(a) No person who sells ten or more pistols or revolvers in a calendar year or is a federally licensed firearm dealer shall advertise, sell, deliver, or offer or expose for sale or delivery, or have in such person's possession with intent to sell or deliver, any pistol or revolver at retail without having a permit therefor issued as provided in this subsection. The chief of police or, where there is no chief of police, the warden of the borough or the first selectman of the town, as the case may be, may, upon the application of any person, issue a permit in such form as may be prescribed by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection for the sale at retail of pistols and revolvers within the jurisdiction of the authority issuing such permit. No permit for the sale at retail of any pistol or revolver shall be issued unless the applicant holds a valid eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver issued pursuant to section 29-36f or a valid state permit to carry a pistol or revolver issued pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and the applicant submits documentation sufficient to establish that local zoning requirements have been met for the location where the sale is to take place, except that any person selling or exchanging a pistol or revolver for the enhancement of a personal collection or for a hobby or who sells all or part of such person's personal collection of pistols or revolvers shall not be required to submit such documentation for the location where the sale or exchange is to take place.

(b) Upon the application of any person having a bona fide permanent residence within the jurisdiction of any such authority, such chief of police, warden or selectman may issue a temporary state permit to such person to carry a pistol or revolver within the state, provided such authority shall find that such applicant intends to make no use of any pistol or revolver which such applicant may be permitted to carry under such permit other than a lawful use and that such person is a suitable person to receive such permit. No state or temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver shall be issued under this subsection if the applicant (1) has failed to successfully complete a course approved by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection in the safety and use of pistols and revolvers including, but not limited to, a safety or training course in the use of pistols and revolvers available to the public offered by a law enforcement agency, a private or public educational institution or a firearms training school, utilizing instructors certified by the National Rifle Association or the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and a safety or training course in the use of pistols or revolvers conducted by an instructor certified by the state or the National Rifle Association, (2) has been convicted of (A) a felony, or (B) on or after October 1, 1994, a violation of section 21a-279 or section 53a-58, 53a-61, 53a-61a, 53a-62, 53a-63, 53a-96, 53a-175, 53a-176, 53a-178 or 53a-181d, (3) has been convicted as delinquent for the commission of a serious juvenile offense, as defined in section 46b-120, (4) has been discharged from custody within the preceding twenty years after having been found not guilty of a crime by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant to section 53a-13, (5) (A) has been confined in a hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities, as defined in section 17a-495, within the preceding sixty months by order of a probate court, or (B) has been voluntarily admitted on or after October 1, 2013, to a hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities, as defined in section 17a-495, within the preceding six months for care and treatment of a psychiatric disability and not solely for being an alcohol-dependent person or a drug-dependent person as those terms are defined in section 17a-680, (6) is subject to a restraining or protective order issued by a court in a case involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, including an ex parte order issued pursuant to section 46b-15 or 46b-16a, (7) is subject to a firearms seizure order issued pursuant to subsection (d) of section 29-38c after notice and hearing, (8) is prohibited from shipping, transporting, possessing or receiving a firearm pursuant to 18 USC 922(g)(4), (9) is an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States, or (10) is less than twenty-one years of age. Nothing in this section shall require any person who holds a valid permit to carry a pistol or revolver on October 1, 1994, to participate in any additional training in the safety and use of pistols and revolvers. No person may apply for a temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver more than once within any twelve-month period, and no temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver shall be issued to any person who has applied for such permit more than once within the preceding twelve months. Any person who applies for a temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver shall indicate in writing on the application, under penalty of false statement in such manner as the issuing authority prescribes, that such person has not applied for a temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver within the past twelve months. Upon issuance of a temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver to the applicant, the local authority shall forward the original application to the commissioner. Not later than sixty days after receiving a temporary state permit, an applicant shall appear at a location designated by the commissioner to receive the state permit. The commissioner may then issue, to any holder of any temporary state permit, a state permit to carry a pistol or revolver within the state. Upon issuance of the state permit, the commissioner shall make available to the permit holder a copy of the law regarding the permit holder's responsibility to report the loss or theft of a firearm and the penalties associated with the failure to comply with such law. Upon issuance of the state permit, the commissioner shall forward a record of such permit to the local authority issuing the temporary state permit. The commissioner shall retain records of all applications, whether approved or denied. The copy of the state permit delivered to the permittee shall be laminated and shall contain a full-face photograph of such permittee. A person holding a state permit issued pursuant to this subsection shall notify the issuing authority within two business days of any change of such person's address. The notification shall include the old address and the new address of such person.

