Where to start CCW application process in San Mateo County?

[Discuss9787]

I got my FFL 03 and COE, and now I'm ready to start the process for CCW. How do I get started? And is there a guide that will coach me with the process?

 

[treelogger]

Contact the Sheriff's department. If you live in an incorporated city, you may be able to (or may even be required to) apply with your city's police department, contact them too. I see that the Sheriff's department has a web page set up with instructions.

 

[sct22]

Well I hope you have time to wait. Start here https://sanmateoca.permitium.com/ccw/start I started 517 days ago and had my interview 5/16. Just waiting now...

 

[NorCalBusa]

Find a good shrink- to help manage the frustration(s). You'll thank me later.

 

[treelogger]

For at least a decade, San Mateo has been one of the better Bay Area counties to get a CCW in. Long before Bruen, I know a couple of people who had permits, and reported no problems getting and renewing them.

Two things are going wrong right now. First, since Bruen, the number of applications has exploded, and the department has neither budget nor manpower to process them quickly. Second, the Sheriff herself is in the center of a lot of controversy about mismanagement and corruption. Not the kind of corruption we saw in Santa Clara county (the infamous campaign donations and iPads for CCW permits), but stuff like hiring her boyfriend into the sheriff's department at a quarter million salary to run the administration (he's a real estate broker). She is likely to be ousted by the board of supervisors soon, meaning the department's administration will be further in chaos. And that's not going to speed up CCW processing.

 

[NorCalBusa]

For at least a decade, San Mateo has been one of the better Bay Area counties to get a CCW in. Long before Bruen, I know a couple of people who had permits, and reported no problems getting and renewing them.

Two things are going wrong right now. First, since Bruen, the number of applications has exploded, and the department has neither budget nor manpower to process them quickly. Second, the Sheriff herself is in the center of a lot of controversy about mismanagement and corruption. Not the kind of corruption we saw in Santa Clara county (the infamous campaign donations and iPads for CCW permits), but stuff like hiring her boyfriend into the sheriff's department at a quarter million salary to run the administration (he's a real estate broker). She is likely to be ousted by the board of supervisors soon, meaning the department's administration will be further in chaos. And that's not going to speed up CCW processing.

And look for the new (interim?) Sheriff to be on a short leash by the BoS. I'd be checking their pulse for attitudes about CCW- and get to work influencing that now if needed. Been decades since I lived there, so I got no news on that front.

 

[raellic]

My San Mateo County CCW took 19 months, all in:

March 2023 -- applied
May 2024 -- interview
June 2024 -- psychological testing
September 2024 -- approved
October 2024 -- range qualification/issued permit

 

[Discuss9787]

What kind of questions do they ask during the interview? How do I prepare? Does anyone know a good shrink that will cooperate and doesn't have it out against gun owners?

 

[raellic]

What kind of questions do they ask during the interview? How do I prepare? Does anyone know a good shrink that will cooperate and doesn't have it out against gun owners?

At the Sheriff's investigator interview, they asked things like: have you ever been involved in an argument on the street, for example over a parking space? I said no, and that I couldn't see myself arguing in public and would not make a scene over something as unimportant as a parking space. They asked: have you ever been the victim of a crime? I said no. They asked about a few things in my application and for additional details on those, plus any updates or corrections. They went over some of my legal matters, all of which were related to my law firm and completely understandable why I would sue (I had never been sued at that point). They said they had already reviewed the entirety of my legal matters on the county court portal, which is about 150 cases because those are my law firm cases representing clients-- plus they had already reviewed the entirety of my portfolio of websites, which is a lot of material. I was actually impressed they went to that level of detail. I have a crazy ex who filed a frivolous domestic violence case against me because she is in my online Hall of Shame, and they asked about that in detail after stating they had read the entire page and all of the attachments. But they were reasonable about it. I was surprised they didn't ask about the local judge who is in my Hall of Shame, but that doesn't surprise me because that particular judge is known to be evil and is unpopular, and my criticism of her is a classic exercise of freedom of speech.

In the clinical interview during psych testing, the psychologist was a totally reasonable guy who reviewed my MMPI-2 results with me, asked whether I had ever served in the military, asked whether I had ever had a hallucination, and asked about my personally owned firearms. I gave all reasonable answers, and he concluded the interview by saying he didn't see any issues but that the agency would make the final decision. The MMPI-2 was exhausting at 567 questions, but I had no real problem with the clinical interview. I believe I fit the acceptable profile and the psychologist wasn't really looking for anything in particular.

 

[Discuss9787]

Thanks, is the psychologist appointed by the Sheriff's office? Or do I find one on my own and obtain a letter of recommendation? How does that work?

 

[raellic]

Thanks, is the psychologist appointed by the Sheriff's office? Or do I find one on my own and obtain a letter of recommendation? How does that work?

They send you to a third party vendor who has a contract with the Sheriff's office. I had no problem with the whole process, it was fine.

 

[NorCalBusa]

While not San Mateo, the psych was nothing sammich. I spent the bulk of the visit chatting her up about the goofy stuff she must come across. She mostly, but not all professionally, agreed.

 

[Discuss9787]

Does anyone know if aftermarket left handed mag release are allowed on CCW guns?

 

[CybeRise]

While not San Mateo, the psych was nothing sammich. I spent the bulk of the visit chatting her up about the goofy stuff she must come across. She mostly, but not all professionally, agreed.

Do they ask you if you are on any medications?

 

[NorCalBusa]

Do they ask you if you are on any medications?

I don't recall- it was 8 years ago. I'd assume they do, some on this sub should know.

 

[Skilly]

I don't recall- it was 8 years ago. I'd assume they do, some on this sub should know.

yes they do.

 

[CybeRise]

yes they do.

I take some meds... I just want to be sure its not an auto disqualifier.... Don't want to go through all the trouble and get denied...

 

[Skilly]

I take some meds... I just want to be sure its not an auto disqualifier.... Don't want to go through all the trouble and get denied...

The obvious is that they are more concerned with abuse or the non-prescribed kind. But if you were on heavy anti-psychotics, or have a history of mental illness that is part of that script, it would lend itself to the risk that they are looking for in the testing. If thats the case, they have other questions rounding out that discovery. For example, if you are inclined to answer "yes" in the 'do you hear voices?' area of the questionnaire, they might deny you.

 

[NorCalBusa]

The obvious is that they are more concerned with abuse or the non-prescribed kind. But if you were on heavy anti-psychotics, or have a history of mental illness that is part of that script, it would lend itself to the risk that they are looking for in the testing. If thats the case, they have other questions rounding out that discovery. For example, if you are inclined to answer "yes" in the 'do you hear voices?' area of the questionnaire, they might deny you.

Sort of. Its also an easy "out" to deny- so he should disclose any prescription med he uses. You don't want an IA "having anything on you" and have to ask about something, you disclose- you set/frame the narrative.

 

[CybeRise]

The obvious is that they are more concerned with abuse or the non-prescribed kind. But if you were on heavy anti-psychotics, or have a history of mental illness that is part of that script, it would lend itself to the risk that they are looking for in the testing. If thats the case, they have other questions rounding out that discovery. For example, if you are inclined to answer "yes" in the 'do you hear voices?' area of the questionnaire, they might deny you.

Thanks for the information.