North Carolina State Law requires when approached or addressed by any officer, you must IMMEDIATLEY disclose the fact that you have a valid concealed handgun permit and inform the officer that you are in possession of a concealed handgun. You should not attempt to draw or display either your weapon or your permit to the officer unless and until he directs you to do so. Your hands are to be kept in plain view and you are not to make any sudden movements.

REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN A CONCEALED HANDGUN PERMIT:

• The applicant must be a citizen of the United States and has been a resident of the state thirty days or longer immediately preceding the filing of the application. The Sheriff may require the applicant to submit any appropriate documentation, to include birth certificates, tax filings or voter registration.
  
• The applicant must be twenty-one years of age or older.
  
• The applicant does not suffer from a physical or mental infirmity that prevents the safe handling of a handgun. The Sheriff will require the applicant to sign a release authorizing the Sheriff to receive physical and mental health records from a health care provider who has ever provided treatment or care to the applicant.
  
• The applicant must successfully complete an approved firearms safety and training course and deliver to the Sheriff proof of certification.

THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF CARRYING A CONCEALED HANDGUN:

1. Your permit to carry a concealed handgun must be carried along with valid identification whenever the handgun is being carried concealed.
   
2. W hen approached or addressed by any officer, you must disclose the fact that you have a valid concealed handgun permit and inform the officer that you are in possession of a concealed handgun. You should not attempt to draw or display either your weapon or your permit to the officer unless and until he directs you to do so. Your hands are to be kept in plain view and you are not to make any sudden movements.
   
3. At the request of any law enforcement officer, you must display both the permit and valid identification.
   
4. You may not, with or without a permit, carry a concealed weapon while consuming alcohol or while alcohol or any controlled substances are in your blood unless the controlled substance was obtained legally and taken in therapeutically appropriate amounts.
   
5. You must notify the Sheriff who issued the permit of any address change within thirty days of the change of address.
   
6. If the permit is lost or destroyed, you must notify the Sheriff who issued the permit and you may receive a duplicate permit by submitting a notarized statement to that effect along with the required fee. Do not carry a handgun without it.
   
7. Even with a permit, you may not carry a concealed handgun in the following areas:

• Any law enforcement or correctional facility
• Any space occupied by state or federal employees
• A financial institution
• Any premises where the carrying of a concealed handgun is prohibitied by the posting of a statement by the controller of the premises
• Educational property
• Areas of assemblies, parades, funerals, or demonstrations
• Places where alcoholic beverages are consumed
• State occupied property
• Any state or federal courthouse
• In an area prohibited by federal law
• Any local government building that has adopted an ordinance and posted signs prohibiting concealed carry