Suffolk County Sheriff's Office Pistol Licensing Bureau

The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office Pistol Licensing Bureau is the official licensing authority for handgun permits across five eastern townships: East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, and Southold. They maintain over 6,000 active files and handle all investigations, issuance, and maintenance of pistol licenses in their jurisdiction.

Applicants can pursue three main license categories:

• •Possess on Premises - Maintain handguns at home for target shooting; includes transport to/from ranges
• •Carry Concealed - Unrestricted carry without regard to employment, subject to state and federal law
• •Possess/Carry During Employment - For armed municipal workers employed by state, county, city, town or village institutions

Carry Concealed requires proof of completion from a DCJS-authorized firearms training course with at least 16 hours of instruction including live-fire training.

Eligibility demands New York residency, age 21+, and lawful residence in one of the five eastern towns. Applicants must disclose mental health history and have no felony convictions or serious offenses within the past five years.

The application packet includes:

100 Center Drive South Riverhead, NY 11901 (631) 852-2233

• •Office Hours: 9:00am-4:30pm
• •Fingerprinting Hours: 9:00am-12:00pm

Important: If you live in western Suffolk County (Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip, Smithtown), apply through the Suffolk County Police Department instead.

Beyond pistol licensing, the Sheriff's Office also handles orders of protection and civil enforcement matters. In case of death, serious illness, or mental disability of a license holder, the bureau should be contacted immediately before handling any firearms.