CGS 29-28a:
Permit Applications and Denial Notices

Connecticut General Statutes Section 29-28a establishes the procedural framework for pistol permit applications, including how applications are processed, the timeline for decisions, and the notice requirements when an application is denied.^[1] This statute works in conjunction with CGS 29-28 and CGS 29-32b to create a system that includes both initial application processing and a formal appeals mechanism.

Application Submission and Processing

Applications for a temporary state permit must be submitted to the chief of police, the chief of police of a qualifying tribal law enforcement unit under CGS 29-28(c), or, where there is no chief of police, the municipal chief executive officer or a resident state trooper or state police officer designated by that officer.^[1] The local authority collects the application, supporting documents and applicable fee and takes fingerprints or uses another required method of positive identification. Not later than sixty days after receiving a temporary state permit, the applicant must appear at a location designated by the DESPP Commissioner to receive the state permit, which contains a full-face photograph of the permittee.

Eight-Week Decision Deadline

The local issuing authority must inform the applicant whether the temporary state permit application has been approved or denied within eight weeks of receiving a sufficient application.^[1] A copy of the application indicating approval or denial must also be forwarded to the Commissioner of DESPP.

Written Denial Notice

If an application is denied, the issuing authority must provide the applicant with a detailed written explanation of the reasons for the denial.^[1] Grounds for denial under CGS 29-28 include a felony conviction, a conviction of certain listed misdemeanors, certain restraining or protective orders, certain confinements or admissions to a hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities, and a finding that the applicant is not a suitable person to receive a permit.

Failure to Act Within the Deadline

CGS 29-28a includes a safeguard against local authorities that fail to act on applications within the required timeframe. If the local authority has neither denied the application nor issued a temporary permit within the eight-week period, the applicant may submit an affidavit to the Commissioner of DESPP attesting to this failure. For applications filed on or after April 1, 2024, the affidavit may be presented at least 16 weeks after submission of the application, and for applications filed on or before March 30, 2024, at least 32 weeks after submission. During a major disaster or an emergency declaration by the President, or an emergency declaration by the Governor due to any disease epidemic, public health emergency or natural disaster impacting a local permitting authority, the Commissioner may not accept any affidavit until 32 weeks have passed since submission of the application. The Commissioner must then accept the affidavit in lieu of a temporary permit and notify the local authority.^[1]

Appeal to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners

An applicant whose permit is denied may appeal to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners (BFPE) within 90 days after receiving notice of the denial.^[2] The BFPE is a governor-appointed board established under CGS 29-32b that hears appeals of permit denials and revocations. Since July 1, 2025, the BFPE has eight members, all appointed by the Governor. Two are public members. The other six are appointed from nominees of the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Connecticut State Association of Chiefs of Police, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, The Connecticut State Rifle and Revolver Association, Inc., and Ye Connecticut Gun Guild, Inc. At least one member appointed by the Governor must be a lawyer licensed to practice in Connecticut, who acts as chairman of the board during the hearing of appeals.^[3]

The appeals process begins when the Board receives the appellant's written statement of the facts relied on and the relief sought under CGS 29-32b(c). An appeal cannot be rejected for mere lack of formality. A November 2025 state audit reported approximately 1,200 unheard BFPE cases as of March 13, 2024, with hearings scheduled through March 2026.^[4]

See also: Appealing a Permit Denial Through the BFPE

See also: BFPE Backlog Crisis: 1,200 Cases and Two-Year Delays