How to Fill Out the New York Pistol/Revolver License Amendment Form (PPB-5)

The PPB-5 form is the New York State Police pistol, revolver, and semi-automatic rifle license amendment form you file whenever your license needs updating — a firearm added or removed, a new address, or a legal name change. Outside New York City, you submit it to your local licensing officer, usually the county clerk, who forwards the record to the Division of State Police in Albany. The statutory fee is $3 per amendment in most counties, with higher amounts in Suffolk, Westchester, Nassau, and New York City.

When You Need to File a PPB-5

Under Penal Law § 400.00, subdivision 9, a licensed person outside New York City may apply to their licensing officer “at any time” to add or remove weapons from the license.1New York State Senate. New York Penal Code 400.00 – Licensing and Other Provisions Relating to Firearms In practice, you file a PPB-5 when:

  • You acquire a handgun through a dealer purchase, private transfer, or inheritance. Every pistol or revolver you own must appear on your license before you take possession.
  • You sell, trade, or give away a handgun, so the serial number is removed from your license.
  • You move. A change of residence triggers a mandatory ten-day written notification.
  • You change your legal name through marriage, divorce, or court order.
  • You add or remove a semi-automatic rifle. Since the August 2022 revision of the PPB-5, the same form covers semi-automatic rifle amendments.

The statute does not set an explicit deadline for adding or removing firearms — it says you “may apply at any time.” But possessing a handgun that isn’t listed on your license creates serious legal exposure, so file promptly after any acquisition.

Where to Get the Form

You can download the PPB-5 from the New York State Gun Safety website at gunsafety.ny.gov/forms.2Gun Safety – NY.Gov. Forms The New York State Police firearms page also lists it and offers a general firearms line at 1-855-529-4867.3New York State Police. Firearms

Many counties use their own customized versions or require supplemental paperwork alongside the state form. Call your county clerk’s office or local licensing authority before you fill anything out and confirm which version they accept. Filing the wrong form sends you back to the start.

How to Fill Out the PPB-5

The PPB-5 is a one-page form, but precision matters. A single wrong character in a serial number will get your amendment kicked back.

  • License number and personal information. Your current license number, full legal name, date of birth, and address. For an address change, list the new address here.
  • Type of amendment. Indicate whether you are adding or removing a weapon, and the reason: purchase, sale, gift, loss, and so on.
  • Firearm details. For each weapon, enter the manufacturer, firearm type (pistol, revolver, or single shot), model, caliber, and serial number. Copy these from the weapon itself or the bill of sale, not from memory.4Tompkins County New York. New York Pistol/Revolver License Amendment Form
  • Signature and date. Sign and date the form. Some counties require notarization, particularly for private-sale transactions.

The most common rejection reason is a mismatch between the serial number on your form and the number in the dealer’s or seller’s records. Check every character twice.

Supporting Documents You Need to Bring

The form alone is rarely enough. Your licensing office expects supporting paperwork that depends on the type of change:

  • Adding a firearm from a dealer. A bill of sale or receipt from the licensed dealer showing make, model, caliber, and serial number.
  • Adding a firearm from a private transfer. A notarized statement from the seller with the same details, plus proof the transfer went through a licensed dealer as New York law requires.
  • Removing a firearm. A receipt or bill of sale from the buyer or receiving dealer confirming the transfer out of your possession.
  • Name change. A certified copy of the marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court-issued name change order.
  • Address change. Proof of your new residence, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or government-issued mail.

Keep copies of everything. The licensing officer uses these records to trace the chain of custody for every handgun on your permit, and you want your own paper trail if questions come up later.

Where to File and What It Costs

Submit the completed PPB-5 and supporting documents to your local licensing authority. In most counties that is the county clerk’s office; in some it is the county court or sheriff’s office. Most require in-person filing so staff can verify your identity and inspect originals. A few, such as St. Lawrence County, accept submissions by mail.5St. Lawrence County Clerk. Instructions for Adding or Removing a Firearm on your Pistol License by Mail Many offices require or strongly prefer an appointment. Call ahead.

The statutory fee under Penal Law § 400.00 is $3 per amendment in most counties and $5 in Suffolk County. New York City, Nassau County, and Westchester County set their own fees locally. Westchester, for example, charges $25 for a standard amendment and $125 for a restriction change. Payment is usually by money order or certified check made out to the county clerk’s office, though some offices take cash for in-person filings.1New York State Senate. New York Penal Code 400.00 – Licensing and Other Provisions Relating to Firearms

The Ten-Day Rule for Address Changes

If you move, you have ten days to notify your licensing authority in writing. You must also write the new address on the back of your physical license. Where you send the notification depends on where you live:

  • Most counties outside NYC, Nassau, and Suffolk: the Division of State Police in Albany.
  • New York City: the NYPD police commissioner.
  • Nassau County: the Nassau County police commissioner.
  • Suffolk County: the Suffolk County licensing officer.

Once your licensing authority receives the notification, it has ten days to forward the change to Albany. Failing to report a move, or any other violation of section 400.00, is a Class A misdemeanor carrying up to one year in jail.1New York State Senate. New York Penal Code 400.00 – Licensing and Other Provisions Relating to Firearms

What Happens After You File

Once the licensing officer approves the amendment, a record of the weapons involved goes to the Division of State Police in Albany; the State Police may authorize electronic transmission. You will receive either a new physical license or an updated insert card. Carry the updated document whenever you possess the firearms; your license must match what you have on you.

Processing times vary dramatically by county. A straightforward add or remove might clear in two to four weeks in a smaller county but stretch to several months where caseloads are heavy. A restriction change (for example, moving from a sportsman license to unrestricted carry) usually takes much longer because the licensing officer treats it more like a new application. Some counties handle that type of change through a separate process entirely, not the PPB-5.

When a Permit Holder Dies

If a family member or friend who held a New York pistol license passes away, the estate has fifteen days to deal with the firearms. Within that window, the executor or heir must either transfer the weapons to another valid permit holder, sell them to a licensed dealer, or surrender them to local law enforcement.6Erie County Clerk. Pistol Permit Amendments An executor or beneficiary may possess the firearms during those fifteen days without criminal liability for unlicensed possession. After that, continued possession without a valid license could lead to charges.

If you are the heir and already hold a pistol license, you still need to file a PPB-5 adding the inherited firearms before the fifteen-day window closes. Contact your county clerk immediately. Many offices can expedite the amendment given the statutory deadline.

If Your Amendment Is Denied

A licensing officer who denies your amendment should give a written explanation. Common reasons are incomplete paperwork, mismatched serial numbers, or an eligibility issue that surfaced during review, such as a recent order of protection or a criminal charge. Paperwork problems are usually fixed by resubmitting with corrected documents.

For an eligibility denial, you can challenge the decision through an Article 78 proceeding in New York State Supreme Court, where a judge reviews whether the licensing officer’s decision had a rational basis. You have four months from the date you receive the final denial to file the petition.

Amendments Are Not Five-Year Recertification

The amendment process is separate from recertification. Under subdivision 10 of Penal Law § 400.00, every New York pistol license holder must recertify with the Division of State Police every five years, confirming name, date of birth, address, and every firearm possessed. The State Police send a reminder, but the obligation is yours; failure to recertify acts as an automatic revocation.1New York State Senate. New York Penal Code 400.00 – Licensing and Other Provisions Relating to Firearms Filing amendments as changes happen keeps your record current so recertification goes smoothly.