This news item expired on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
New procedures will make it easier and faster for the public to get gun permit appointments, access fingerprinting services, and pick up issued permits. On Monday, Nov. 9, the Bureau of Identification relocated services to 59 Woodfin Place, a move that will better meet the need for a significant increase in appointment requests for concealed handgun and pistol purchase permits. "In an effort to better serve our community, this move will offer more parking and easier accessibility than the current Bureau of Identification location in the lobby of the Detention Facility," says Major Tony Gould of the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office. The new space will also better facilitate CDC-recommended COVID-19 safety precautions.
Fingerprint and application services at the new location will be by appointment only. The office will not accept walk-ins. To improve efficiency and customer service, the Bureau will add public fingerprinting services on Saturday, which will help staff move through the backlog of gun permit appointments. “Staff will be reaching out individually to people with appointments to make them aware of the location change, and for those people with appointments set in 2021, we hope to reschedule for an earlier date,” notes Buncombe County ID Bureau Director Pat Freeman. Issued permits may be picked up weekdays from 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. (no appointment necessary).
Centralized Data Entry operations will continue to operate as usual and remain in their current location to serve the public, courts, law enforcement, and the Detention Center.
We encourage residents to begin all gun-related applications online at buncombecounty.org/sheriff. Click on the “pistol & handgun permits” button or call (828) 250-4665 for questions.
In order to comply with CDC-recommended safety guidelines:
Upon arrival for your scheduled appointment, all customers entering the building will be required to have their temperature taken and wear a face covering. We ask that anyone with any COVID-like symptoms or with recent close contact with COVID-19 not enter the building and call (828) 250-4665 to reschedule your appointment.
The new location will be open for scheduled gun permit appointments Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., public fingerprinting appointments Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and for permit pick-ups, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The office will follow the Buncombe County holiday schedule.