How to Complete and Submit the Connecticut DPS-46-C Pistol Permit Application

The Connecticut DPS-46-C pistol permit application is the form you file with your local police department to begin a two-step process: local approval gets you a 60-day temporary permit, and a follow-up visit to a State Police Special Licensing and Firearms Unit office converts that into a five-year permanent permit. You pay $70 at each stage, plus fingerprint and safety course costs. The form itself is short, but it will be rejected on the spot if you show up without the right supporting documents or a proper notarization.

Gather These Documents Before You Fill Anything Out

A Firearms Safety Course Certificate

You need a completion certificate from a state-approved handgun safety course before you can submit the DPS-46-C. For applications filed on or after July 1, 2024, the course must have been completed no more than two years before you submit, and it must include instruction in Connecticut firearms law.¹ The instructor must be certified by the NRA or the state. If your certificate is older than two years, it will not be accepted and you’ll need to retake the course.

Proof of Legal Presence in the United States

Bring one of the following:²

If you were born in the U.S.: an original birth certificate with a raised seal, or a valid U.S. passport.
If you are a naturalized citizen: a naturalization certificate or a valid U.S. passport.
If you are a permanent resident: a valid Permanent Resident Card or documentation of permanent residence from USCIS.

CCHRS Pre-Enrollment Confirmation

Connecticut runs fingerprint background checks through the Connecticut Criminal History Request System. Before your appointment at the local police department, pre-enroll online at ct.flexcheck.us.idemia.io, complete the form, and pay the processing fee. You’ll get an applicant tracking number by email.³ Print the confirmation and bring it with you. This fee is separate from the $70 you’ll pay the local authority.

Filling Out the DPS-46-C

The form is available on the DESPP website and from local police departments.⁴ A few towns, including Naugatuck, run the application through an online portal, so check with your department before printing.

Personal Information

The top section asks for your full legal name, date of birth, address, height, weight, eye color, and hair color. The physical descriptors get printed on your permit card, so double-check them.

Application Type

Select “Temporary State Permit.” That is the only option a local authority can process. The permanent permit comes later, from the State Police.

Background History Questions

You’ll answer yes/no questions about your criminal record, pending charges, protection orders, substance abuse history, and mental health treatment. Answer honestly. A “yes” flags an issue for review; it doesn’t automatically disqualify you. Lying, on the other hand, is itself a crime. A false written statement made to mislead a public servant is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.⁵

Notarization

Sign the completed form in front of a Notary Public or a Commissioner of the Superior Court.² Do not sign it at home. If the notarization is missing or improperly executed, the application is rejected before anyone reads it. Banks, UPS stores, and town clerk offices commonly offer notary services for a small fee.

Submitting the Application Locally

You must appear in person. Bring the notarized DPS-46-C, your safety course certificate, your proof of legal status, and your CCHRS confirmation to your local police department. In towns without an organized police force, submit to the First Selectman’s office. Mailed applications are not accepted at this stage.

At the appointment, you’ll be fingerprinted and pay a non-refundable $70 fee.⁶ Accepted payment methods vary. Some departments require a money order or bank check and won’t take cash or cards, so call first. The department forwards your fingerprints for state and FBI criminal history checks.

The issuing authority has eight weeks from submission to approve or deny.² During that period, the local authority reviews your background check results and separately assesses whether you are a “suitable person” to hold a permit. Connecticut is a “may issue” state, so clearing every objective disqualifier is not the same as being approved. Suitability is a judgment call about your overall reputation and conduct.

If approved, you receive a Temporary State Permit. It is valid for exactly 60 days and cannot be renewed.⁶ Let it lapse and you restart the whole local process, including a new fee.

Converting the Temporary Permit to a Permanent One

Within those 60 days, visit a State Police Special Licensing and Firearms Unit office. There are three:⁷

Middletown (main SLFU office): 1111 Country Club Road, Middletown, CT 06457
Troop G: 149 Prospect Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604
Troop E: I-395 North (between exits 6 and 9), Montville, CT 06382

Bring your valid temporary permit and a second $70 payment. The State Police verify your paperwork, take a digital photo, and issue your permanent hard-card permit, which authorizes you to carry a pistol or revolver in Connecticut for five years.²

Total permit fees come to $140 ($70 local and $70 state). Fingerprint processing and the safety course can add over $100 on top of that.

Who Cannot Receive a Permit

Before spending time and money on the DPS-46-C, check yourself against the statutory disqualifiers. Under C.G.S. § 29-28, you cannot receive a temporary or permanent permit if you are under 21, have a felony conviction, have certain misdemeanor convictions within the last 20 years (including third-degree assault, second-degree threatening, stalking, second-degree reckless endangerment, or any family violence crime), were found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and discharged within the last 20 years, were confined to a psychiatric hospital by probate court order within the last 60 months, were voluntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital for a psychiatric disability within the last six months, are subject to a restraining, protective, or risk protection order, are federally prohibited from possessing firearms under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), or are not lawfully present in the United States.¹⁸ You also need a bona fide permanent residence in the jurisdiction where you apply.

One point worth flagging: marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law regardless of Connecticut’s legalization. Active use, including medical use, can make you a federally prohibited person under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), even where the state process does not surface the issue in the same way.

If Your Application Is Denied

Under C.G.S. § 29-28a, you have 90 days from the date of denial to appeal to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners.⁹ Send a one-page letter requesting a hearing along with the Board’s three-page Appellant Questionnaire, and include a copy of your denial letter if you have one. You can mail the appeal to the Board at 165 Capitol Ave., Suite 1070, Hartford, CT 06106, or email it to bfpe@ct.gov. If the eight-week local decision window passes without a response, that counts as a constructive denial and you can appeal on the same basis.

1
Justia. Connecticut Code 29-28 – Permit for Sale at Retail of Firearms. Permit to Carry Pistol or Revolver. Confidentiality of Name and Address of Permit Holder. Permits for Out-of-State Residents
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Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. State Pistol Permit
3
State of Connecticut. Criminal History Records Checks for Backers and Key Employees – Section: Connecticut Criminal History Request System Process
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Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Where Can I Find Forms and Documents to Apply for a Firearm or Special License
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Justia. Connecticut Code 53a-157b – False Statement
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Justia. Connecticut Code 29-30 – Fees for Permits for Sale at Retail of Firearms and for Carrying of Pistols and Revolvers. Expiration and Renewal of Permits
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Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Office Hours and Locations
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Justia. Connecticut Code 29-36f – Eligibility
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Office of Governmental Accountability Board of Firearms Permit Examiners. How Do I Appeal