Concealed Carry

Introduction: North Carolina is a Right-to-Carry (RTC) state. The state has a "shall issue" law that requires concealed carry permits to be obtained by residents who choose to carry a concealed weapon. As long as you are over the age of 21, have never been convicted of a felony or domestic violence, and are a current resident, you can get a permit to carry a concealed handgun in North Carolina. Step 1 Attend the approved concealed carry handgun course at the Martial Arts Training Institute. This course includes both classroom instruction and shooting qualification portions. If you are not confident in your shooting ability, the Martial Arts Training Institute offers basic shooting courses approved by the National Rifle Association for an additional fee. It is recommended that you schedule and complete these courses before attending the concealed carry course. You will receive a certificate upon completion of the concealed carry course. You will need to have proof of completion of a concealed carry course in the state of North Carolina in order to apply for a permit. You may attend this course before the age of 21, but you must be 21 to apply for the permit. Handgun ownership is not required. Guns and ammo will be supplied for the range qualification. Step 2 Apply in person at the sheriff's office. Applications for concealed carry handgun permits and pistol purchase permits are available at your county's sheriff's permit office. Bring your concealed carry class certificate and NC driver's license to the permit office. Step 3 Swear under oath in the presence of witnesses that the information provided on your application is accurate for the concealed carry handgun. Sign the medical records waiver and allow your fingerprints to be taken. Step 4 Pay the nonrefundable license fee and the fee for fingerprinting. Step 5 Return to the sheriff's permit office to pick up your concealed carry handgun permit. The permit office has 90 days to review your application. You will receive notification when your application is accepted. If your application is turned down, you will receive a written explanation by mail. Step 6 Renew your concealed carry handgun permit every 5 years. The Martial Arts Training Institute will hold its next concealed carry in Long Creek/Huntersville at 9306 Beatties Ford Road. The handgun course is available in Charlotte, Huntersville, Mecklenburg County, Gaston County, Lincoln County, and Cabarrus County. The following is the instructor's biography -- Sgt. Irwin Carmichael. Irwin Carmichael was born in rural Long Creek, a few miles north of Charlotte, North Carolina. He started karate lessons at an early age. Through hard work, practice, and training, earned his first black belt at the age of 14. Since then, he has achieved a master level, 9th degree black belt in Kempo Karate. He has put his knowledge, love and expertise for karate into a business and oversees several karate schools. In 1986, Irwin joined the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office and has since gained the rank of sergeant. Through his work, he has had the opportunity to interview hardened criminals and analyze the minds behind crimes. He has gathered information for his crime prevention programs through high-profile transports of prisoners such as Henry Louis Wallace, Van Brett Watkins, and Rae Carrouth. He saw a way to merge his skill in the martial arts with his knowledge of crime to develop a personal safety and awareness program, Women's Awareness Response. As a courtesy of the sheriff's office, he presents this program to organizations, businesses, and groups throughout the county and state. In an attempt to further educate the public on crime prevention and self-defense, Sgt. Carmichael has written a book, Women's Awareness Response, and has produced a child safety and abduction video, Kids' Awareness Response. In addition, he uses his martial arts proficiency to teach defensive tactics and ground fighting at the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office Training Academy, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Academy, and other law enforcement agencies including the Homeland Security, North Carolina Justice Academy, and the North Carolina Highway Patrol Training Center. The class that took him the farthest from home was the one he taught at the Australian Federal Police. Sgt. Carmichael's knowledge of karate has made it possible to impact almost every segment of our society as he teaches kids' karate classes, women's self-defense classes, and ground fighting seminars. He is also an engineer/firefighter for the city of Charlotte. He has fulfilled every little boy's dream of becoming a policeman, a fireman, and a karate master. Sgt. Carmichael has a wife and a son, Rodney, who is already following in his daddy's footsteps. His current and past employment and certifications are the following: * Sergeant with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office (1986 - present) * Engineer for Charlotte Fire Department (1986 - present) * Owner of Martial Arts Training Institute (1983 - present) * Instructor in Kempo Karate of several schools in Charlotte Metro area (1997 - present) * Author of nationally released self-defense book (Success For Safety - 2nd Edition) * Video producer, manufacturer and distributor of several nationally released martial arts/self-defense videos, as well as his most current video, Success for Safety for Children, which examines child safety methods and abduction prevention measures * Dynamic speaker who has taught self-defense to more than 100,000 individuals nationally and internationally His seminars include valuable knowledge gained from the transport and interviews of high-profile criminals such as Henry Louis Wallace, Rae Carruth, and Van Brett Watkins, to name a few. His training experience is as follows: Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office * Crime prevention and child safety seminars as a community service * Spontaneous self-defense for detention officers * Defensive tactics instructor/BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) * Unarmed self-defense instructor (Jailer Certification) * Subject control techniques/SCAT (full-limited lecturer for detention officers certification) * High-profile prisoner transports * CPR and first aid care in the jails (instructor) Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department * Crime prevention and child safety seminars as a community service * Defensive tactics instructor/BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) * First responder training instructor Central Piedmont Community College * Defensive tactics instructor/BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) * Unarmed self-defense instructor (Jailer Certification) * First responder training instructor * CPR and first aid care in the jails (instructor) North Carolina Justice Academy * Defensive tactics instructor/BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) * Spontaneous self-defense for detention officers * Unarmed self-defense instructor Additional agencies (who have received training by Sgt. Carmichael) are the following: * North Carolina Highway Patrol * FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) * Iredell County Sheriff's Office * Lincoln County Sheriff's Office * Gaston County Sheriff's Office * Cleveland County Sheriff's Office * Union County Sheriff's Office Martial Arts Training Institute * Owner of several martial arts schools * 9th degree black belt in Shorinji Kempo Karate * 4th degree black belt in Modern Arnis * 3rd degree black belt in Shorinji kubodo * Fully qualified instructor in Balintwak Cuentada Arnis * Member of I.S.K.K.F. Board of Directors * World Head Sokeship Council 2002 Hall of Fame Inductee - Lifetime Achievement Award * United States Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame Inductee - Man of the Year 2005 * World Karate Union Hall of Fame Inductee - Most Distinguished Grand Master of the Year 2006 * Martial Arts World Magazine Hall of Fame - Most Distinguished Grand Master of the Year 2009 His certifications/training are as follows: * North Carolina Basic Law Enforcement Training Instructor * North Carolina Defensive Tactics Instructor * North Carolina Sheriffs' Standards Commission Full Limited Lecturer for Detention Officers Certification * North Carolina Criminal Justice Instructor * North Carolina Justice Academy Specialized Defensive Tactics Instructor Training * North Carolina Dept. of Corrections Unarmed Self-Defense Instructor * Dept. of Justice Law Enforcement Response to Weapons of Mass Destruction Training * Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department Instructor Training * Tactical Arrest and Control Training for Law Enforcement Officers (Prof. Pedro Sauer) * North Carolina Fire and Rescue Commission Emergency Vehicle Driver * North Carolina Fire and Rescue Commission Emergency Rescue Technician * North Carolina EMT - Defibrillation Technician * North Carolina First Responder Technician * Basic Rescue Training Certification * Advanced Rescue Training Certification * North Carolina CPR/First Aid Instructor * North Carolina Heart Association - CPR Instructor * PPCT Management Systems, Inc. - Baton Instructor * PPCT Management Systems, Inc. - Defensive Tactics Instructor * Eighth Degree Black Belt in Shorinji Kempo Karate * Balintawak/Escrima-Qualified Instructor * Modern Arnis Instructor * Certification of Membership with the National Association of Professional Martial Artists (NAPMA) * Certification in Tactical Street Survival Training with Calibre Press, Inc. * Certification of Achievement with Rickson Gracie Law Enforcement Course - basic level * North Carolina Concealed Carry Handgun Instructor * NRA Basic Pistol Instructor