San Diego County has over 3.3 million people living and working inside its borders. Five years ago, there were about 1,500 CCW permits issued for San Diego County residents, meaning that less than a tenth of a percent of residents had the right to carry a concealed firearm outside their home. Times have changed. As of November 2024, there are about 21,000 San Diego County residents who have a right to carry a concealed firearm. According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office (SDSO), they are currently issuing 6-7000 permits per year. The online application process has streamlined getting a CCW permit. The biggest hurdle and delays now are the lack of SDSO staff to quickly process the initial application (renewals are pretty quick).
So, how do you qualify to get a CCW, how do you apply, how long does it take, is there a test, and what are the rules for carrying? Following the United States Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, holding that carrying a firearm outside of your home is a Constitutional right, all state and federal laws, rules and regulations infringing on that right are being challenged in court. That’s a longwinded way of saying that things are changing, almost on a daily basis. If you want a CCW, you really need to keep up with what is happening on the legal front. But, like all things court related, it can take years to get sorted out. Talk to a lawyer or belong to a concealed carry association that will keep you updated. You can’t afford to make legal mistakes regarding how and where to carry or how you are allowed to defend yourself.
1. Am I qualified to get a CCW in San Diego County?
First, are you a resident of the county and do you have an address that is not a P.O. Box or mail drop. There is a lot of litigation surrounding this “residency” requirement, but for now, if you can’t prove you live here the SDSO isn’t going to give you a permit.
Second, are you 21 or older. As you can imagine, not allowing someone the right to exercise a Constitutional right because they are under 21 is also the subject of ongoing court fights. Like the “residency requirement,” if you are under 21 the SDSO isn’t going to give you a permit.
Third, can you legally possess a firearm in California? If you can’t buy or possess a gun in California, you can’t get a CCW. The SDSO is looking for prior criminal convictions. For example: if you have a felony conviction on your record, you can’t own a gun (with some narrow exceptions). Even some misdemeanor convictions and being placed on probation for some crimes can stop you from having a gun for many years. If you have ever been involuntarily committed or suffered other significant mental health issues you may be a prohibited person. Have you had a Restraining Order issued against you? What kind and how long ago? If you use or are addicted to illegal drugs, that’s also a problem for the SDSO. If this is going to be an issue for you, talk to a qualified 2nd Amendment lawyer to see if there are any workarounds before you apply for a permit.
Fourth, do you have a Firearms Safety Certificate(FSC) that allows you to buy a firearm in California. The test can only be administered in person, and you can take it at almost every gun store for a small fee. The test is 30 questions, and you need to answer 23 correctly. The certificate lasts for 5 years. The SDSO doesn’t need this certificate, but you need it in order to buy a handgun to put on your permit. After you get a CCW you won’t need an FSC in order to buy more guns.
Fifth, do you own a handgun? While you won’t need one in order to apply, you will need one to qualify with before your CCW is issued. It is a good idea to purchase a handgun before you apply for a permit in order to be sure that the California DOJ (who does your 10 day wait/background check) has an accurate record of your prior criminal history. More than a few people are denied because of errors on their criminal history record. Buying a handgun before you apply for a CCW is also a good idea in order to get some time practicing and getting comfortable shooting with the firearm you intend to carry on your CCW.
That is all you will need to apply for a permit.
2. How Do I Apply for a CCW Permit in San Diego County?
The SDSO has made applying for a permit incredibly easy. The initial application is online, and you can submit all your supporting documents (residency/ID/military) electronically. You will still need to physically attend a training class and go to the SDSO for an interview/fingerprints and a photograph, but it is a rather uncomplicated process. The new website is called CCW PRO and contains detailed instructions on setting up an account and applying for a CCW. The total cost for a CCW is about $270 including the application and fingerprint (LiveScan) fee. When you apply, you will be given an interview date and this is where the SDSO is struggling. The current wait time is around 12 months in order to get an interview. That’s right, you will have to wait a year before they will even think about giving you a CCW. That type of delay is the subject of ongoing litigation in California, and we may get some relief in the near future on “unreasonable” delays in permitting. One thing that our clients do is constantly watch the appointment time calendar and try to book earlier interview dates after any cancellations.
