NC Sheriff Denies Pistol Permit on Subjective “Moral Character” Reasoning

Here in NC, we still have an old Jim Crow law that requires people to obtain a Pistol Purchase Permit from their county Sheriff before purchasing a handgun. While I disagree with having to get the Sheriffs blessing before purchasing a handgun, there’s a little part of the NC law that sticks in my craw even worse, and that’s that the Sheriff can deny a PPP to someone based on their moral character.

NCGS 14-404 (a)(2):

(2)        Fully satisfied himself or herself by affidavits, oral evidence, or otherwise, as to the good moral character of the applicant.

Here’s the thing: Good moral character is very subjective, and basically gives a Sheriff the ability to deny a permit for any reason he wants.

A member of the NC Gun Owners web forum is posting that his permit was denied by the Orange County Sheriff based on the good moral character requirement. Interestingly, he goes on to say that he has been formerly issued a permit in Durham County, and nothing has changed between then and now.

This, friends, is just one of many reasons that the North Carolina Pistol Purchase Permit needs to be repealed. Let’s make that happen this year.