Renewing a Montana concealed carry permit costs $25, and you file the renewal with your county sheriff within the 90 days before your permit expires. Miss that window and you have a 30-day grace period after expiration to still renew at the same fee.1Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 45-8-322 – Application, Renewal, Permit, and Fees After that, you start over as a new applicant at $50.
Is Renewing Worth It in a Permitless Carry State?
Montana lets anyone who can legally possess a firearm carry concealed without a permit.2Montana Department of Justice. Concealed Weapons So the question is fair: why pay to renew?
Two reasons. Concealed carry inside Montana state government offices and buildings is authorized only if you hold a current, valid Montana permit.2Montana Department of Justice. Concealed Weapons Permitless carry doesn’t cover you there. And your permit is what triggers reciprocity when you travel; other states recognize the Montana permit, not Montana’s permitless carry law. If neither situation applies to you, the permit is optional. If either does, $25 every four years is cheap.
When to File
A Montana permit is valid for four years. The renewal window opens 90 days before the expiration date printed on your permit.1Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 45-8-322 – Application, Renewal, Permit, and Fees File early in that window and the sheriff has time to process everything before the old permit lapses.
If you miss it, the statute gives you 30 days after expiration to still file at the $25 renewal fee.1Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 45-8-322 – Application, Renewal, Permit, and Fees There’s no late fee. The permit itself, though, is expired during that grace period, so carrying on it in state buildings or out of state is not something to count on.
Past 30 days, the renewal path closes. You file a new application, pay the full $50 initial fee, and go through the initial application process from scratch.4Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 45-8-322 – Application, Renewal, Permit, and Fees
What to Bring
Renewals go through the sheriff’s office in the Montana county where you currently live. Bring:
The application asks for updated contact information, physical description, five years of employment history, five years of addresses, and three character references who have known you for at least five years and are not relatives or employers.3Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 45-8-322 – Application, Renewal, Permit, and Fees You sign a sworn statement confirming you still meet the legal qualifications. Match the details on the form to your photo ID exactly; mismatches slow processing.
Fingerprints are the sheriff’s call, not automatic, and the fee for them is capped at $5.1Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 45-8-322 – Application, Renewal, Permit, and Fees A new firearms safety or training course is not required to renew.
How the Sheriff Processes the Renewal
You submit the application in person. The sheriff runs a background check to confirm nothing disqualifying has happened during the four years your permit was active. By statute, the sheriff has up to 60 days from the filing date to decide.5Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 45-8-323 – Denial of Renewal, Revocation of Permit File at the start of your 90-day window and there’s a comfortable cushion. Once approved, the office notifies you to pick up the renewed permit.
Who Still Qualifies
Montana’s eligibility rules require that you be a Montana resident of at least six months, a U.S. citizen, and at least 18 years old.1Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 45-8-322 – Application, Renewal, Permit, and Fees If you’ve moved out of state, you no longer qualify to renew a Montana permit.
Federal law under 18 U.S.C. ยง 922(g) disqualifies anyone with a felony conviction (any crime punishable by more than a year), a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction, a qualifying domestic violence protective order, fugitive status, unlawful drug use or addiction, a mental health commitment or adjudication as mentally defective, a dishonorable military discharge, or renounced U.S. citizenship.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 922 – Unlawful Acts Any of these picked up during your four-year permit will surface in the background check and block the renewal.
If Your Renewal Is Denied
The sheriff can deny a renewal when circumstances have changed such that you would no longer qualify for an original permit. A new felony conviction, domestic violence misdemeanor, protective order, or mental health adjudication are the common triggers. Montana law allows you to appeal a denial or revocation to the district court.5Montana Code Annotated. Montana Code 45-8-323 – Denial of Renewal, Revocation of Permit
Where the Renewed Permit Still Won’t Get You In
A current permit doesn’t override location-based restrictions. Concealed carry in a courtroom or court-controlled space is illegal unless the presiding judge specifically allows it, and public schools are off-limits unless the local school board has authorized it.2Montana Department of Justice. Concealed Weapons Federal buildings prohibit firearms entirely; violations can carry up to a year in prison, or up to two years for federal court facilities.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities Local governments can regulate carry in certain areas as well, so check with your county sheriff about local rules.
For out-of-state travel, reciprocity depends on the destination state’s current rules, and you need to verify directly with that state before you carry there.2Montana Department of Justice. Concealed Weapons That verification is easier with a current permit in your wallet than after the grace period has run out.