Washington, D.C., has seen a huge change in how it handles gun permits, with the waiting period for residents who follow the law to get a concealed carry license and register a firearm shrinking from months to just a few days. This change is because of President Donald Trump’s “Making DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” which was created by an executive order five months ago, right before he took over the city.
The task force has not changed the city’s existing strict gun laws but has worked to make the paperwork process faster and easier for people, per Fox News. Before, someone applying to register a firearm with the Metropolitan Police Department had to wait four months for an appointment. Now, the process has been sped up so that appointments can be made for the next day, and walk-ins are also allowed.
The concealed carry permit process, which used to take several months, has also been made much faster. According to data collected by the task force in May, the average time to process a concealed carry permit is now just 4.6 days. To make things even simpler, the task force has combined firearm registration and concealed carry license appointments into one category. The District’s City Council also recently voted to allow fingerprinting services to be done by third-party vendors instead of only the police department.
The place Trump says is infested with crime is giving out more guns
These changes to the gun permit system are part of a bigger federal effort to reduce crime in the District. The task force, which started its work in March, has been a key part of this plan. The president took another step by putting the D.C. police under federal control using the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which allows for temporary emergency measures.
This move included sending hundreds of National Guard troops to patrol the city, along with law enforcement officers from federal agencies like the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, to take over the city.
People who follow the law and get a concealed carry permit still have to renew it every two years. The city also still bans most semi-automatic rifles and has rules that stop people from having ammunition for any gun not registered with the Metropolitan Police Department. The District also has a long list of places where guns are not allowed, including public transportation, government buildings, schools, colleges, hospitals, and any place that sells alcohol.
Applicants still have to meet all of D.C.’s requirements, like finishing a firearms training course, to get their permits and registration. The Metropolitan Police Department can still deny applications for many reasons, such as trying to register a banned weapon or not following the correct procedures.
Published: Aug 16, 2025 12:36 pm