Fayette County has become one of the growing number of counties in Pennsylvania to offer an online option for residents to apply for a concealed carry permit.
Sheriff Jim Custer said they went into discussions with Permitium LLC to launch the online license-to-carry (LTC) application.
The pandemic forced some courthouses to shut down, stopping people from obtaining the permits, Custer said. While his office still processed applications, it was done by appointment.
Even prior to the pandemic, the in-person application process wasn’t convenient, he said.
Applicants were either approved within minutes through the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) or, depending on how backlogged the system was, the wait could be one or two hours.
“We may do 17 to 52 (in-person) applications just depending on the day,” Custer said. “People really spend some time in here just waiting.”
When approved, the applicant would pay the $20 fee and have their photo taken and would leave with their LTC permit.
Custer said the online option has the applicant fill out the same paperwork they would in person, and pay the fee via debit or credit card. That information is submitted to PICS, and once approved, the sheriff’s department contacts the applicant via phone or email to schedule a time to have their photo taken at the courthouse and receive their permit.
He added that the online system not only alleviates the number of people waiting to be approved at the courthouse, but also allows them to apply when the courthouse is closed for the day, over weekends or on holidays.
Custer said his department had a soft rollout of the program in April to get the staff used to the new way of processing applications. Everything ran smoothly, he said.
“I thought this is a good, positive way to do it,” Custer said, adding that he believes about one-third of the state’s 67 counties offer the online application.
Anyone who’s interested in applying online can do so by visiting www.fayettecountypa.org/542/sheriff and select “Online Concealed Carry Permits” on the left side of the page. That link will direct the user to the Permitium Homepage and to the online application.
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Proper photo ID is required to be presented prior to photo being taken and the LTC being issued.
For individuals who may not have access to a computer or prefer not to use the online method, the department will continue to use the standard walk-in process.