Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Shelby County. Shelby County is the fast-growing south side of metro Birmingham: Hoover, Pelham, Alabaster and Chelsea. Buyers here know what they want and shop on price, mostly carry pistols and home-defense guns.
Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. At the counter you fill out Form 4473 and the dealer runs the federal background check. Alabama adds no purchase permit, no registration and no waiting period. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door.
Dealers in these communities all work for Hoover-area buyers:
Since January 1, 2023 Alabama has permitless carry: anyone 19 or older (18 for active military, veterans and law enforcement) who can legally own a handgun may carry it concealed without a permit. A pistol permit is still worth having if you travel, because many other states honor an Alabama permit but not permitless carry. In Shelby County permits are issued by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office; each county sets its own fees and permit lengths, and many offer lifetime permits. See our Alabama pistol permit guide.
Shelby County is in deer Zone A. Gun deer season opens November 21, 2026 and runs to February 10, 2027 on privately owned or leased land; on open public land the dates are split between bucks-only and either-sex periods.
Shelby County has its own state range: the Cahaba River WMA range. Oak Mountain State Park is on the east side of the county. Hoover spans Jefferson and Shelby counties, so check which sheriff serves your address.
Alabama's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources runs twelve public shooting ranges. These are the closest to Hoover. Residents aged 16 to 64 need a valid hunting, heritage, fishing or WMA license to use them.
Source: Outdoor Alabama public shooting range directory, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call before you drive out.
Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in Pelham, Alabaster, Helena, Hoover or anywhere in Shelby County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the federal background check.
No. Alabama has no purchase permit, no gun registration and no waiting period. You need to be 21 to buy a handgun from a dealer and 18 for a rifle or shotgun, under federal law.
No. Since January 1, 2023 anyone 19 or older (18 for active military, veterans and law enforcement) who can legally own a handgun may carry it concealed without a permit. Many people still get one from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office because other states honor it.
Shelby County is in deer Zone A. Gun deer season opens November 21, 2026 and runs to February 10, 2027 on privately owned or leased land; on open public land the dates are split between bucks-only and either-sex periods.
Each dealer sets its own fee, commonly $20 to $75. Call before you order to confirm the price and that they accept firearms shipped from an online store.
Even without a permit requirement, Alabama bars carrying in places such as police stations, courthouses, prisons and jails, mental health facilities, and school property (with narrow exceptions). Federal buildings and private businesses that ban guns are off limits too.
General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of September 2026. See our Alabama gun law overview and ask an Alabama attorney about your own situation.