West Virginia Attorney General issued the following announcement on April 15.
Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has advised local sheriffs they can accept mail-in concealed carry applications and renewals as part of an effort to preserve the Second Amendment rights of West Virginians, while observing social distancing directives put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Attorney General sent letters to sheriffs in all 55 counties of the state to provide them with information on processing applications for and renewals of concealed handgun licenses during the ongoing state of emergency.
“Nothing in state code requires applicants for concealed handgun licenses to show up in person,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “While we want our residents to be safe and practice good social distancing, we also want to ensure they can still exercise their right to keep and bear arms.”
Sheriffs may accept applications for concealed handgun licenses by mail, or applications could be collected via a drop box placed outside the local sheriff’s office.
The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department began accepting concealed handgun license applications by mail on Monday.
While a license is not required for most people age 21 and over to carry a concealed handgun in West Virginia, having a valid concealed carry license helps West Virginians satisfy the requirement of a federal background check to purchase firearms.
Concealed carry licenses also benefit those who travel, as many states that allow West Virginians to carry concealed within their borders do so only on the basis of the person having a valid, West Virginia concealed carry license.
Original source can be found here.