• Any person 21 years of age or older may apply in writing to the Clerk of Circuit Court in the county in which the person resides, or if the person is a member of the United States Armed Forces, the county or city in which the person is domiciled, for a permit to carry a concealed handgun. 
• Concealed Handgun Permit Application (Form SP-248) Resident Application (for residents of Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park) is available online at the Virginia State Police website.  
• Please carefully review your application so that it is not delayed or denied because of incomplete information. Frequent errors occur in the answers to these questions (click here). 
• Fingerprint card is not required. 
• If you are not submitting the application in person, you must have it notarized.  If you submit the application in person and have not had your application notarized, do not sign it until you confirm the information on the application in front of a Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court. When you have your application confirmed by the clerk, you must have some form of government issued photo identification such as a driver's license or military ID. 
• Listing your Social Security number on the application is optional. 
• You are required to demonstrate competence with a handgun pursuant to Virginia Code § 18.2-308(G). See the list of what you may submit as evidence. 
• Include $50.00 with your application. By mail, we accept check or money order payable to "Clerk of Circuit Court." If the application is hand carried to the office, we also accept cash and credit card.  
• The completed application and $50 should be submitted either by mail or in person to: Clerk of Circuit Court, Room 314, 9311 Lee Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110-5598. If you would like us to mail your permit, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope or $.50 to cover the cost of mailing. 
• A decision will be made within 45 days of receipt of application. If you provided a self-addressed stamped envelope or paid $.50, the permit or notice of denial will be mailed to you.
• Please notify us immediately if your permit is not correct. Immediately sign the permit.   
• The permit can be laminated. Please sign the permit prior to laminating it.
• There will be NO REFUNDS. 
• It is important for you to notify this office immediately in writing of any change of address PRIOR to issuance of the permit. 
  

back to top

PROCESS

• Application and payment is received in Clerk’s Office.
• Application is sent by Clerk’s Office to the Police or Sheriff's Department for a background check.
• When the background check has been completed and there are no "red flags", the application will be processed, signed by the Clerk and a card will be mailed to you.  
• If there is a problem with the application, the Clerk's Office sends the application to Judges' Chambers. 
• The applicant may be contacted by a Law Clerk. If the Court denies the permit, the applicant will receive notice, including instructions on how to appeal, in the mail.  If it is approved, the applicant will receive the permit in the mail if a self-addressed stamped envelope or $.50 was provided. If a self-addressed stamped envelope or $.50 was not provided, the permit will be held in the office and can be picked-up in room 314. 
• To check your case number and the status of your case, go to Virginia Courts Case Information. Select Prince William and then check Civil. Search by your name. 

• New completed application. Use Concealed Handgun Permit Applications (Form SP-248). There is no separate renewal form.
• $50 processing fee. Please make your check payable to “Clerk of Circuit Court.”
• If you would like us to mail your permit, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope or $.50 to cover the cost of mailing.
• One copy of the previous Concealed Handgun Permit issued by this Court or another Virginia Circuit Court or other evidence of competence.

back to top