(c) No issuing authority may require any sworn member of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection or an organized local police department to furnish such sworn member's residence address in a permit application. The issuing authority shall allow each such sworn member who has a permit to carry a pistol or revolver issued by such authority to revise such member's application to include a business or post office address in lieu of the residence address. The issuing authority shall notify each such member of the right to revise such application.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 1-210 and 1-211, the name and address of a person issued a permit to sell at retail pistols and revolvers pursuant to subsection (a) of this section or a state or a temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, or a local permit to carry pistols and revolvers issued by local authorities prior to October 1, 2001, shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed, except (1) such information may be disclosed to law enforcement officials acting in the performance of their duties, including, but not limited to, employees of the United States Probation Office acting in the performance of their duties and parole officers within the Department of Correction acting in the performance of their duties, (2) the issuing authority may disclose such information to the extent necessary to comply with a request made pursuant to section 29-33, 29-37a or 29-38m for verification that such state or temporary state permit is still valid and has not been suspended or revoked, and the local authority may disclose such information to the extent necessary to comply with a request made pursuant to section 29-33, 29-37a or 29-38m for verification that a local permit is still valid and has not been suspended or revoked, and (3) such information may be disclosed to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out the provisions of subsection (c) of section 17a-500.

(e) The issuance of any permit to carry a pistol or revolver does not thereby authorize the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver in any premises where the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver is otherwise prohibited by law or is prohibited by the person who owns or exercises control over such premises.

(f) Any bona fide resident of the United States having no bona fide permanent residence within the jurisdiction of any local authority in the state, but who has a permit or license to carry a pistol or revolver issued by the authority of another state or subdivision of the United States, may apply directly to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection for a permit to carry a pistol or revolver in this state. All provisions of subsections (b), (c), (d) and (e) of this section shall apply to applications for a permit received by the commissioner under this subsection.

(1949 Rev., S. 4158, 4159; 1959, P.A. 615, S. 19; P.A. 77-614, S. 486, 610; P.A. 90-155, S. 1; P.A. 92-130, S. 4, 10; P.A. 93-172, S. 1; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 4; P.A. 98-129, S. 6; P.A. 99-212, S. 19; P.A. 01-130, S. 4; P.A. 05-283, S. 4; P.A. 07-163, S. 2; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 12-177, S. 1; P.A. 13-3, S. 57; 13-220, S. 14; P.A. 15-216, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-2, S. 3; P.A. 16-34, S. 8.)

