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Legal Information: Alaska

Statutes: Alaska

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Updated: 
August 8, 2023

Sec. 18.65.700. Permit to carry a concealed handgun

(a) The department shall issue a permit to carry a concealed handgun to a person who

(1) applies in person at an office of the Alaska State Troopers;

(2) qualifies under AS 18.65.705;

(3) submits on an application form approved by the department the information required under AS 18.65.705 and 18.65.710; the department shall post on the department’s website the state laws and regulations relating to concealed handguns, which must include a concise summary of where, when, and by whom a handgun can be carried under state and federal law and shall, on request, mail a copy of the regulations and summary to an applicant or permittee;

(4) submits one complete set of fingerprints in the format approved by the department that is of sufficient quality so that the fingerprints may be processed; the fingerprints must be taken by a person, group, or agency approved by the department; the department shall maintain a list of persons, groups, or agencies approved to take fingerprints and shall provide the list to the public upon request; the fingerprints shall be used to obtain a report of criminal justice information under AS 12.62 and a national criminal history record check under AS 12.62.400;

(5) submits evidence of successful completion of a handgun course as provided in AS 18.65.715;

(6) provides one frontal view color photograph of the person taken within the preceding 30 days that includes the head and shoulders of the person and is of a size specified by the department;

(7) shows a valid Alaska driver’s license or identification card at the time of application;

(8) does not suffer a physical infirmity that prevents the safe handling of a handgun; and

(9) pays the application fee required by AS 18.65.720.

(b) The department shall either approve or reject an application for a permit to carry a concealed handgun under (a) of this section within 30 days of receipt of the application. If the department has not received necessary fingerprint eligibility information from another agency by the end of this 30-day period, and the applicant is otherwise eligible, the department shall issue a conditional permit to the applicant subject to immediate revocation under the procedure provided in AS 18.65.740(a)–(c) if the fingerprint information subsequently discloses that the applicant is ineligible for a permit. The department shall notify the applicant in writing of the reason for a rejection.

(c) A person whose application is rejected under this section may appeal the rejection decision to the commissioner. A person may seek judicial review of the decision of the commissioner under AS 44.62.560-44.62.570.

(d) A permit issued under (a) of this section expires on the person’s birthday in the fifth year following issuance of the permit. The department may adjust the length of an initial permit so that a permit is not issued for a period of more than five years.

(e) The department shall issue a permit to carry a concealed handgun to an honorably retired peace officer of this state who applies for a concealed handgun permit within one year of the officer’s retirement and who satisfies the requirements of this subsection. To qualify for a permit under this subsection, an honorably retired peace officer must satisfy (a)(1)–(3) and (6)–(9) of this section and, unless the honorably retired peace officer has qualified with a handgun within five years of the officer’s retirement, must also satisfy (a)(5) of this section. The department may not require an honorably retired peace officer applying under this subsection to comply with (a)(4) of this section to receive a permit. The department shall issue the permit without submitting information to or receiving permit eligibility information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The department may adopt regulations to define an “honorably retired peace officer” and the evidence that must be submitted to establish eligibility under this subsection.