How Much Is a Gun Permit in Alabama? Fees, Lifetime, and Exemptions

A concealed carry permit in Alabama costs anywhere from $10 per year in some counties to $300 for a lifetime permit, with a $150 lifetime rate for applicants 60 and older and full fee waivers for military members and law enforcement. Permits have been optional since January 1, 2023, when Alabama’s permitless carry law took effect, but county sheriff’s offices still issue them and many gun owners still pay for one.

One-Year and Five-Year Permit Fees

Alabama’s fee structure has two layers. State statute sets a default price, and individual counties can set their own fees by local law. If your county has passed a local fee ordinance, you pay whatever that ordinance specifies. If it hasn’t, the statutory default is $25 for a one-year permit and $125 for a five-year permit.¹

County fees vary widely in practice. Lauderdale County charges $10 per year and $50 for five years.² Montgomery County charges $20 per year and $125 for five years.³ Call your county sheriff’s office before you apply so you know the exact amount.

Lifetime Permit Cost

Lifetime permits are priced by state law, not county ordinance. The fee is $300, or $150 if you are 60 or older when you apply.¹

You cannot start with a lifetime permit. You must already hold a valid concealed carry permit before you apply for the lifetime version, and the sheriff can require you to have held one for up to five consecutive years first. That requirement sits at the sheriff’s discretion and cannot be appealed.

There is a credit if you renew promptly. If you apply for a lifetime permit within one year after your most recent permit expired, the fee is reduced by whatever you paid for that expired permit. A $125 five-year permit that just lapsed brings your lifetime cost down to $175 instead of $300.¹

Free Permits for Military and Law Enforcement

Active-duty service members, honorably discharged veterans, current law enforcement officers, and honorably retired law enforcement officers pay nothing for any permit type, including lifetime permits. The statute makes this an absolute waiver, not a discount.¹ Military members can also apply at 18 rather than the standard 19.

Why People Still Pay for a Permit

Anyone 19 or older who can legally possess a firearm can carry concealed in Alabama without a permit, so the fees above are optional. Two federal issues make the money worth spending for many people.

The first is reciprocity. Several states honor an Alabama permit but do not extend the same courtesy to someone carrying with no permit at all. If you travel to Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Indiana, North Carolina, or other states on the Attorney General’s list, having an Alabama permit lets you carry legally when you arrive.⁴ Alabama itself recognizes permits from every other state. Reciprocity agreements change, so check before a trip.

The second is the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act. Federal law makes it a crime to have a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school unless you hold a state-issued license that required law enforcement to verify your eligibility before issuing it. A federal court has held that simply living in a permitless carry state does not meet that exception, because no government verification occurred.⁵ An Alabama permit involves a sheriff’s background check, so it likely qualifies. Without one, driving through a school zone with a concealed handgun could expose you to federal prosecution even though state law allows the carry itself.

How to Apply and Pay

You apply through the sheriff’s office in the county where you live. There is no statewide portal, and you cannot apply to a sheriff in a different county. Each office runs its own process. Larger counties like Jefferson and Mobile tend to have structured systems and sometimes online application options; smaller counties may handle everything in person.

Bring the following:

Government-issued photo ID: an Alabama driver’s license, Alabama state ID card, or active military ID.⁶
Proof of residency. Your ID covers this in most cases, but some counties ask recent movers for a utility bill or lease.
A completed application, available at the sheriff’s office or sometimes on the county’s website.

You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and a resident of the county where you apply.⁶ Most sheriff’s offices accept cash, money orders, and cashier’s checks. Some accept credit or debit cards, sometimes with a small processing surcharge. Alabama does not require fingerprinting for a concealed carry permit.

What Happens If You Are Denied

The sheriff has 30 days after receiving your completed application to approve or deny it. A criminal background check drives most decisions, and the sheriff also considers whether you have been involuntarily committed, found not guilty by reason of insanity, or present a justifiable concern for public safety. The sheriff must deny the application if the check shows you are prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law.¹

A denial comes with a written notice explaining the specific reason. You can appeal to the district court in your county of residence, and during that appeal the sheriff carries the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that you should not have a permit. The court must issue a written decision within 30 days of the hearing, and if it rules in your favor the sheriff must issue the permit within five business days.¹ Whether the initial fee is refunded on denial is not something the statute addresses, so ask your sheriff’s office before you apply.

1
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-11-75 – Permit to Carry Pistol in Vehicle or Concealed on Person
2
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 45-39-233.03 – Pistol Permit Fee; Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Fund
3
Montgomery County Sheriff. Pistol Permits
4
Alabama Attorney General. Reciprocity of Concealed Carry Permits
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922
6
Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Pistol Permit General Guidelines