Cortland County Pistol Permit

Apply to the Cortland County Clerk. Checked against the agency's own site on 2026-10-08.

• New license: $5 for a paper packet, or free online. Other fees aren't posted.
• Local rules: The 16-hour classroom and 2-hour live-fire course, finished before you apply, for any license. Four references who aren't relatives, gunsmiths or dealers. Disclose your full legal history, including sealed and youthful offender matters.
• Good to know: The clerk's office is at 46 Greenbush Street, Suite B5 (607-753-5379).

Apply to the Cortland County Clerk · Every New York county

Common questions

How much does a pistol permit cost in Cortland County?

The Cortland County Clerk doesn't post its pistol permit fees online, so call or check its site before you apply. Training is paid separately, to the instructor.

Where do I apply for a pistol permit in Cortland County?

Apply to the Cortland County Clerk.

What does Cortland County require beyond state law?

The 16-hour classroom and 2-hour live-fire course, finished before you apply, for any license. Four references who aren't relatives, gunsmiths or dealers. Disclose your full legal history, including sealed and youthful offender matters.

How long does a pistol permit take in Cortland County?

State law gives the licensing officer six months from when you hand in your application to approve or deny it, unless they tell you in writing why it's taking longer.

Rules every New York license follows

• Who decides: In New York City it's the police commissioner, in Nassau the county police commissioner, and in Suffolk either the police commissioner or the sheriff, depending on your town. Everywhere else a county judge makes the call, after the clerk's or sheriff's office takes your paperwork and runs the background check. (N.Y. Penal Law § 265.00(10))
• The county's own fee: Outside New York City, Nassau and Westchester, which set their own, the license itself costs $3 to $10. What makes a permit expensive is everything around it: fingerprinting for the background check, photos, and the safety course. (N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(14))
• Why counties differ: The law lists what every applicant has to provide, then lets the licensing officer ask for more. That one line is why one county wants a safety course for a home-only license, or references who live in the county, and the next one doesn't. (N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(1)(o)(v))
• Character references: Every carry application needs at least four people who'll vouch for you. Counties decide the rest: whether they must live in the county, how long they've known you, and whether their signatures must be notarized. (N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(1)(o)(ii))
• Training for a carry license: A concealed carry license takes 16 hours of classroom training and 2 hours of live fire with a state-approved instructor, plus a written test. A premises license (home or business only) doesn't need it under state law, but many counties require some safety course anyway. (N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(19))
• How long they have to decide: Six months from when you hand in your application, unless the licensing officer tells you in writing why it's taking longer. Many counties still quote 6 to 12 months, and a few say more. (N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(4-b))

Not legal advice. Confirm fees with the agency before you pay.