COVID UPDATE: PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CONCEALED CARRY INFORMATION PRIOR TO COMING TO THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE:
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind citizens of the extension to concealed carry license expiration granted by House Bill 614.
– If your license is scheduled to expire between March 9, 2020 and June 30, 2021, the expiration date is extended by 90 days OR until June 30, 2021, whichever is later. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE LICENSE HOLDERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS EXTENSION.
– Until June 30, 2021, you can apply for a license or renew a license at any Sheriff’s Office in Ohio. You are not limited to your home county or an adjacent county. ATHENS COUNTY WILL ONLY ACCEPT OUT OF COUNTY APPLICATIONS ON FRIDAYS 10AM-2PM. Sheriff Smith states “It is our duty to serve the public, and Athens County residents will remain our priority.”
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office is currently processing applications Monday-Friday 10am-2pm (excluding holidays). We strongly encourage license holders to take advantage of the extension to help us limit the spread of COVID. ATHENS COUNTY WILL ONLY ACCEPT OUT OF COUNTY APPLICATIONS ON FRIDAYS 10AM-2PM. As a reminder to all, our office does not accept cash. Fees are payable by check, money order, or a credit/debit card ($3.95 fee applies for use of any card). If you have questions regarding concealed carry, please contact Deputy Chris McCauley at 740-566-4302 or cmccauley@athenssheriff.com.
CONCEALED CARRY FOR VETERANS:
We are pleased to announce that effective November 5th 2018, county sheriffs are able to waive concealed carry fees for active and former members of the armed forces of the United States. Qualified applicants include any active or reserve member or those who have retired from or were honorably discharged from military service. The fee waiver applies to initial and renewal applications. In addition to the fee waiver, veterans are exempt from the concealed carry training requirement with proof of current or prior service. Veterans are also exempt from the 90-day renewal requirement and may renew at any time. The Ohio Attorney General is required to monitor the amount of payments waived. When the total amount waived reaches $1.5 million for the state of Ohio, county sheriffs may no longer waive payment for the remainder of the year. Please bring your DD214 or current military identification during regular business hours to apply. On behalf of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, we thank you for your service and appreciate the opportunity to give back to those who have served our great nation.
FOR CIVILIANS interested in applying, please review the following information.
If you are interested in applying for a concealed carry license or concealed carry renewal, please review the following information on applying with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office. Please note that procedures may vary by county.
CONCEALED CARRY APPLICATIONS are accepted Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. An appointment is not necessary. OUT OF COUNTY APPLICATIONS ARE ONLY ACCEPTED ON FRIDAYS. The application process takes approximately 15 minutes per person. DO NOT BRING YOUR FIREARM TO THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
Prior to applying you must first obtain eight hours of weapons proficiency training as required by law. You will need to bring your certificate of completion to the Sheriff’s Office when applying. Certificates expire three years after issuance. If you are active duty military or have been discharged within the past ten years, you may present a DD214 in lieu of a training certificate.
IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR THE FIRST TIME you will need to complete an application which can be found at http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/…/Concealed-Carry-Licens…. You may obtain a blank application at our office if you wish. You will also need to submit a color photo taken within the past 30 days with your application. If you do not have the ability to bring a photo, our office will provide one for an additional fee. Please be ready to present your training certificate and photo identification.
IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A RENEWAL you will need to complete an application which can be found at http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/…/Concealed-Carry-Licens…. You may obtain a blank application at our office if you wish. You will also need to submit a color photo taken within the past 30 days with your application. If you do not have the ability to provide a photo, our office will provide one for an additional fee. Please bring your concealed carry license and photo identification at the time of your application.
FEES ARE NONREFUNDABLE. If you have questions about your background investigation or eligibility for a license due to criminal charges, please consult an attorney prior to applying. Concealed carry fees are as follows:
Original License Ohio Resident For 5 Years: $67.00
Original License Ohio Resident For 5 Years (Photo Included): $75.00
Original License Not Ohio Resident For 5 Years: $77.00
Original License Not Ohio Resident For 5 Years (Photo Included): $85.00
Renewal License Ohio Resident For 5 Years: $50.00
Renewal License Ohio Resident For 5 Years (Photo Included): $58.00
THE ATHENS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE DOES NOT ACCEPT CASH. Fees are payable by check, money order, credit, or debit card. Please note that a $3.95 convenience fee will be charged for use of any card.
PROCESSING TIMES may vary based on the amount of applications received by our office. If you have any questions regarding this information please feel free to call our office at 740.593.6633.
ATTENTION CCW Instructors – We request that the following information be on the training certificates you provide your students.
Name, Phone number and location of Training Company
Name of Instructor and their NRA or OPOTA number
Name of Student
Date of Course Completion
A statement that the course meets or exceeds statutory requirements in ORC 2923.125
6 hours of academic classroom training and 2 hours of live firing range time training
Below is a sample of a certificate.
For additional assistance please contact our Concealed Carry Weapons Clerk, Deputy Chris McCauley at 740-566-4302 or by email at cmccauley@athenssheriff.com.
Links of interest.
Ohio Attorney General – Concealed Carry Publications and Forms