SIDNEY — The Sheriff’s Office wants citizens applying for their CCWs to be aware of everything they need in advance, in an effort to clear up some confusion.

“With the way, the state our nation is in, people are always worried about their guns being taken away from them, so they start rushing in here to try and get a CCW,” Shelby County Sheriff Jim Frye said. “Since January of this year, we’ve done 1,200 CCWs. That’s new and renewals.”

When the pandemic began last March, CCW processing stalled at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office until a plan was made for the office to be able to accept and process applications for CCWs on an appointment basis. With health orders and restrictions lifting, the sheriff’s office is still keeping the new system in place — mostly, Frye said, because it’s easier.

“We found out that it works better. Before, we actually had the system inside our office. People were coming inside our office, not just into the lobby. Now, everything is out in the lobby at the window, and they can do it all right there. They can get their picture taken, they can sign their card, they can pay. It’s all self-sufficient right there at that counter,” Frye said.

Frye said that while the pandemic-friendly system is staying in place, it’s important that those who come to the sheriff’s office to apply for their CCW have the right paperwork.

For renewal applications, the following paperwork is required:

• A completed application.

• A color copy of the applicant’s current driver’s license and CCW card.

• For Veterans, a copy of the DD214 showing an Honorable Discharge.

For new CCW applications, the following paperwork is required:

• A completed application.

• A copy of the applicant’s Concealed Carry certificate.

• A recent head/shoulder picture for the application. Picture should be in color and taken within the last 30 days.

• For veterans, a copy of the DD214 showing an Honorable Discharge.

Fees for the CCW are as follows:

• $67 for applicants who have been an Ohio resident for more than five years.

• $77 for applicants who have been an Ohio resident for less than five years.

• $50 for renewal applications.

• $37 for emergency and temporary applications.

Additionally, there is a grant available in the state of Ohio to Veterans who have been Honorably Discharged, so that they are able to do their CCW with no cost to them.

“We believe that it’s a constitutional right to own and bear firearms, and we welcome anybody coming in to get their CCW,” Frye said.

More information, as well as the link to the application for a CCW, can be found online at https://co.shelby.oh.us/sheriffs-office/programs/concealed-carry/. All CCWs will need to be paid with either a credit or debit card or exact cash; a 3% fee is automatically assessed to all electronic payments. Applicants will be notified when the CCW cards are ready for pick-up. CCW applications take roughly two to three weeks to process, and if an applicant would like the CCW mailed to them, they should bring in a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Kari Stewart, who handles the CCW processing, added that CCW applications are by appointment only. Those wishing to file for their CCW can make an appointment by calling 937-494-2118 or emailing her at [email protected].

Additionally, both Stewart and Frye said that applicants should be aware of their background — failed background checks are the primary reason for denied CCW applications, according to Frye.

“We won’t disqualify anybody who passes a background check. An automatic disqualifier — if you’ve ever been charged and convincted of a domestic violence offense, you cannot obtain a CCW. A lot of times, there are offenses that people have that they think are not there, or are exponged or sealed that still show up, and will still disqualify them for a CCW,” Frye said.