Luke please see my post above for updates.
For handgun registration 90% of the time you are in and out in about two hours approved same day. Same with long gun and previous owned. Ballistic testing is long gone, as are a slew of laws.
I'd be happy to help you with concealed carry permit info. In short it is now shall issue and about 1,000 licences have been issued under shall issue in the first four months. I got mine beginning of December. There is also a lot of misinformation, including the utterly incorrect map by John lott (who I otherwise respect).
Eligibility: Essentially it is NICS for registration and NAVI (National Agency Check with Inquiries) for carry. So this means more offenses and they check a database with all jurisdictions. You get a NACI for low level security clearance. In the case of DC CCL though it does not include things like interviews or credit check that can accompany a NACI. Essentially they will know if you had a restraining order in Texas 20 years ago, or got in a bar fight in Oregon in 1990. DC does not list all of those as disqualifying but they have a better chance of seeing an actual disqualifies than NICS does.
Training:
DC standard is one of their certified trainers (there are about a dozen) charging $250 to $325 for a two day course that is 14 hours of general training, 2 hours of legal training on federal and local self defense and carry laws, and two hours of live fire. They will exempt the 14 hours if you have a recent other recognized training. in that case you pay $100 to $125 for a shorter class involving the law and live fire elements.
Wait times: 60 to 120 days. It is supposed to be 90, they are allowed more time (more likly to be triggered if you are non resident or if all your training is not their standard certifiers
Costs
First two years: ~ 275 training, $75 application, $35 fingerprinting. application includes one gun registration (normally $13) = ~$385
Two year renewals: $125 training, $75 application = $200
Prohibited areas:
https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/prohibited-places-carry-concealed-firearm
Notes on prohibited areas:
1) DC is similar to most urban areas in density resulting in a fair amount of prohibitions due to density and government offices
2) alcohol served property prohibition includes bars, but does not include restaurants where you do not drink (ie if you are going to drive or walk to a restaurant with your wife, and she drinks some wine there, but you do not, you are ok in there with your concealed firearm)
3) subway and buses are off limits for carry, but just as person without a carry, but with an DC ownership registration, can transport on subway if unloaded and locked, a carry person can unload and lock and transport by public transport. a backpack or briefcase with two soft lockable pouches in it is advisable if you go by public transport.
other limits: gun must be DC registerarable and registered with DC MPD (on any one of the Mass, Md., or Cali rosters), no mags over 10 rounds, no threaded barrel. Unsecured ammo with you for carry is limited to 20 rounds or one load in pistol and one spare mag, whichever is less. Examples: five round revolver, five in plus five in a strip or speed loader; glock 43 6+1+6; standard glock with ten rounders 10+1+
9.