Weapons Carry License

Weapons Carry Licenses

Probate Court accepts applications Monday - Friday during the following hours:    

                         8:00-11:30am and 1:00-3:30pm

It takes approximately 15 minutes for the application process then the applicant must have a background check and prints done inside the courthouse by the Sheriff's office and take approximately 30 minutes; except on heavy court days when you may have an extended wait.  

Please call 706-387-6277 if you have any questions.

Fee schedule is below and applies to all WCL's--New and Renewal

   $76.00 Cash/money order OR $78.50 VISA/MasterCard ($2.50 processing fee)  --NO CHECKS AND NO SPLIT PAYMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.   

You will need a valid Georgia driver's license, with current address and county.  If your driver's license shows a P.O. box you must present one of the following to establish residency:  Jackson County Voter Registration card or current tag receipt.

If renewal, you will also need your old firearms license.

After you have completed the application and background check it takes approx. 2 weeks at which time you will be mailed your new Weapons Carry License or a letter requesting more information.

All Foreign nationals must have INS resident card, Naturalized US citizen must bring your naturalization papers both must also have 3 months of utility bills in your name and showing your physical address.
 
  

Licensing Exceptions

No Weapons Carry License shall be granted to:

Any person under 21 years of age;

Any person convicted of a felony who has not been pardoned;

Any person against whom proceedings are pending for any felony (under indictment);

Any person who is a fugitive from justice;

Any person who is prohibited pursuant to subsections (g) and (n) of 18 U.S.C. § 922:

    (g)(1) Persons convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, whether or not sentence was imposed. This includes misdemeanor offenses with a potential term of imprisonment in excess of two years, whether or not sentence was imposed.

    (g)(2) Persons who are fugitives from justice.

    (g)(3) Persons who are unlawful users of or addicted to any controlled substance.

    (g)(4) Persons who have been adjudicated as mental defectives or committed to any mental institution.

    (g)(5) Persons who are aliens and are illegally or unlawfully in the United States and Legal aliens having a nonimmigrant status not covered by an exception.

    (g)(6) Persons who have been dishonorably discharged from the U. S. Armed Forces.

    (g)(7) Persons who have renounced their U. S. citizenship.

    (g)(8) Persons who are subject to current restraining order involving an intimate partner or the child of an intimate partner.

    (g)(9) Persons who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

    (n) Persons under current indictment or information for a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment in excess of one year;

Any person who has been convicted of an offense arising out of the unlawful manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance or other dangerous drug;

Any person who has had his or her weapons carry license revoked pursuant to subsection (e) of this Code Section, which states:

    (e) Revocation, loss, or damage to license. If, at any time during the period for which the weapons carry license was issued, the judge of the probate court of the county in which the license was issued shall learn or have brought to his or her attention in any manner any reasonable ground to believe the licensee is not eligible to retain the license, the judge may, after notice and hearing, revoke the license of the person upon a finding that such person is not eligible for a weapons carry license pursuant to subsection (b) of the Code section or an adjudication of falsification of application, mental incompetency, or chronic alcohol or narcotic usage.

Any person who has been convicted of any of the following and who has not been free of all restraint or supervision in connection therewith and free of another conviction for at least five (5) years immediately preceding the date of the application:

    (i) Pointing a gun or pistol at another person (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-102)

    (ii) Carrying a weapon without a weapons carry license (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126),

    (iii) Carrying a weapon or long gun in an unauthorized location (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-127);

Any person who has been convicted of any misdemeanor involving the use or possession of a controlled substance and who, for the five (5) years immediately preceding the date of application, has not been free of all restraint or supervision in connection therewith or free of:

    (i) a second conviction of any misdemeanor involving use or possession of a controlled substance, or

    (ii) any conviction under subparagraphs (E) through (G), which prohibit:

Any person who is federally prohibited

Any person convicted of an offense arising out of the unlawful manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance or dangerous drug,

Any person who has had his or her weapons carry license revoked

Any person who has been hospitalized as an inpatient in any mental hospital or alcohol or drug treatment center within the five (5) years immediately preceding the application. The judge may require the applicant to sign a waiver authorizing the treatment facility to inform the judge whether or not the applicant has been an inpatient and authorizing the superintendent to make a recommendation to the judge regarding whether the applicant is a threat to the safety of others and whether a license to carry a weapon should be issued....It will be at the discretion of the judge, considering the circumstances surrounding the hospitalization and the recommendation of the superintendent of the hospital or treatment center, to issue a weapons carry license or renewal license.

If the applicant was afforded first offender treatment, without adjudication of guilt, for a conviction of one of the following charges (drug related) and the sentence was successfully completed and the person has not had any other convictions (of any sort) since the completion of the sentence and it has been five (5) years since the sentence was successfully completed, the applicant will be eligible for a weapons carry license, provided no other prohibitors apply:

Any person who has been convicted of an offense arising out of the unlawful manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance or other dangerous drug

Any person who has been convicted of any misdemeanor involving the use or possession of a controlled substance.