Concealed Handgun License

A license does not allow you to carry it everywhere. You will get a notice that you can carry when you receive your license.

Federal Facilities: You cannot possess a firearm in a Federal Facility. The term “Federal Facility” means a building or part thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government or where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties. These areas include Federal Courthouses, the Post Office, Social Security Offices, and Recruiting Offices to name a few. You are not prohibited from carrying firearms or other weapons in a Federal Facility incident to hunting or other lawful purpose. (18 USC 930) You may not take a firearm into a military post without the authorization of the post commander.

Airports: You cannot possess weapons in certain areas of airplanes or airports. If you have questions regarding areas off limits or transporting firearms in luggage, you should check with the Transportation Security Administration or the airline you will be flying with. A CHL does not permit you to carry your firearm through the security checkpoint.

National Forests or Wilderness areas: Generally, persons who have obtained a valid concealed handgun license may carry their weapon onto the National Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management lands unless there is a specific order issued by the local administrator or forest ranger to the contrary. It is your responsibility to check on restrictions where you plan to visit. Be aware that any Ranger Station or Visitors Center in any National Forest is considered a Federal Building and it is illegal to carry there.

National Parks: Generally, persons who possess valid concealed handgun licenses are not prohibited from carrying their weapons into National Parks.

State Forest Lands: You may not possess loaded firearms on State forest lands that have been designated by the Forester as “Designated Recreation Areas”. These areas may include, but are not limited to campgrounds, camping areas, day-use areas, trailheads, staging areas, and boat launch sites. (OAR 629-025-0050)

Indian Reservations and Tribal Property: Because each tribal council makes the rules that apply to its reservation, the firearms rules on Indian reservations vary greatly. For the most part, non-Indians are prohibited from carrying guns on reservations, except with the permission of the tribal council. Therefore, your concealed handgun license probably has no meaning on most Indian reservations. This also applies to certain casinos operated by tribes.

School Property: Generally, persons who possess valid concealed handgun licenses are not prohibited from carrying their weapons on school property.

Court Facilities: Your CHL does not permit you to carry a firearm or other weapon into a court facility. A court facility is defined as a courthouse or that portion of any other building occupied by the Circuit Court, the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court, or the Oregon Tax Court, occupied by personnel related to the operations of those courts, or in which activities related to the operations of those courts takes place. This prohibition applies to the entire courthouse, not just the areas adjacent to the courtrooms. Violation of this law is a Class A Felony. (ORS 166.370(2)(a)).

Private Business: Businesses can make it a condition that you do not possess a firearm while being on the premises or in the facility. Most businesses do not regulate concealed carry, however, you should expect this to occur at gun or collectible shows, conventions, concerts, and sporting events (one facility that regulates weapons is the Rose Quarter in Portland). If you are found to be carrying a firearm when prohibited, you may be denied a ticket sale, be evicted from or not be allowed onto the grounds, and possibly face arrest for trespass if you refuse to leave. If you paid an admission, you may not get a refund. Most businesses or venues will be posted at the entrance if this applies, however, there is no law that requires it. If you are planning on attending an event and are unsure of the policies, you should call the facility or sponsor prior to attending.

New concealed handgun licenses must be issued in 45 days under the law. A renewal is generally processed within two to three weeks.

The concealed handgun license is valid for four years from the date of issuance.  If you transfer your license from another Oregon county, you will keep the same expiration date.

The fee is paid when you apply through our website.  For a first-time license: $115.00 payable to Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office. This fee includes the $15.00 fee to process your fingerprints.

For a renewal: $75.00  

For a renewal with a transfer $90.00

For a transfer without a renewal: $30.00 (Includes $15.00 fingerprint fee)

For an address change or replacement: $15.00

There is a small convenience fee assessed by the website for processing.

If your application is denied, you will receive a letter from our Sheriff's Office outlining the reasons for the denial. You may petition the Circuit Court for a review of the denial within 30 days of receiving the letter.

If your DD214 indicates that you are competent with a handgun, sidearm, or pistol it will qualify. If your DD214 does not show this or shows “small arms”, we cannot accept it for competency even if you used a handgun while in the service. (Small arms are defined by the Department of Defense as weapons intended for use by individual members of armed or security forces. The definition includes not only handguns but rifles and carbines, sub-machine guns, assault rifles, and light machine guns.)

See our INFORMATION TO CHL APPLICANTS document here on our website.

If you move, you must file a change of address with our office. If you move out of county in Oregon, you must apply for a change of address in the Oregon county you move to. A new license with your address change will be issued. The cost is $15.

Oregon law prohibits the issuance of a concealed handgun license to anyone with a felony conviction, a misdemeanor conviction within the last four years, anyone on pretrial release, or anyone subject to a Family Abuse Prevention Act restraining order or stalking order. Oregon and Federal laws also prohibit a person from owning or possessing a gun if they have had a felony conviction that was reduced to a misdemeanor after completion of probation, any convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, or are subject to a court protective order that was issued after a hearing in which the person had an opportunity to participate which restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the child of an intimate partner.

The Sheriff may also deny the application if they have reasonable grounds to believe that the applicant has been or is reasonably likely to be a danger to self or others, or to the community at large, as a result of the applicant’s mental or psychological state or as demonstrated by the applicant’s past pattern of behavior involving unlawful violence or threats of unlawful violence. 

You can take an on-line course through Oregon State Sheriff’s Association: https://oregonsheriffs.org/chl

Any act or condition occurring that would prevent a person from receiving a license, would be grounds for revoking the license.

If you applied for your concealed handgun license or renewal of license through our website, you will receive an emailed reminder to renew your license.  If received your license prior to our new website process in September of 2021, you will not receive a reminder. 

No. The license only allows you to carry a handgun concealed. You may not conceal any weapon as defined by ORS 166.240 which includes a knife with a fixed blade, a knife that has a blade that swings into position by force of a spring or centrifugal force, a dirk, dagger, ice pick, slung shot, metal knuckles, or similar instruments. You also cannot conceal a rifle or shotgun.