Gun License Boom: Why New Yorkers Are Suddenly Arming Themselves

New York City, which once prided itself on its anti-gun stance, is now actively arming itself. Residents of the Big Apple who want to obtain a concealed carry permit are required to take a firearms safety course. There are few strict rules on how to teach the course, so gun enthusiasts have taken on the task. The publication explains how it works. The City.

Following the US Supreme Court's summer 2022 ruling, which forced state authorities to relax strict restrictions, tens of thousands of residents applied for permits to carry guns outside the home. Over three years, the number of monthly applications has increased nearly tenfold, according to an analysis of police data by THE CITY and The Trace.

If the trend continues, New York will become another city where legal guns are commonplace.

By law, every candidate must complete a "firearms safety course": 16 hours of theory, a written test, and shooting practice. Only Maryland and Illinois require more.

But the state hasn't specified how exactly to conduct the training—only a list of topics. Therefore, more and more gun enthusiasts are creating and teaching their own courses. Just complete two National Rifle Association trainings, and you're already an "authorized instructor."

One of the busiest is 57-year-old Lance Dashefsky. He has more reviews than anyone else on the U.S. Concealed Carry Association website, all of them five-star. He spends most of his weekends helping people get into the swing of things.

Until 2022, there was almost no demand: obtaining a concealed carry permit in New York was practically impossible. As a result, only businessmen, politicians, and celebrities legally carried weapons.

Everything changed after the State Rifle Association's lawsuit and the Supreme Court's decision in Bruen. The court prohibited state authorities from denying applicants without compelling reasons and extended the Second Amendment's protection to include carrying guns outside the home.

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Governor Kathy Hochul called the regulation "irresponsible and outrageous." She urgently convened lawmakers to strengthen inspections and training requirements. The law was signed into law on July 1, 2022. From then on, anyone who completes the required course will be eligible for a permit.

Interest surged immediately. Applications spiked sharply in the summer, and then again after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, especially among the city's Jewish residents.

Since then, more than 17 people have received permits, and over 8 more applications are being processed. By comparison, fewer than 4 New Yorkers had permits in 2011.

Many of Dashefsky's students said they needed guns for self-defense. Others had a different motivation. Nick, a mathematician who keeps dozens of guns at home in Pennsylvania, wanted to simplify the transportation of his arsenal to New York.

"I've never felt safe here," he said. "I'm always amazed by this culture of fear."

According to Dashefsky, about 250 people have completed his courses in the past year. They typically pay around $700. His income from the training has already exceeded his full-time job.

He also conducts private training sessions, recently training executives at an international retail company right in their office. High-profile incidents—the street shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the summer shooting at an office on Park Avenue—have left the corporate sector on edge.

"People are afraid that someone will just walk in and start shooting," he says. "The turnstile won't stop anyone."

By law, the course must cover local and federal regulations, which are complex and confusing. Dashefsky has consistently criticized them: bans on weapons in "sensitive areas," background checks on ammunition buyers.

He says frankly that the course does not provide universal answers.

Reaching the required section on suicide risks, he declared, "We'll get through this quickly," and finished in ten minutes. He didn't mention the scientific data that handgun owners are three times more likely to commit suicide.

By the evening, moving on to the section “Violent Clashes and What Follows Them,” he became even more animated: he talked about how to behave after self-defense and avoid legal problems.

All students passed the test easily.

But even if they submit their documents now, they'll have to wait more than a year. The police still haven't processed thousands of applications submitted back in the summer of 2024. The agency says some applicants don't bring their documents or don't show up for fingerprinting.

In September, the U.S. Department of Transportation even sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office for being too slow in issuing permits, claiming it violated the Second Amendment. Experts believe New York City could soon face the same fate.