Virginia permit requirements

Official-source summary. Values we could not confirm are labelled, never filled with assumptions.

At a glance

Permit required to carry

Yes

Permit currently issued

Yes

Issuance structure

Shall Issue

Issuing level

Court

Minimum age

Training

Required

Live fire

Not required Confirm with the issuing agency

Application fee

Reported: Up to $50.00 total, broken into: a fixed $10.00 court processing/issuance fee, up to $35.00 for the local law enforcement agency's background investigation, and up to $5.00 for State Police application processing. No fee at all for a… Confirm at the source

Permit term

5 years

Residency required

No. Residents apply to the Circuit Court. Non-residents apply to the State Police. Confirm with the issuing agency

Processing time

45 days Confirm with the issuing agency

Some current details are not fully confirmed. Verify dates, fees, and requirements on the official page before relying on them.

Issuing agency: Clerk of the Circuit Court of the county or city where the applicant resides

Source: Virginia State Police — last checked 2026-10-04

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What to know in Virginia

Virginia is listed as a shall-issue state, and its permit is the Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP): the courts handle applications rather than a police agency. The issuing agency is Clerk of the Circuit Court of the county or city where the applicant resides.

The minimum age to apply is 21. A training course is required before you apply in Virginia. A new permit lasts 5 years.

Virginia is reported to let you keep carrying while an application is pending. Confirm with the issuing agency

Official page: Virginia State Police · Reciprocity: where a Virginia permit is honored

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