. The seller must also take the firearm off their permit by completing an amendment. A Consent Form indicates that the two individuals involved in the transaction will be co-registering the gun.

* Please note that you must be updated with a background Brady check prior to the addition of any firearm from an individual. This check must be completed once every 5 years and there is no cost to the permit holder. Please stop into our office with your pistol permit to complete the paperwork. You will receive the completed Brady check in the mail in approximately 4 to 6 weeks and this is to be kept for your own personal records. Once you receive this paperwork, you will be allowed to add firearms from an individual.

Adding a Gun from a Dealer - When a gun is obtained from a dealer, the original bill of sale on dealer’s letterhead, is required. The bill of sale must list the seller’s name, address, phone number, federal firearms license number, New York State Dealer License number, and description of the gun. Once you have added the gun with the Monroe County Clerk's Office, you will be issued a coupon to present to the dealer to pick up your gun.

Federal law provides that pistols obtained or sold out of state may be shipped in or out of state only by a licensed dealer.

Adding a Gun from a Deceased - In order to add a gun from a deceased person, you will need a custody report from a police agency or receipt from a dealer, a Letter of Testamentary from Surrogate's Court that shows the appointment of an Executor or Administrator of the estate, a notarized statement from the Executor or Administrator of the estate granting permission to the person wishing to add the gun, and the permit of the decedent or a copy of the death certificate. You may contact Surrogate's Court for proper paperwork at 585-428-5200.

Address Change

A change of address requires the permit holder to notify the Monroe County Clerk’s Office within 10 days of the change, in accordance with New York State Law. You must appear at the County Clerk’s Office and bring your pistol permit with you. There is no fee to make this change.

Name Change

A change of name requires the permit holder to appear at the County Clerk’s Office with proof of the new name in the form of a marriage certificate or a driver’s photo-license. The fee is $12 (which includes your new photos) and it takes approximately 6-8 weeks.

Transferring a Pistol Permit

To transfer your pistol permit to another county, first check with the new county for any restrictions they may have, then go to the Monroe County Clerk’s Office or mail a statement requesting your file be transferred to the new county of residence. The statement should contain your name, date of birth, current address, the original issue date of your permit, your carry number and the new address. Bring in or mail a $5 check payable to the Monroe County Clerk and a $5 check payable to the county of transfer. The new county will contact you upon receipt of your file.

Lost, Stolen or Replacement Pistol Permit

If your permit is lost or stolen you cannot carry your weapons until the new license is issued.

If your permit is worn or torn and needs to be replaced, you may apply for a new permit by coming to the Monroe County Clerk's Office with your old permit. If your permit was lost or stolen, you may bring your driver's photo-license in when you apply for a new permit. You must also present a list of all current firearms in your possession that includes the make, caliber and serial number. The cost to replace your permit is $12 (which includes your new photos) and the process takes approximately 6-8 weeks. You may retain your old permit until your new permit is issued. You will be notified by phone when your new permit is ready. When you come in to pick up your new permit, you will then surrender your old permit.