3. What will SDSO make me do, and what documents will I need in
order to get a CCW?
Prior to Bruen, the qualification process for a CCW was rather subjective and revolved around whether the Sheriff believed that you had “good moral character” and “good cause” to have a CCW. After Bruen, the process became a lot more objective with fixed requirements, but some things have been added that retained some of those subjective qualifications. It did become a lot more difficult, however, for the Sheriff to turn down someone for a CCW and the subjective “good moral character/good reason” requirements went away. Our firm has fought and beat the SDSO improperly denying a San Diego County resident the right to a CCW. Other than your ID, proof of residency (cable/phone etc. bills,) maybe a DD214 if you are a veteran, and employment verification, you don’t need any other documents to apply. The Sheriff may require three “good character” letters from people that know you. They also may require you to submit to a psychological evaluation although this is rare.
The SDSO will have you come to their office for an interview to go over your application, take a picture for your permit, and take your fingerprints by Live Scan. After you get notification you have been approved (usually within 90 days of the interview), you will need to qualify with your firearms. This can only be done at a training center approved by the SDSO but there are a lot of them in San Diego County, mostly at gun store/ranges. You will need to take a 16-hour training class that will teach you about CCW laws, the law of self-defense, and test your proficiency with the guns you want on your permit. You will need to shoot 100 rounds of ammunition during the process with 15 rounds being used per gun to test your accuracy. It is an easy test if you have been practicing (as you should) with 5 rounds each at 7 and 5 yards two- handed and 5 rounds at three yards with one hand. You can have as many guns as you want on your permit, but the permit card can only contain 5 guns. If you have more than that you will need to carry multiple cards. The teacher/trainer will give you a certificate that shows what guns you qualified with and you will upload the certificate into CCW Pro for the SDSO review and records.
4. I just got my CCW, where can I carry my gun?
This is where things get really complicated. The government of California has demonstrated that they are hostile to private firearms ownership and believe that guns should not be carried outside the home. Open carry is prohibited in California (with some limited exceptions) and concealed carry is tightly regulated. Bruen made it difficult for the state to deny its citizens the right to carry concealed firearms outside their home. The government didn’t like that, so they tried the next best thing: they made it virtually impossible to carry concealed outside the home by labeling basically all public spaces “sensitive areas” that restrict concealed carry. When Senate Bill-2 (SB2) became effective in 2024, restricting where a CCW permit holder would be allowed to carry, the court fight started. As of November 2024, some of the “sensitive area” restrictions have been upheld by courts and some have been found unenforceable. Here is a brief overview of the good, the bad and the ugly: you need to keep up with this because carrying where you are not allowed to carry might get your permit revoked and get you prosecuted.
You can’t CCW here: bars and restaurants that serve alcohol (yes, even if you aren’t drinking,) parks/playgrounds, stadiums, casinos, libraries, government buildings, jails, courts, schools, airports and their attached parking lots.
You can CCW here: churches, hospitals and medical facilities, public transportation (sorry no planes,) banks, all business held open to the public.
The big question asked by CCW permit holders is “Can I still carry in the grocery store or Walmart?” Right now, the answer is yes. SB-2 tried to restrict concealed carry in private businesses by stating that the business must post a sign saying CCW was welcome. If the store didn’t have a sign, then CCW was automatically prohibited after SB-2. That, along with the attached parking lot restrictions would mean CCW permit holders would have only been allowed to drive around with their gun and likely never be allowed to get out of their car without violating the law. Fortunately, that section of SB-2 is not being enforced and hopefully will be found unconstitutional by the time the case is over. What if a business has a sign that says, “No Weapons?” Today, that sign has no legal effect in California, however, if the business owner somehow finds out you are armed and asks you to leave you need to leave (it’s their store.)
Getting a CCW permit can be a straightforward process, and the only real complication is how long it takes to get your permit after applying. There are complications that do come up for some people along the way and those people really should talk to an attorney that understands the full spectrum of 2 nd Amendment law. The Law Offices of David Silldorf is ready to represent you on any firearms related case or question you have in San Diego County and throughout the State of California at large.
