Character references for a firearm license are people you ask to vouch, in writing and often by phone, that you are fit to possess a gun. Where they’re required, applicants usually need two to four adults who are not close relatives and who have known them long enough to speak credibly to their temperament and judgment. The specifics — how many, who counts, whether the form needs a notary — are set by the licensing authority in your county or state.
Whether Your Application Even Requires Them
Character references are not a universal part of firearm licensing. They appear almost exclusively in states that have historically used a “may-issue” licensing regime, where a government official has discretion to approve or deny a permit based on subjective criteria like “good moral character.” Before the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision, roughly six states used this type of system for carry permits. The other 43 used “shall-issue” frameworks that grant permits to anyone meeting fixed objective criteria such as a background check and a training course.
If your state is shall-issue, you almost certainly won’t be asked for references. The states that do require them are concentrated in the Northeast, and requirements vary by county. Confirm with your local sheriff’s office or police licensing division before you start recruiting anyone.
How Many You Need
The requirement ranges from zero to four. Two to four is the common band where references are required at all. Some authorities set an exact number; others set a minimum and let you submit more. Submitting the wrong count is an easy way to have the application bounced back before it’s reviewed, so verify the number in writing before you ask anyone.
Line up at least one more person than the minimum. References sometimes go unreachable during verification, move, or fail to respond to the investigator. A backup can prevent a months-long delay if someone falls through.
Who Qualifies
Licensing authorities want people who can give an honest, unbiased read on your character. The specific rules vary, but a few patterns hold across jurisdictions:
- Close relatives are almost universally excluded. Spouses, parents, siblings, and children are considered too likely to give a favorable answer regardless of the truth.
- Many jurisdictions require references to be at least 21, though some accept 18.
- Some authorities require a minimum length of relationship, often one to five years. Even where no formal minimum applies, someone who has known you for a few months carries less weight than someone who has watched your behavior over years.
- Some jurisdictions require references to live in the same county or state as the applicant, so the investigator can follow up in person if needed.
Good choices tend to be longtime coworkers, neighbors, people from a community organization, or friends with professional standing. The point is regular contact and observed behavior over time, not a distant acquaintance who sees you once a year.
What Each Reference Will Provide
Reference forms ask for two kinds of information: identifying details about the reference, and substantive statements about you.
For identifying information, collect each person’s full legal name, home address, phone number, and email before you begin the application. Some forms also ask for occupation and how long you’ve known each other. Small errors here create discrepancies that slow the investigation or trigger denial, so get everything directly from each reference rather than filling it in from memory.
The substantive section asks about your temperament, honesty, and general fitness to possess a firearm. References are typically asked whether they’ve observed concerning behavior such as patterns of aggression, substance misuse, or emotional instability. Most forms include a direct question about whether the reference believes you can safely and responsibly possess a firearm. Those answers feed the licensing officer’s assessment of whether you meet the jurisdiction’s “good moral character” standard.
Some jurisdictions require the reference to sign in front of a notary public. Notary fees for this kind of signature are typically modest, generally a few dollars up to about $25 depending on where you live. Check whether notarization is required before scheduling appointments; not every jurisdiction asks for it.
What Happens After You Submit
Once the application is filed, it’s assigned to a background investigator, and your references stop being paperwork and start being live contacts. The investigator will usually call each reference to confirm the information on the form and ask follow-up questions. Some agencies also mail supplemental written questionnaires.
If the investigator finds inconsistencies between references, or between the forms and the phone interviews, they may request in-person interviews. That isn’t automatically a bad sign, but it extends the timeline. Verification overall can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on the agency’s caseload.
Brief your references beforehand. Tell them to expect a call from the licensing agency, straightforward questions about your character, and possibly a mailed questionnaire. They don’t need to rehearse answers, but they do need to pick up the phone. A reference who ignores the investigator can stall or sink your application.
Legal Exposure for False Statements
References who lie on a licensing form face real legal risk. Federal law makes it a crime to knowingly make a materially false statement in any matter within the jurisdiction of the federal government, punishable by up to five years in prison.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally State-level penalties for filing false documents vary and can add additional charges.
This runs in both directions. A reference who fabricates positive statements to help a friend get a permit is breaking the law, and so is a reference who invents negative statements to sabotage someone. If you’re asked to serve and you have real concerns about the applicant, the right move is to decline rather than lie on a government form.
If You Are Denied Based on Character
A denial tied to references is not the end of the process. Most jurisdictions that require references also provide a formal appeal path. Some route appeals through the courts; others use an administrative hearing inside the licensing agency.
Request the specific reason for the denial in writing. Licensing authorities generally must tell you why, and knowing whether the problem was a negative statement, a nonresponsive reference, or a paperwork inconsistency dictates what to do next. Depending on the reason, you can often reapply with different references, submit additional character evidence, or contest the interpretation of what a reference said at the hearing.
The 2022 Bruen decision has also given applicants a new angle for challenging denials rooted in subjective character judgments. The Court struck down New York’s “proper cause” requirement and held that firearm regulations must be consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearms regulation. Shall-issue systems using objective criteria remain constitutional, but licensing officials cannot exercise “open-ended discretion” to deny permits based on subjective judgment.2Justia Law. New York State Rifle and Pistol Association Inc v Bruen If a licensing officer denied your permit on a vague “good moral character” finding rather than an objective disqualifying factor, that decision may be constitutionally vulnerable. Speaking with a firearms attorney before filing an appeal is worth the cost, especially if the denial appears to rest on the officer’s personal discretion rather than facts in your record.