How to Buy a Gun Online in North Carolina

Buying a firearm online in North Carolina works through a licensed dealer. You order here, we ship the firearm to a licensed dealer you choose in the state, and that dealer completes the transfer with you. PRK Arms ships rifles, handguns and ammunition across North Carolina, and every firearm goes to the FFL dealer you pick.

How ordering online and shipping to a local dealer works

Place your order and choose a licensed dealer in North Carolina at checkout. We ship the firearm to that dealer, not to your home. When it arrives, you visit the dealer to finish the purchase:

• You show photo ID.
• You complete ATF Form 4473.
• The dealer runs a federal NICS background check.
• When the check comes back as proceed, you take the firearm home.

Ammunition, optics and most parts ship straight to your door. Only firearms go through a dealer.

What the North Carolina rules say

Buying. North Carolina repealed its pistol purchase permit in March 2023, so there is no state permit and no waiting period to buy a handgun or a long gun. At the dealer you show photo ID, complete Form 4473 and the dealer runs the federal NICS check. A valid North Carolina concealed handgun permit can stand in for that check. Federal law sets the dealer minimum at 18 for rifles and shotguns and 21 for handguns. Private sales between residents need no state permit, and the state keeps no firearm registry.

Carrying. Open carry of a lawfully owned handgun is allowed without a permit. Concealed carry still needs a concealed handgun permit, and the county sheriff issues it, not a state agency. The applicant must be 21, have lived in the county at least 30 days, pass a background and mental health check and finish an approved course with live fire and state law instruction. The permit runs five years. Schools, courthouses, law enforcement buildings, state and federal offices and posted private property stay off-limits, and cities may bar firearms from their own buildings and parks.

Hunting. The Wildlife Resources Commission splits the state into deer zones. For 2026-27, archery opens statewide on September 12, 2026. Gun season runs October 17, 2026 to January 1, 2027 in the Northeastern and Southeastern zones. It starts November 14 in the Central zone and the Northwestern chronic wasting disease area, November 21 in the Northwestern zone and November 28 in the Western zone, and all of them end January 1. Bows, crossbows, blackpowder guns, shotguns, rifles and handguns are legal in gun season. Hunter orange is required, and the season limit is six deer, two of them antlered. Check the county listing before you hunt.

For waterfowl, a 12- or 20-gauge pump or semi-auto shotgun plugged to three shells, loaded with steel or another approved non-toxic shot, fits the water hunt. You need a state hunting license, the migratory game bird privilege, HIP certification and a federal duck stamp.

Feral hog hunting also needs a North Carolina hunting license. Rules differ between feral swine on private land and wild boar in the western mountain counties, so read the current regulations digest before you go.

Places and regions named in this guide

• The Triangle: the Wake County Firearms Education and Training Center near Apex is the closest public range to this area.
• Piedmont and mountain areas: deer shots usually fall between 60 and 250 yards.
• Western mountain counties: wild boar rules differ from feral swine rules on private land.
• Deer zones: Northeastern, Southeastern, Central, Northwestern and Western.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to buy a gun in your city?
No. North Carolina repealed the pistol purchase permit in March 2023, so there is no state permit and no registration. You pass a NICS check and complete Form 4473 at the licensed dealer near you that receives your order.

Is there a waiting period in North Carolina?
No. The state sets no waiting period, so once the dealer's background check comes back as proceed you can take the firearm home the same day.

Who issues concealed handgun permits in your county?
The county sheriff. You apply in the county where you live with fingerprints, a mental health release and a certificate from an approved course, and the sheriff has 45 days to issue or deny.

How does a gun I order reach my area?
We ship every firearm to a licensed dealer near you that you pick at checkout. The dealer runs the background check and hands the gun over. Ammunition, optics and most parts ship to your door.

Can I carry without a permit in North Carolina?
Open carry of a legal handgun is allowed without a permit. Concealed carry still needs a permit as of September 2026. The 2025 permitless carry bill was vetoed, the Senate overrode the veto in July 2025, and the House override vote is still pending.

Browse the catalog

Ready to order? Browse the catalog and choose your dealer at checkout.

Laws change; confirm current rules with the state agencies named above.

Official sources

Rules and forms come from these agencies. Check them for the current version before you order; last reviewed October 2026.

• North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
• North Carolina Department of Justice
• ATF, Firearms (federal)
• FBI NICS background checks (federal)

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.