GOSHEN – As in other counties, the pistol permit process begins in the sheriff’s office. In Orange County, there are over 500 outstanding applications.
A judge ultimately decides if a permit should be granted, but before it reaches the bench, the sheriff’s office processes the application, takes fingerprints, interviews the applicant and conducts a background check, noted Sr. Investigator Jim Lynch. “People think the permit process starts with us. We do the full background for the judges so they can make an informed decision and make sure the person that is getting the permit should have the permit,” he said.
It could take anywhere from six months to a year to be granted a pistol permit in Orange County because of the volume of applicants, said Lynch.
