Connecticut law generally requires a person purchasing or receiving a pistol or revolver to hold a valid State Pistol Permit, a permit to sell firearms at retail or a Handgun Eligibility Certificate, unless the person is a federal marshal, parole officer or peace officer. The Handgun Eligibility Certificate, governed by CGS 29-36f through 29-36i, allows the holder to purchase or receive a pistol or revolver without a permit to carry a pistol or revolver.[1]
What the Certificate Authorizes
The Handgun Eligibility Certificate authorizes the holder to purchase pistols and revolvers. The transport exception covers an unloaded firearm in its original sale packaging from the place of sale to the purchaser's residence or place of business. In a motor vehicle, it must not be readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment or, if the vehicle has no separate compartment, must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.[2] It does not authorize concealed carry or carrying a handgun on one's person in public. For that, a State Pistol Permit is required.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants for a Handgun Eligibility Certificate must meet the following requirements under CGS 29-36f:[1]
- Be at least 21 years old
- Be a legal resident of the United States
- Have no felony convictions
- Have no disqualifying Connecticut misdemeanor convictions within the preceding eight years, no misdemeanor conviction under CGS 21a-279 on or after October 1, 2015, no misdemeanor designated as a family violence crime under CGS 46b-38h, and no qualifying misdemeanor conviction from another state, a federal, tribal or military court, or a foreign jurisdiction within the preceding eight years
- Not have been convicted as delinquent for the commission of a serious juvenile offense, as defined in CGS 46b-120
- Not be subject to a restraining or protective order issued by a court in a case involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, including an ex parte order issued under CGS 46b-15 or 46b-16a
- Not have been discharged from custody within the preceding 20 years after being found not guilty of a crime by reason of mental disease or defect
- Not have been confined in a hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities by probate court order within the preceding 60 months, or voluntarily admitted there on or after October 1, 2013, or committed there under an emergency certificate on or after October 1, 2023, within the preceding six months for psychiatric care and treatment other than solely for alcohol or drug dependence
- Not be subject to a firearms seizure order issued before June 1, 2022, after notice and hearing, or a risk protection order or risk protection investigation order issued on or after June 1, 2022, under CGS 29-38c
- Not be prohibited from shipping, transporting, possessing or receiving a firearm under 18 USC 922(g)(2), (g)(4) or (g)(9)
- Not be an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States
Required Firearms Safety Course
For any application filed on or after July 1, 2024, the applicant must have successfully completed, not earlier than two years before submitting the application, a course approved by the Commissioner of DESPP in the safety and use of firearms, conducted by an instructor certified by the National Rifle Association or by the state. The course must include instruction in state law requirements pertaining to safe storage in the home and in vehicles, lawful use of firearms and lawful carrying of firearms in public. DESPP states that the handgun safety course must consist of no less than the NRA's Basic Pistol Course.[2]
Application Process
Unlike the resident State Pistol Permit, the Handgun Eligibility Certificate does not begin with a request for a temporary state permit submitted to the local permitting authority. Applicants apply directly to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) through the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit (SLFU).[1]
The application requires:
- Completed application form prescribed by the Commissioner
- Upon the Commissioner's request, full information concerning the applicant's criminal record and relevant information concerning the applicant's mental health history
- Submission of photographs and fingerprints or another method of positive identification required by the State Police Bureau of Identification or the FBI, together with state and national criminal history record checks
- Proof of completed firearms safety course
- Application fee of $35.00, payable to the Treasurer, State of Connecticut
Processing Timeline
Within 90 days, the Commissioner must approve the application and issue the certificate, issue a temporary eligibility certificate or deny the application with a written reason. A temporary certificate remains valid until approval or denial. The Commissioner must approve or deny within 60 days after receiving the FBI national criminal history records check.[2] If denied, the applicant receives a written explanation of the reason for denial and may appeal to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners (BFPE) within 90 days of receiving the denial notice.[3]
Certificate Duration and Renewal
An original Handgun Eligibility Certificate expires five years after its effective date. A renewal expires five years after the expiration date of the certificate being renewed. The renewal fee is $35.00. DESPP sends a renewal notice by first-class mail or electronic mail at least 90 days before the expiration date.[2]
Certificate vs. Pistol Permit
Holders of a valid State Pistol Permit do not need a separate Handgun Eligibility Certificate. The State Pistol Permit satisfies all eligibility requirements for purchasing handguns and additionally authorizes concealed carry.[2]
See also: How to Get a Connecticut Long Gun Eligibility Certificate