To get a Mobile County pistol permit, apply in person at the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office pistol permit office at 510 South Royal Street in Mobile, bring an Alabama driver’s license or state ID showing a Mobile County address, pay the fee for the term you want, and wait up to 30 days for the sheriff’s decision.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-11-75 – Permit to Carry Pistol in Vehicle or Concealed on Person Alabama’s permitless carry law, effective January 1, 2023, lets anyone 19 or older legally carry a concealed handgun without a permit, so the card is optional. People still apply for two reasons: it works as an alternative to the federal background check when buying from a licensed dealer, and it gives you legal standing to carry in roughly 30 states that recognize Alabama permits through reciprocity.
Who Qualifies
You must be at least 19 years old and a Mobile County resident. The age drops to 18 if you are an active-duty service member, an honorably discharged veteran, or a law enforcement officer. Your Alabama driver’s license or state-issued ID has to show a Mobile County address.2Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Pistol Permits
Alabama is a shall-issue state. Under Alabama Code § 13A-11-75, the sheriff must issue the permit to any applicant who meets the statutory criteria and cannot refuse based on personal discretion. A denial has to rest on a specific legal disqualification or a reasonable belief that the applicant would use the weapon unlawfully.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-11-75 – Permit to Carry Pistol in Vehicle or Concealed on Person
What Will Disqualify You
Federal law bars several categories of people from possessing firearms at all, and anyone in those categories cannot receive a permit. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), you are prohibited if you:
- Have a felony conviction, meaning any crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment, regardless of the actual sentence served.
- Are a fugitive from justice.
- Use or are addicted to a controlled substance, including marijuana.
- Have been adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to a mental institution.
- Are subject to a qualifying domestic violence protective order issued after a hearing.
- Have a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.
- Were dishonorably discharged from the military.
- Have renounced U.S. citizenship.
- Are unlawfully present in the United States or admitted on a nonimmigrant visa, with limited exceptions.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
Alabama adds its own review. The sheriff must consider whether the applicant has been found not guilty by reason of insanity, declared incompetent to stand trial, or required to undergo involuntary psychiatric treatment. Those state-level mental health findings can independently justify a denial even where no federal prohibition applies.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-11-75 – Permit to Carry Pistol in Vehicle or Concealed on Person
A Warning on Medical Marijuana
Alabama has a medical cannabis program, and the federal government rescheduled marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III in early 2026. Federal law still prohibits firearm possession by anyone who regularly uses marijuana. ATF Form 4473, filled out at every licensed dealer, asks whether you are an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. A false answer can bring federal charges carrying up to 15 years in prison. Holding an active medical marijuana card and applying for a pistol permit puts you in a legally contradictory position under current federal law.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
How to Apply
Your first application must be made in person. You can start the process online through the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office website, but you will get an email directing you to visit the office to finalize it. Renewals can be handled through the same online portal.2Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Pistol Permits
The pistol permit office is at 510 South Royal Street, Mobile, AL 36603. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a closure from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. The office is closed on state holidays.2Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Pistol Permits
Bring a valid Alabama driver’s license or state ID with a current Mobile County address. The application asks for your full legal name, any maiden name, driver’s license number, and how long you have lived at your current address.4Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Pistol Permit Application If your ID still shows an old address, expect to be asked for proof of your current residence. Fill the form out carefully. Incomplete applications reset the 30-day clock.
Fees and Permit Length
Mobile County offers three durations:
- One-year permit: $20
- Five-year permit: $125
- Lifetime permit, ages 19 to 59: $300
- Lifetime permit, age 60 and older: $1502Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Pistol Permits
Active-duty service members, honorably discharged veterans, and law enforcement officers pay no fee for any term. The five-year and lifetime options save money against repeated one-year renewals and spare you a return trip to the office each year.
One wrinkle matters if you plan to use the permit at gun stores. Federal rules only recognize permits issued within the last five years as an alternative to the NICS background check. A lifetime permit stays valid for carrying forever, but after five years a dealer may still run a standard background check at the point of sale.5Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Brady Permit Chart
Processing Time
The sheriff has 30 days from receipt of a completed application to approve or deny it. During that window, department staff check your information against criminal history databases and mental health records to confirm you are not a prohibited person.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-11-75 – Permit to Carry Pistol in Vehicle or Concealed on Person The permit itself is a hard card roughly the size of a driver’s license. Keep your mailing address current with the Sheriff’s Office so renewal notices reach you.
If Your Application Is Denied
The sheriff must give you a written statement explaining the legal basis for the denial, including the evidence relied on, unless disclosing it would interfere with a criminal investigation.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-11-75 – Permit to Carry Pistol in Vehicle or Concealed on Person If you think the denial is wrong, you can appeal to the district court in Mobile County within 30 days of the denial letter. Common grounds include criminal records the applicant did not know about, outstanding warrants, or incomplete mental health reporting from another jurisdiction.
Using the Permit Outside Alabama
Permitless carry only protects you inside Alabama. Cross a state line and you need the destination state’s permission to carry concealed. An Alabama pistol permit gives you that standing in roughly 30 reciprocity states, including Florida, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The list changes as states update their agreements, so check the destination state’s current rules before traveling with a firearm.
Some states honor no out-of-state permits at all. California and New York are notable examples. Carrying concealed there on an Alabama permit is a criminal offense, not an administrative violation.
Where You Still Cannot Carry
A permit does not open every door in Alabama. State law prohibits firearms in several categories of locations:
- Law enforcement and detention facilities, including police stations, jails, prisons, and halfway houses.
- Psychiatric and mental health treatment facilities providing inpatient or custodial care.
- Government buildings with restricted access, including courthouses, district attorney offices, buildings where a county commission or city council is meeting, and primary offices of elected officials.
- Any building that uses magnetometers, key cards, biometric scanners, or similar barriers to control access during normal hours.
- Within 1,000 feet of a public demonstration after a police officer tells you one is occurring.
A permit does give you access to places that permitless carriers cannot enter. Permit holders can carry at athletic events sponsored by schools or postsecondary institutions, and at professional sporting events, when the facility has not posted a prohibition. Without a permit, you would need the venue’s express permission.
Lost or Damaged Cards
If your card is lost, stolen, or damaged, contact the pistol permit office for a replacement. State law authorizes a charge of up to $25 for reissuing a permit. You will likely need to present valid ID and may be subject to a new background check before a replacement card is issued. Until the new card arrives, you can still carry under Alabama’s permitless carry law, but you lose the reciprocity and NICS exemption benefits that depend on presenting the physical permit.