WHERE DO I GET A
PISTOL LICENSE APPLICATION?

     Pistol License Applications are available at the the Pistol License Department of the Sullivan County Clerk's Office at 100 North Street, Monticello, NY 12701. You can pick up an application without an appointment.

Go through the main doors and look to the left for
the Blue doors to the County Clerk's Office

These are the old instruction.
CLICK HER FOR A COPY OF THE OLD INSTRUCTIONS
FOR NEW INSTRUCTIONS SEE BELOW

WHEN AND WHERE DO I TURN IN MY
PISTOL LICENSE APPLICATION?

     Return completed, signed and notarized pistol applications to the Sullivan County Clerk's Office, 100 North Street, Monticello, NY 12701. (You can have your application notarized in the County Clerk's Office.) If you have any questions, please call (845) 794-3000 - Ginny: 845-807-0417, or
Barbara: 845-807-0416. You must do the following when you turn in your pistol application

• You must make an appointment to turn in your application.
• You will have to pay the following FEES:
  • The $10 application fee by cash, personal check or money order.
  • The $105.75 Fingerprint fee- Fingerprints are now being electronically submitted.  Call toll-free 877-472-6915, or go on line at www.L1enrollment.com to make an appointment.  The closest locations would be 5 Chestnut Street, Liberty, NY or 40 Matthews Street, Suite 103, Goshen, NY.  Other locations are available on line or by calling the toll free number.  The fee of $105.75 can be paid on line or at the time of fingerprinting.

NOTE: NO OLD APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER DEC. 18, 2009. Your instructions must be dated "Rev. 12/09"

WHAT ARE SULLIVAN COUNTY'S REQUIREMENTS?

• Applicant must be 21 years old, or honorably discharged from the Military if under 21 and a legal resident of Sullivan County.
• Character References can not work for the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department
• Character References are limited to one per household and relatives with the same last name are not allowed. (Do not use husband and wife.) You must suppy complete mailing addresses & signatures.
• You must make a appointment to turn in your application.
• You must have a Safety Class certificate when you have your interview with the Judge.
• You must have a interview with Judge LaBuda.
• You are required to be registered to vote in Sullivan County as part of your proof of residency.

HOW DO I GET MY FIRST GUN FOR MY LICENSE?

     You must have a handgun to place on your license before you will be issued a handgun license. You can use one of three ways to do this. (Or a combination.)

• You purchase a handgun. You may purchase a handgun from any gun store or from a private individual who has a NY Pistol License that the gun is listed on. You will have to provide a receipt listing the seller, the make, model, caliber and serial number of the handgun.
• You can share a handgun(s) that is listed on the license of another license holder. You will have to supply a letter from the original owner giving you approval to have the gun(s) listed on your license. The letter must contain the original owners information including pistol license number and date of issue and the gun(s) must be listed by make, model, caliber, serial number and type; auto or revolver.
• A receipt from a handgun(s) turned into the Sheriff's Department. You can provide a copy of the receipt for a handgun(s) turned into the Sheriff's Department because of the death of the original licensed owner or you moved into the county from another state.

WHEN DO I HAVE TO BUY A GUN?

    You can you turn in the receipt for your handgun to be added to your license at 3 times.

• When you turn in your application. You may turn in a copy of your receipt listing the seller by name and address and the make, model, caliber and serial number of the handgun(s) when you turn in your application.
• When you meet with your Judge. You may turn in a copy of your receipt listing the seller by name and address and the make, model, caliber and serial number of the handgun(s) when you meet with your Judge.
• After you have had your meeting with the Judge and your license has been approved. If you have not purchased a handgun by the time you meet with your Judge, you will be issued a letter stating that your license has been approved and asking that you supply a receipt listing the seller by name and address and the make, model, caliber and serial number of the handgun(s) you have purchased to the Pistol License Department so that your license can be issued.

WHAT IS THE REQUIRED FIREARMS TRAINING CLASS?

     The Judges in many counties of NY require that Pistol License Applicants show proof that they have taken some type of Handgun Safety Class. A list of local instructors is provided with your PISTOL APPLICATION INSTRUCTION. In addition, any Official NRA Handgun Safety Class Certificate is acceptable. You must provide a copy of your certificate at the time of the interview with the Judge.

WHO WILL MY JUDGE BE?

