For a large county and large city, you would think that professionalism and correct business practices would be there. Here in the last few months beginning in December 2025, personally, I have dealt with staff personally at the courthouse, believe was courthouse, where civil processes can be filed. The deputy at the metal detector made a comment about me knowing something since I was the man walking in with her. Very rude. Staff was not nice, However, had to go to their site to update info . mecksheriff.com. Not working. security risk. Not secure site. What? Cmon Man. read more

Five *and a half* years later, I'm back to renew my concealed carry permit with the sheriff. While I submitted the paperwork in July for a permit that was due to expire in October, it took until January for it to be approved. And it took a lawsuit. It seems that out of the 100 counties in the Tarheel State, Mecklenburg is the ONLY ONE that is requiring mental health records from the VA even for applicants who swear under oath that they have never served in the military. Yes, the VA is quite backed up with responding to the multitude of requests and they're certainly in no bigger rush to search for records of people who have no records to find. No other county does this. Not Wake, not Durham, not even Buncombe County is asking the VA for mental health records. Under Sheriff McFadden, Mecklenburg is the only one. North Carolina is a "must issue" state which means that unless the sheriff has an articulable reason to deny a permit, they are required to approve or deny within 45 days of receiving the paperwork. Mecklenburg is choosing to declare that the 45 days only starts ticking when they have received the responses from the SIX state hospitals and in 2022/2023, the VA is taking several months to respond. The lawsuit was filed against the sheriff and a response was due within 30 days. According to the signed response provided to the court, my permit was approved three days before the deadline of the response. I can only wonder if it would have been processed in the same (slow) timeline if I had not signed on as a plaintiff. North Carolina law states that an expired permit is valid until the replacement is either denied or approved, as long as the renewal was applied for before expiration. Mine was applied four months before expiration, so I was allowed to continue to carry in North Carolina (I also carried a printout of the statute in case there were questions). But I was unwilling to risk carrying a concealed weapon in any of the nearly three dozen other states that honor North Carolina permits as I did not believe they would honor North Carolina law. A right delayed is a right denied. As such, I remain disappointed with the Sheriff of Mecklenburg County. I doubt they'll change voluntarily. They believe that they're correct. I disagree. We'll see what the courts say. After the recent Supreme Court decision in Bruen, I believe the Sheriff will have no choice but to change. And it's shame that it will take the court to get them to do what's right and what 99 other North Carolina courts are doing. [Review 19103 overall - 3405 in North Carolina - 73 of 2023.] read more

Horrible customer service for a professional who needs fingerprinting for business and work. The staff are rude and dry for no reason. I hate that I have to go there once every 2 years for fingerprinting. I am looking for another location for fingerprinting so I don't get treated so hatefully. read more

I have been trying to get my soon to be ex-husband served with a restraining order since 11/12/2025. This Sheriffs department went to serve him and he was not there and they left after speaking with him and telling him that he needed to come to the office and pick up the paperwork. Well in what right mind would make you believe that a person who is obsessed with another person, stalking, harassing them and abusing them, would come and pick up a piece of paper telling them that they can't do what they wanna do anymore. Anywho, He continued to stalk me and harass me, and the threats became worse, as well as bragging that he doesn't have to abide by anything that wasn't served to him, so there was no restraining order in place for him to follow and in his words exactly "I can do whatever I want and be gone to Canada by the time the slow a@% Sheriff's show up." WELL, on November 26, 2025. He came to my home to get his belongings and move out and I called the Sheriffs office at 3:22 pm to let them know he was at my address and I tried to stall him out for over an hour, and no one ever showed up. And because I would not come outside and talk to him or let him into the home to talk to me. He began to try to kick down my door. He has damaged and broken open two of the doors to my home leaving my home unsafe. The police came out to file a report and charges, and I decided to stay in the home to meet with the Sheriffs office to let them know where he was going to be next and NO ONE SHOWED UP! No one showed up the next day or the following day after that. No one called me and let me know anything. This negligence almost cost me and my children our lives. read more

I had a great experience having my fingerprints taken today. Super satisfied with how I was taken care of. Super quick trip. I was afraid it would take forever, and I worried for no reason. Went through security, waited for short time a very nice lady in pink helped me, I filled out the papers, then waited a couple more minutes and I was helped by two other gentlemen who took my fingerprints. I was in and out in 10 mins read more

Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office - Entrance of fingerprint in Mecklenburg county - Police Departments Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Yesterday I popped by to file for a permit and get some fingerprinting done. I was super nervous this would take hours and be really complicated. I went as soon as they opened at 8AM. It ended up being a breeze! When you arrive you have to go through a metal detector and the entrance to the office is right after that. Parking was shockingly available uptown, I think because it was early AM. The staff in the office that helped were nice and fast. I was the only one in the office and waited about 5 minutes before I was called back to do my fingerprints. The entire process probably took me about 15 minutes, maybe. It was super fast and everyone was nice! read more

Sgt Erb is the best . He was so helpful to us for 5 long months . We could not find my grandson . If it wasn't for him constantly helping us we would have never got him Dec 30th . This man deserves a medal for his service. read more

