How to Get Your Permit in Long Beach

The City of Long Beach is Now Issuing CCWs

*UPDATE 6-25-22– The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 23, 2022 in the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen case that the 2nd Amendment extends to the right for protection outside of the home. The justices ruled 6-3 that it was unconstitutional to require a special need in order to obtain a CCW permit. Effectively, the California Attorney General quickly issued an AG Alert that directed all law enforcement agencies that issue permits to stop requiring a “Good Cause” reason from applicants. It is yet to be seen what other requirements will now be added by way of demonstrating “Good Character” or what new “sensitive areas” may be added to the list of prohibited locations to carry firearms, but the current situation has seen a very quick expansion of issuance of licenses. Future California laws will be tested in the courts according the new standards set by the Supreme Court this week.

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Historically, it was very difficult for anyone living in Los Angeles County to obtain a CCW. Many cities within the county were not issuing CCWs at all, but were instead deferring the process to the county sheriff. The chances of obtaining a permit were not much better with the L.A. County Sheriff, until 2020 when Sheriff Villanueva relaxed the stringent requirements and dramatically increased the issuance of licenses. As mentioned above, in 2022 the Supreme Court handed down a decision in Bruen that eliminated the requirement to have a “good cause” reason for desiring a permit. The immediate response from the public was an exponential increase in CCW applications, most of which were filed with the county sheriff. Consequently, this soon overwhelmed the sheriff’s department and their capacity to meet the new demand. In August of 2022, the L.A. County Sheriff announced that they would no longer accept applications from citizens unless they reside within one of their contracted cities or unincorporated areas served by their department. The City of Long Beach is one of those jurisdictions that now had to devise their own process for issuance by the Long Beach PD. In conjunction with the city council, a process was created and they began issuing permits in May of 2023. The staff within the CCW Licensing Unit are professional and friendly. The Long Beach process is a little more complex than other jurisdictions (such as a psychological evaluation) because they implemented some of their policies in anticipation of proposed state legislation so they don’t have to update them later. Our experience with them however has been very positive and we encourage anyone who desires a CCW permit in Long Beach to apply and to do so quickly because the backlog is growing.

The following will guide you through the CCW process in the City of Long Beach. More detailed information can be found on the city’s CCW webpage HERE.

There are two phases to the application process:

Phase One: Complete Application, Live Scan, and Background Investigation.
Phase Two: In-person Interview, Psychological Evaluation, and Firearm Training and Qualification.

The CCW New Applicant Guidelines document will walk you through each step, but here’s a summary:

1. Prepare your documents for submission, which includes a passport quality photo, your California drivers license or state ID card, and two proofs of residency within Long Beach. Then complete the online application HERE and upload your documents. You will be asked to submit a 20% payment of the total application fee.

2. Once you receive notification that your application has been received, you’ll be provided instructions on how to complete a Live Scan fingerprinting background check. You may choose any Live Scan service authorized by the California DOJ. They will forward the background results to the Licensing Unit and you will then either be advanced to Phase Two or denied.

3. In Phase Two, an in-person interview will be scheduled to review your application and assess any concerns noted in your history that relate to “good moral character.” Interviews take place at 400 West Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802.

4. After a successful interview, you will receive written notification to schedule psychological testing with the department’s authorized psychologist. Long Beach requires this testing for all new CCW applicants and the cost is $150. The testing is intended only to identify any indications or history of psychological problems that would render the applicant unfit to carry a firearm.

5. Once the testing results are received and approved, you will be contacted in writing to proceed with the required 16-hour training course. The training provider must be listed on their approved provider list on their website. Hansen Firearms Training can provide your approved training either by private appointment at your home or office in Los Angeles or you can join us in Orange County for public classes. Training and qualification certification will not be accepted prior to approval notification or after 90 days of the official notification letter.

6. The firearms training provider will email the department your completed training certificate. You will then be contacted by the Licensing Unit to make your final payment and to schedule an appointment to pick up your license.