West Virginia is a Constitutional Carry state. As of June 12, 2026, anyone 18 or older who is a U.S. citizen or legal resident and is not prohibited from possessing a firearm may carry a concealed handgun in West Virginia without a license. So why would anyone still apply for a West Virginia Concealed Handgun License (CHL)? Specifically, because a license does things that Constitutional Carry can not do. Tri-State Training, LLC wants you to know the advantages and how to get one.

Advantages of a West Virginia CHL

1. Reciprocity. Constitutional Carry only applies while you are physically in West Virginia. Many states allow you to carry concealed only because you hold a West Virginia CHL, so without the license you are not covered when you travel. Each state sets its own rules, and not every state honors West Virginia (check the Attorney General’s reciprocity map at ago.wv.gov/gunreciprocity BEFORE you travel).
2. Purchasing a firearm. For a CHL issued on or after June 4, 2014, the license can serve as an alternative to the NICS background check when you buy a firearm from a dealer.
3. Certain municipal areas. Some municipal areas require a CHL to possess a concealed firearm.
4. School parking lots. A CHL holder who is 21 or older may keep a concealed handgun in a vehicle in a school parking lot or traffic area, under specific conditions.
5. Provisional license for ages 18 to 20. Residents in this age group may carry without a license, but a Provisional CHL gives them the benefits above in the states that honor it. A Provisional CHL does not satisfy the NICS alternative.

How to Obtain a West Virginia CHL

1. Meet the requirements. You must be 21 or older (18 to 20 for the provisional license), a West Virginia resident (nonresidents may apply to any county sheriff), and not prohibited from possessing a firearm. Other disqualifiers include certain felony and misdemeanor convictions, substance dependence, active protective orders, and certain mental health adjudications.
2. Complete a handgun safety course that includes live firing. Accepted courses include an official NRA handgun safety or training course, a course taught by a state-certified or NRA-certified instructor, a public course from a law enforcement agency or school, and qualifying U.S. military handgun training. Keep your certificate or the instructor’s affidavit, because you must submit a copy.
3. Get the application. It is the West Virginia State Police form, available from your county sheriff and the Attorney General’s website. You must sign it in front of a notary (most sheriffs have one on staff).
4. Gather your documents. Plan on the notarized application, a valid driver’s license or state photo ID showing your residence, proof of training, and in Berkeley County your Social Security card. Berkeley County accepts payment by check or money order only.
5. Submit everything to your county sheriff and pay the fee. The fee is $50 for West Virginia residents and $100 for nonresidents. Honorably discharged veterans have the fee waived, and replacement licenses cost $5.
6. Wait for the background check. The sheriff runs a nationwide check and generally issues the license within 45 days after the checks are complete. A denial can be appealed in circuit court.
7. Know the term. The license is valid for five years, and a renewal applicant who previously qualified does not have to retake the training.

Berkeley County residents: the Sheriff’s Tax Office is at 400 West Stephen Street, Suite 104, Martinsburg, WV 25401, phone 304.264.1982. Call ahead for hours.

Remember: a CHL does not allow you to carry everywhere. Courthouses, school grounds, jails, federal buildings, and private property where the owner prohibits firearms remain restricted, and you must follow the laws of any state you visit.

Tri-State Training, LLC is an NRA-certified pistol instructor and can help you take the first step. Contact us at 301.988.0809, tristatetrainer@gmail.com, or tristatetraining.org.