Erie County Pistol Permit Process

The Erie County Clerk’s Office processes Pistol Permits for Erie County residents under terms of appropriate New York State laws. Following the completion of an application and criminal background checks, final approval or denial of a permit is the decision of an Erie County Court Judge or New York State Supreme Court Justice.

The following is the process for applying for a pistol permit:

Step #1: Take your Pistol Permit class

NYS CONCEALED CARRY LICENSE CLASS:

In order to apply for a pistol permit in Erie County, you must be 21 years of age and be a resident of Erie County. You are not required to buy or own a gun at the time of application. You must take a required Firearms Safety Class, you do not have to be 21 to take the class but you must be 21 the day you apply.

The Pistol Permit Class schedule can be found here: NYS Class Schedule

Step #2: Fill out Application

You may now Print the official Application packet for Erie county with this online application here: Erie County Official Pistol Permit – You will need to print this form as well:   http://www2.erie.gov/clerk/sites/www2.erie.gov.clerk/files/uploads/pdfs/PPB-3%28erie_county%29.pdf 

Both of the above forms must be 2 sided, you will end up with 4 total pages.

*When printing, The State Application (PPB-3) form, included in the link above, must be printed double sided front and back or it will be rejected.  Two required upon submittal. *

You may also pick up the application packet at the Erie County Pistol Permit Department, print one online (see the link above), get one in any of our classes or you can receive one by mail by sending a self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope to:

Erie County Clerk’s Office
Pistol Permit Department
92 Franklin Street
Buffalo, NY 14202

FTWNY Guarantees that we will have the Official Erie County application in class for all students in every scheduled class, you will not have to go down town before class.

Note: Rules For Printing and Filling Out An Application Packet

Filling out the required paperwork correctly can save a lot of time in the application process.  Please read all the instructions carefully.  In the Application Packet you will find an Erie County Application, Character Reference Information Sheet, NYS PPB-3 Application Sample and two NYS PPB-3 Application Forms.

1. Please readily directions on the new process.
2. Please review the Sample PPB-3 Form before you attempt to print or fill it out.
3. The State Application (PPB-3) form must be printed double sided front and back or it will be rejected.  Two required upon submittal.

Step #3: Schedule Fingerprint Appointment 

Step #4 :

Please read and follow the instructions on the application carefully to avoid any unnecessary delays in the process. Applicants must come to the Erie County Pistol Permit office in person when submitting the completed application. When you come in to apply, they will collect a processing fee of $20 up front, saving a trip later on. This fee can be paid in cash, check or money order made payable to Erie County Clerk. You will also need to supply two photos with your application, these must be 2″x 2″ and taken with a professional photo system. FTWNY will take and print your photos during class at no extra charge (available at all class locations). We will also review the entire application in class, we will also review your application after the class and proof read your answers at no charge to you.When you turn your application you can then make an appointment to be fingerprinted, this will cost $105 for total of $125 to apply for your permit. The fingerprinting process will take place after your turn in your application and must be completed at on of the 12 area locations the permit office gives you.

How do I know where my references must live for Erie County?

• There are 57 Police agencies in Erie County, 54 of them do NOT care where your references live and will let all 4 of them live anywhere in Erie County, you will not need permission form them for this. 
• Only one Police agency, at this time, 2 agencies require 2 of 4 live in your area (East Aurora and Amherst). You can request all both of these agencies to have your references live anywhere in Erie County. This can only be done by calling these police agencies directly.
• When it comes to your police agency, it goes by who would respond to your house if you called 911? It does not go by the town you live in. The police agency that patrols where you live will be the agency that will conduct your investigation. 
• If your Police agency is not listed above, your references can live anywhere in Erie, you will not need a letter from your local PD allowing this.
• If your police agency requires that a certain number of references have to live in your town and you cannot meet this requirement, you must call your local PD and ask permission to use references from somewhere else. You will get a letter from your local PD showing that they allowed you to do this.
  
• Your references must be 21 years of age and should not be related to you as well as not be current Erie county Sheriffs.
  

Step #5:

Part of the application process includes various background checks by New York State and the FBI, and an interview by the applicant’s local police. Once all necessary background checks are completed, the application is then submitted for consideration by one of the Licensing Judges.