History: 1959 act corrected typographical error; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 90-155 added provision re compliance with local zoning requirements; P.A. 92-130 divided section into two Subsecs., inserting new language as Subsec. (b) to prohibit issuing authority from requiring police officers to furnish their residence addresses in permit applications and to require issuing authority to allow police officers who have a permit to carry a pistol or revolver on May 26, 1992, to revise such applications to include business or post office address in lieu of residence address; P.A. 93-172 amended Subsec. (a) to require copy of state permit delivered to permittee to be laminated and contain full-face photograph of permittee; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 amended Subsec. (a) to require any person “who sells ten or more pistols or revolvers in a calendar year or is a federally-licensed firearm dealer” to obtain a permit for the sale at retail of pistols and revolvers and to prohibit the issuance of such permit unless the applicant holds a valid eligibility certificate or valid permit to carry, designated as Subsec. (b) existing provisions re application for and issuance of permit to carry and amended said Subsec. to replace provision prohibiting the issuance of such permit to an alien with provision prohibiting the issuance of such permit to any applicant who comes within any of the six specified circumstances, add provision exempting current permit holders from additional training and add provision requiring a permit holder to notify the issuing authority of any change of address, redesignated former Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and added Subsec. (d) re confidentiality of name and address of permit holders; P.A. 98-129 added new Subsec. (b)(3) prohibiting the issuance of a permit to an applicant who has been convicted as delinquent of a serious juvenile offense, renumbering the remaining Subdivs. accordingly, and replacing in Subdiv. (5) “hospital for mental illness” with “hospital for persons with psychiatric disabilities”, added Subsec. (d)(3) authorizing the disclosure of such information to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out the provisions of Sec. 17a-500(c), and added new Subsec. (e) to provide that the issuance of a permit to carry a pistol or revolver does not thereby authorize the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver where prohibited by law or by the person who owns or exercises control over the premises; P.A. 99-212 added new Subsec. (b)(7) prohibiting the issuance of a permit to an applicant who is subject to a firearms seizure order issued pursuant to Sec. 29-38c(d) after notice and hearing, renumbering remaining Subdiv. accordingly, and made provisions gender neutral; P.A. 01-130 amended Subsecs. (a), (b) and (d) to establish state permits for sale at retail and state permits to carry pistols and revolvers in place of local permits for sale and local permits to carry, added Subsec. (b)(9) prohibiting a state permit to carry from being issued to persons under age 21, added Subsec. (f) providing for out-of-state residents to obtain state permits to carry, and made technical and conforming changes throughout; P.A. 05-283 added new Subsec. (b)(8) prohibiting the issuance of a permit to an applicant who is prohibited from shipping, transporting, possessing or receiving a firearm pursuant to 18 USC 922 (g)(4), redesignated existing Subdivs. (8) and (9) as Subdivs. (9) and (10); P.A. 07-163 amended Subsec. (b) to add provision requiring commissioner, upon issuance of state permit, to make available to permit holder a copy of the law requiring reporting of the loss or theft of a firearm and penalties for failure to comply with the law; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Commissioner of Public Safety” and “Department of Public Safety” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection” and “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Department of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-177 amended Subsec. (d)(1) to permit disclosure of information to employees of the U.S. Probation Office acting in performance of their duties; P.A. 13-3 amended Subsec. (b) to add “permanent” re bona fide residence and delete “or place of business” re within jurisdiction, to replace “twelve months” with “sixty months” re hospital confinement by probate court order and add Subpara. (B) re voluntary admission in Subdiv. (5), and to add provisions prohibiting application for and issuance of a temporary state permit to carry a pistol or revolver more than once within any 12-month period, amended Subsec. (d)(2) to add references to request made pursuant to Sec. 29-37a or 29-38m, amended Subsec. (f) to add “permanent” re bona fide residence and delete “or place of business” re within jurisdiction, and made technical and conforming changes; P.A. 13-220 amended Subsec. (b)(2) to limit disqualifying violations to those committed on or after October 1, 1994, and make technical changes; P.A. 15-216 amended Subsec. (d)(1) to add reference to parole officers within Department of Correction; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-2 amended Subsec. (b)(2)(B) to replace reference to Sec. 21a-279(c) with reference to Sec. 21a-279; P.A. 16-34 amended Subsec. (b)(6) by adding “including an ex parte order issued pursuant to section 46b-15 or 46b-16a”.

See Sec. 53-202 re penalties for illegal use or possession of machine guns.

See Sec. 53-206 re penalties for carrying of dangerous weapons.

After defendant's loaded revolver was removed from his waistband while he was seated in his car after midnight in a high crime area, officer justified in seizure and arrest of defendant under the circumstances of speedy information by informant. 157 C. 114. Search of defendant's car, upon his arrest for breach of the peace, which yielded weapon was incidental to his arrest and properly made. Id., 222. Cited. 163 C. 176. Section has the effect of placing the burden of proof on alleged violators constituting a denial of due process and is therefore invalid. 165 C. 577, 597. Cited. 170 C. 81. State must prove beyond reasonable doubt that proper permit had not been issued, since that is essential element of the crime. Id., 234. Cited. 172 C. 21; Id., 94; 174 C. 22; Id., 405; 178 C. 534; 179 C. 516; 193 C. 7; 209 C. 322; 222 C. 621.

Cited. 9 CA 169; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 370; Id., 330; 17 CA 556; 25 CA 433; 36 CA 576; 38 CA 434; 39 CA 224; Id., 242.

Separate and distinct crime from the carrying of dangerous weapons on the person. 10 CS 272. Cited. 22 CS 173; Id., 201; 23 CS 82; 35 CS 659; 42 CS 157.

Cited. 5 Conn. Cir. Ct. 119.

Subsec. (b):

Subsec. does not limit board to a deferential review of the judgment of authority issuing the permit. 129 CA 414.

Purpose of statutory scheme is to protect the public from individuals whose conduct has shown them to be lacking the essential character or temperament necessary to be entrusted with a weapon. 46 CS 550.

Subsec. (d):

Names and addresses of persons having applied for, but not having received, permits to carry revolvers or pistols are exempt from mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. 157 CA 684.