Did you know that at the Mecklenburg County jail in Charlotte, NC that if you try to bring someone new underwear and undershirts because they are cold that you will be turned away? They then tell you that the "proper protocols" are to go to Icaregifts.com where the person may not be eligible to receive underwear and undershirts due to being cold? They would not even ALLOW me to follow the protocols for this person to get them new underwear or undershirts. I guess even inmates do not deserve to be warm or have clean underwear. read more

Holy hell all the systems are broke, the people "just don't know what to do" , they takes months if not over a year to mail shit out and then on top of all that only accept cash which they don't advertise this system is so broken especially for conceal carry permits they are just asking for people to be carrying without permits when they make it this hard to obtain one living in any other county in nc would make this 10x easier read more

Applied for my gun permit online. Received a text to report to the sheriff Ofc within 5 days for verifications. I'm a nervous wreck. What kind of verifications. I'm a citizen, no criminal background. Will they depart me back to WI for a parking ticket?! Walked in. You get scanned for weapons. This sheriff office provide gun permit, Conceal carry permit, fingerprints for your conceal carry and if you're sex offender, you also report here. It look chaotic but it's a well oiled machine in a chaotic way. Everybody sits and stand everywhere. You don't know what the hell is going on. Just check in and they'll tell you what to do. After I was call back up. I was required to show my ID and proof of citizenship. Done. Easy. Nervous for nothing! read more

If you're renewing your concealed carry permit, fill out the form, pay and set an appointment online no more than 90 days prior to its expiration date. Print (don't sign) and take the renewal packet with you to your appointment because basically they need to notarize the documents on-site and photocopy your ID. There are a number of release forms to sign for authorization for hospitals and providers to release information regarding physical capacity, mental health, mental capacity or substance abuse to the sheriff. I usually park at the lot on E 4th and Davidson for a dollar. read more

Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office - Police Departments Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I've sent the past two months attending the sheriff's office citizens academy. I've learned an amazing amount of information about what their duties are and met the men and women that run our jails, process prisoners, serve papers, provide escorts for funerals and for public figures. It's a very interesting course of study and I highly recommend it to everyone. You can apply on the sheriff's office website. read more

Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office - Jail Central - Police Departments Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

The pistol purchase permit has become ridiculous slow. While the Sheriffs office is required to approve/deny request within 14 days. An auto reply will state because of the added requirement of a mental health check and the increase in volume they are not able to meet this required deadline. Apparently it is now taking up to four months to process these request and up to six months to CCW permit. This is completely unacceptable!!! Either hire more people or change the process to be more efficient. read more

My husband and I came here to get a Concealed Carry Permit. There was a sign on the door that redirected us elsewhere. In the mist of our confusion, a nice young lady walking and stated "Are you here for a gun permit?" She walked with us to the building where we needed to be. Come to find out, she worked here. The guy at the front desk was very friendly and informed us that we needed to fill out the information on the computers that are at the facility. We filled out the information and made an appointment. The price for the Permit was $97.03. Our overall experience was great! If all of our experiences with the City, Federal, and Government were this easy, it would be a win/win for everyone! read more

See all

I made my appointment to get my gun permit renewed, went in and office was clean and cool on a hot day. I stood in line, and was quickly waited on. I told the young women that I could not hear her and she continued to mumble. She shoved papers at me and I said "I cannot hear you. She still mumbled. I signed the papers. Thank goodness I can read! Once again I said quite loud' I can NOT hear you, as I have told you,' She completely ignored and dismissed me. It is not a crime to be HOH/deaf. We life a very normal life and have lots of ways to communicate. I read lips very well if people don't mumble and look at me when talking. It is very ignorant to dismiss someone.. read more

I came here for a gun permit and I was literally in and out in less than 10 minutes. I was greeted and helped with a smile and on my merry way. You never know how it'll be going uptown to a government building but my experience was a pleasurable one. There's a parking deck for $1.50 an hour about a block over and I was about to park, walk over, and get back to my car and out in 22 minutes! read more

The folks in the fingerprinting office were super fast, friendly and helpful. I am grateful for them.

I have come here on a few different occasions to pick up purchase permits, submit CCW paperwork, and pick up a CCW permit. Each time has been a good experience. To better meet demand, they moved from the old location that some people posted pictures of to a larger location across the street. Parking is plentiful and cheap (as Lee said, the lot on 4th and Davidson is nice and cheap), there's a decent waiting area, and employees are friendly and efficient. The big downside is the wait that you'll have when you submit paperwork. For a CCW permit, you should expect to wait around 120 days. read more

Just had my fingerprints done for work. I filled everything out ahead of time and paid online. I was in and out in less than 30. The detective that helped me was really nice. All in all an excellent experience other than parking but it is Uptown Charlotte after all! read more

I came to the sheriff's office weeks ago to renew my gun permit. I brought the proper identification to show my name change (due to marriage) and my address change. Actually brought in my marriage license and drivers license which has my updated name and address. All of this was presented to the sheriff's office in person. I was then issued a temporary permit to carry with me that has my new address and name. However, I am being sent an email saying that I need to drive to the sheriff's office again??? And if I don't do so in 30 days, I lose my permit rights and the money I paid to renew??? What is going on? I need someone to please clarify this ASAP!!!! I've called and left messages for weeks and weeks!! I cannot get anyone to help me or even care for that matter! This is so unprofessional and unacceptable! read more

Food's pretty good. Service sucks. They treat you like a criminal. Do not recommend.