Step #6:

Once a permit is approved by a Licensing Judge, the applicant will now receive their permit in the mail. Erie county no longer requires a handgun be registered or purchased in any amount of time.

More Info for Erie County permit holders

Registration of Handguns

When a gun is purchased from an individual, a dated bill of sale is required to add the pistol to the new owner’s permit. The bill of sale must show both the buyer’s and seller’s names, addresses, permit numbers, and the counties that permits are in. The gun must be described by make, model, caliber action and serial number. Once the handgun is registered at our department, it may be picked up by the buyer, and the seller has 10 days to come to the Pistol Permit Office to have the weapon removed from his/her permit.

When a gun is purchased from a dealer, the dealer receipt is required. The receipt must show the buyer’s name, address, permit number, and the make, model, caliber action and serial number of the gun. The dealer’s name, address, New York State dealer number and county the dealership is in must also appear on the receipt. Once the handgun is registered at our department, a purchase coupon will then be given to the buyer, to allow him/her to pick up the weapon from the dealer.

There is a $3.00 fee for the registration of a handgun to a permit.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:

As per New York State Police Pistol Permit Division, every firearms receipt must include all of the following:

Make

Model

Caliber

Action (Revolver, Semi-Auto, Single-Shot, Derringer)

Serial Number

IF ALL THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS NOT INCLUDED, YOUR TRANSACTION WILL NOT BE PROCESSED.

Deletion of Handguns

When a gun is sold to an individual, a dated bill of sale is required to remove the pistol from the seller’s permit. The bill of sale must show both the buyer’s and seller’s names, addresses, permit numbers and counties that permits are in. The gun must be described by make, model, caliber action and serial number. Once the gun has been registered and picked up by the buyer, the seller has 10 days to come to the Pistol Permit Office and have it removed from his/her permit. If the buyer is from a county other than Erie County, he/she must provide the seller with a purchase coupon upon delivery of the registered gun. This coupon must then be provided to our department by the seller when removing the gun.

When a gun is sold to a dealer, the dealer receipt is required. The receipt must show the seller’s name, address, permit number, and make, model, caliber action and serial number of the gun. The dealer’s name, address, New York State dealer number and county the dealership is in must also appear on the receipt.

There is a $3.00 fee for the deletion of a handgun from a permit.

Death of a Permit Holder

New York State Law requires that upon a permit holder’s death, the decedent’s estate must, within 15 days, turn over the decedent’s firearm(s) to another pistol permit holder; a licensed dealer; or the local police department.

The estate is also requested to notify the Erie County Pistol Permit Office of the permit holder’s passing, along with a copy of a death certificate and information about the disposition of the firearm(s), so that the license may be cancelled.

Additional Information

Changes in Name, Address or County

Name Change

A name change requires the permit holder to appear at the Pistol Permit Department with proof of the new name in the form of a marriage certificate or Court Order. A fee of $5.00 is charged to change the name on a pistol permit. If you have a paper permit, you must obtain a plastic card, for a charge of $18.00.

Address Change

A change of address requires the permit holder to notify the Pistol Permit Department within 10 days of the change. You may send a written notification or come to our office in person with your permit to effect the change. There is a $3 charge for address changes.

Transfer to Different County

To transfer your pistol permit to another county, you must appear at the Pistol Permit Department, or mail a statement requesting that your file be transferred to the new county. The statement should include your name, Social Security number, date of birth, old address, original date of your permit, permit number and your new address and phone number. You will need to include an $8.00 check payable to the Erie County Pistol Permit Department, as well as a $5.00 check payable to the county where you will be transferring your permit records. The new county will contact you when they receive your file.

Lost or Stolen Permits

You may obtain a duplicate pistol permit when your original permit is lost, stolen or mutilated. We will sign you up for a duplicate when you appear at the Pistol Permit Department with a list of your guns which includes the make, caliber and serial number of each gun. You will be given a duplicate information form to be filled out at our office when you come in. The fee for a duplicate permit is $18.

Any questions you may have can be directed to the ERIE County Pistol Permit Department at 716-858-6600

Or Contact us at: info@ftwny.com    or  716.903.2558  or fill out the contact form below with your Name & Phone Number and your question or questions.

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