     Sullivan County Court Judge Frank J. LaBuda is the issuing authority in Sullivan County. After the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department has finished your background check, you will be contacted to make an appointment to be interviewed by Judge LaBuda.
     If you want an "UNRESTRICTED" pistol license you must ask for it on your application and you must make sure that Judge LaBuda understands that you want an "UNRESTRICTED" pistol license. (If you are issued a "RESTRICTED" pistol license, you may be able to file an "AMENDMENT" at a latter date to request and "UNRESTRICTED" pistol license.)

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ME?

• The $10 Application Fee
• The $105.75 Fingerprint Fee
• The cost of the Safety Class
• The price of your gun.

HOW DO I GET MY LICENSE AFTER THE
LICENSE IS APPROVED?

          When you make you interview appoint with the Judge you can also make an appointment with the Pistol License Department to finish your application if you have already purchased a handgun(s). Allow at least one hour between appointments. The Pistol License Department will then issue you your license and a "Purchase Slip" that you are required to give to the gun seller if you have a receipt for your handgun(s). If you have not purchased a handgun(s) you will have to make an appointment with the Pistol License Department when you can supply them with a receipt.

HOW DOES THE AMENDMENT PROCESS WORK IN SULLIVAN COUNTY?

     In order to make any changes to your license you must file an Amendment. Adding or removing a gun from a license, change of address, name change or requesting that restrictions be removed from a license are the main reason to file an Amendment. You will need to make an Appointment with the Pistol License Department to file an Amendment. They will take your information and print out the Amendment for you to sign and then the Amendment will then be sent to the Judge for approval. The process takes from a few days to three weeks with an average of between one to two weeks.
     If you are adding a handgun(s) to your license, the fee for the new plastic license is $4 for the first card and $1 for each additional card. The first plastic card holds 5 handguns and additional plastic cards hold 22 handguns each.
      If you have the old style paper license the fee is $3 per amendment but only three handguns can be in each category. (If you are adding three handguns to your license and removing three handguns from you license the fee is $3. If you have more guns that you must add or remove from your license then you will be charged $3 for each additional Amendment.)
     How much you will be charged is based on what you are doing and how many guns you own and what type, (paper or plastic,) of license you have. It will cost between $3 to $10 for most people unless you own many handguns.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

WHERE CAN I HAVE MY FIGERPRINTS TAKEN?

     You can have your fingerprints taken at the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department, NY State Police Barracks or any local Police Station.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES?

• Trying to fill in the top of the application above LAST NAME.
• Failure to fill out the form completely or failing to check all boxes.
• Failure to sign the back of the application below your fingerprints and failure of the office to sign all four documents. (The line that states: APPLICANT'S SIGNATURE AND ADDRESS:)
• Failure to have the required $99 Money Order or not filling the money order out to NYSDCJS.

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON REASON FOR REJECTION?

     The number one reason that people are rejected is that they fail to list an arrest or mental health problem in their past. YOU MUST DISCLOSE ALL ARREST REQARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME. Even Court cases that were dismissed and/or sealed will be found out.  It does not matter if it was a run in with the law or a mental health problem, you should not think that anything that you have done from the day you were born to the day you applied for your license will be missed in the investigation. If you are unsure if you were arrested, contact the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department to go over the details. A rejected for failing to list a required item or lying on an application is grounds for rejecting all subsequent applications.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I MOVE OR I AM MOVING FROM ANOTHER NY COUNTY AND I HAVE A LICENSE?

     NY law states:

PL400.00 (9)  Notification of any change of residence shall be made in writing by any licensee within ten days after such change occurs, and a record of such change shall be inscribed by such licensee on the reverse side of his license . ...

     When you move from one county to another you must notify Sullivan County and you can transfer your license to your new county.  Contact your issuing county and ask them how to transfer your paperwork. If you are moving to Sullivan County from a county that has a license that must be renewed, call the Pistol Department to see what you are required to do.  Do not wait.  You do not want your license to expire while you are completing the requirements to obtain an Sullivan County Issued license.

HOW LONG IS MY LICENSE GOOD FOR?

Your license is good until revoked.

PAPER OR PLASTIC?

     Sullivan County now only issues the new plastic style Pistol License. You may keep the older paper style license if you wish. If you want the new plastic style license you must file an Amendment and request a DUPLICATE license.

IF I LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE BUT OWN LAND IN SULLIVAN COUNTY,
CAN I APPLY FOR A PISTOL LICENSE ISSUED IN SULLIVAN COUNTY?

     NO! NY law only allows for you to apply for a handgun license in the county where you have your primary residence or your primary employment. If you live outside of NY state you can not apply for a license except if you own a business in Sullivan County.