Who can actually get a gun in New York City?

Mayor Eric Adams has reversed course on his declaration that he would carry a gun while in office. During last year’s mayoral campaign, the retired New York City Police Department cop said he would arm himself as mayor and refuse his security detail. But when asked by a reporter on Friday whether he has actually followed through with the move, he said “if I feel the need to do so, then I will do so. I don’t feel the need to do so right now.”

Adams took office at a time when gun violence has surged across the city, part of a national pandemic-era trend experienced by localities across the country. Shootings in New York City were up 18% through March 20 of this year, compared to the same period last year, according to NYPD statistics. Last weekend, between Friday and Sunday, the NYPD said it logged a stunning 24 shootings in which 29 victims were injured. 

Gun sales have also spiked nationwide. Between March 2020 and March 2022, 18% of U.S. households purchased a gun, and nearly 50% of adult Americans now live in a household with a firearm, according to the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. 

Adams has said that safety is his number one priority as mayor, and he’s made several police-related directives to tamp down on the violence. Last Wednesday, he deployed a new iteration of the NYPD’s anti-crime unit, now dubbed “neighborhood safety teams” that are geared toward cracking down on illegal guns. During the teams’ first six days in operation, the units made 31 gun arrests and confiscated 10 illegal firearms, Adams said Monday.

New York City has notoriously strict gun laws, and the vast majority of firearms used in the commission of crimes in the city were obtained illegally. Those that do want to carry a firearm legally must apply for a permit through the NYPD. Here’s what it takes:

HOW DO YOU GET AN NYPD GUN LICENSE? 

Since 2018, the NYPD only accepts online applications for handgun licenses, rifle/shotgun permits and renewals. The process includes registering a profile, submitting fingerprints and required documents, and paying the application and fingerprint fees. Once an application has been received and reviewed, the NYPD schedules an in-person interview. Within six months, the applicant will receive a letter stating whether the application was approved. 

WHO CAN CARRY A GUN IN NEW YORK CITY? 

General requirements for carrying a handgun are that the permit holder is at least 21 years of age, of good moral character, and in a safe mental and physical condition to operate a firearm. Before issuing a gun license, the NYPD conducts a background check that includes a close review of the applicant’s medical and legal history, such as reports of arrests, summonses and domestic violence.

Applicants for a carry or premise license must also submit a letter of necessity. No training is required to obtain a gun permit, and the same application process applies to residents, part-time residents and people employed in New York City. Retired law enforcement officers are eligible to apply for a license, and those who were employed in New York City are even waived the handgun license application fee. Similarly, security guards can obtain a permit with appropriate documentation from their employer. 

WHAT TYPES OF LICENSES DOES THE NYPD ISSUE? 

The NYPD issues five types of licenses, each for a term of three years. Not all permits allow for unrestricted concealed carrying. Licenses are issued for use in a residence or at a business and specify whether the licensee can carry it or use it in a specific location. Premise licenses are restricted to the address indicated on the permit, and licensees may transport their firearm and ammunition to an authorized range, shooting competition, hunting location and another approved location. To carry a concealed firearm, an applicant must obtain a carry business license, which is valid for a specific person, business, occupation or address. In special circumstances, the license can be issued for safety unrelated to business. The limited carry business permit is restricted to certain conditions and must otherwise be unloaded and stored away. A special license requires the permit holder to possess a valid carry country card. The NYPD issues carry guard licenses to security guards, which permits the carrying of a handgun only while actively engaged in employment or on transit to and from the place of employment. Retired officers can obtain a law enforcement retiree license. 

SO CAN ANYONE WHO’S NOT AN NYPD OFFICER OR RETIRED NYPD OFFICER GET A LICENSE? LIKE FORMER MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO? 

The NYPD may issue a carry business license for safety reasons. According to the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, anyone who completes an application, satisfies the NYPD’s general requirements, as stated above, and passes the background check is eligible for obtaining a New York gun permit. This applies to anyone, and thus, with a letter of necessity, a public figure can obtain an NYPD firearm license.