Type: New Application Submitted: Jul. 27, 2010 Total Time Taken: 35 minutes + 15 days Total Payment: $80 Process: Downloaded and printed application from http://www.gwinnettcourts.com/courts/Procourt.htm. Took $30 cash to the Probate Court (which is open 0800-1630 M-F), along with US passport and GA driver's license, and handed in my application. After the security checkpoint, go through the glass doors on the left, following the signs for "Courts". The permits office is immediately on the right. The Probate Court attendant was very nice, telling me exactly what she needed. Don't forget to sign your passport before handing it over. Once they have everything processed, you give them a right index fingerprint and signature, which will go on the permit itself. She then handed me a receipt and a copy of my application, and instructed me to go to the Permits Unit (which is just around the corner). This took about 15 minutes. The Permits Unit is only open from 0800 to 1130 hours Monday-Thursday, so plan your trip accordingly if you want to hit both places in the same day. At the Permits Unit (where there is decidedly less parking available, but this wasn't an issue at 0900), I paid my $50 in cash and handed them the copy of my permit application that the Probate Court had handed me. The lady directed me to sit down around the corner, and it was just a short wait until the fingerprinting guy came and got me. I was done with fingerprints and out of there in 10 minutes. They didn't mention the GBI/FBI background check, so I asked the fingerprinter and he said that the background check is processed automatically from the info I had already provided. So, all in all, I arrived at the Probate Court at 0845 and left the Permits Unit at 0920. I received my permit in the mail 15 days later. Everything was in order. Comments: Be sure to leave your pocketknife in the car at the Probate Court, since you have to pass through a metal detector and put your stuff through an x-ray machine to enter the courts building. Also, if you're like me, you will stop at the ATM to get your $80 cash on the way. If you bank with Wachovia, then just use the Wachovia ATM in the lobby of the courts building for free. I didn't know that there was one there, so I stopped in Duluth. Also, since you'll have all 20's from the ATM, ask the attendant at the Probate Court to make change for you, since you'll need $50 exactly at the Permits Unit, and they apparently don't make change. Overall, the process was painless and quick. The Probate Court attendant was kind and helpful, and I didn't get any sense of disdain from anyone there for getting firearms permits. The Permits Unit people were even nicer.

If you would like to add your experience in obtaining a Firearms License, please email it to GeorgiaPacking.org by filling out either the New Applicant Process or the Renewal Information form. If you don't want to fill out a form, you can also post it on the forum.

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