Portsmouth Concealed Carry Permit

Apply to the Portsmouth Police Department. Checked against the agency's own site on 2026-10-08.

• New license: $40 by check or money order when you pick up the permit. Don't send it with the application.
• Local rules: Three references, each writing an original typed letter about your permit that's signed, dated and notarized. Renewals need them too. A notarized application and two forms of ID, copies notarized. Proof you qualified with an NRA or police range instructor within the past year (you can't qualify yourself), with a copy of their certification. Turn it in to the Records Department at 2270 East Main Road. Questions: (401) 683-0300.
• Wait: The department says to allow up to 90 days.

Apply to the Portsmouth Police Department · Every Rhode Island city or town

Common questions

How much does a concealed carry permit cost in Portsmouth?

A new concealed carry permit in Portsmouth costs $40. That's tied for the cheapest of the 9 cities and towns that post a full price; the typical one charges about $40. Training is paid separately, to the instructor.

Where do I apply for a concealed carry permit in Portsmouth?

Apply to the Portsmouth Police Department.

What does Portsmouth require beyond state law?

Three references, each writing an original typed letter about your permit that's signed, dated and notarized. Renewals need them too. A notarized application and two forms of ID, copies notarized. Proof you qualified with an NRA or police range instructor within the past year (you can't qualify yourself), with a copy of their certification. Turn it in to the Records Department at 2270 East Main Road. Questions: (401) 683-0300.

How long does a concealed carry permit take in Portsmouth?

The department says to allow up to 90 days.

Rules every Rhode Island license follows

• Who decides: Your city or town's police chief, or its board of police commissioners where it has one. In a town with no police chief, the town clerk issues permits on the town sergeant's recommendation. You can also apply to the Attorney General instead, but the AG requires a showing of need. (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-2(10))
• Who can apply where: A town has to issue to anyone 21 or older who lives or has a business there, or who lives anywhere in the U.S. and holds another state's carry permit, if the town finds them suitable. The law still mentions a good reason to fear injury, but the Attorney General's guidance, citing a 2015 state Supreme Court decision, says a town can't require a showing of need. (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-11(a))
• Why towns differ: Deciding who's suitable is up to each department, so each writes its own checklist: notarized references, medical records releases, a letter about your reasons or about handling the gun safely, sometimes an interview. (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-11(a))
• The fee: The law sets $40 for four years. Some towns charge more anyway: Lincoln asks $75 of residents and $200 of everyone else, East Providence's 2019 packet lists $100, and Cranston and Woonsocket add $45 for fingerprints. (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-12)
• Shooting qualification: You qualify with a gun at least the caliber you'll carry, certified by an NRA or police range instructor. Most towns want it done within the past year and a copy of the instructor's certification. (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-15)

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