A permit to carry a concealed pistol shall must be issued to any person applicant by the sheriff of the county in which the applicant resides. The permit shall must be valid throughout the state and shall must be issued pursuant to § 23-7-7.1. For purposes of verifying the qualifications of an applicant, prior to issuing a permit, the sheriff shall execute, and the applicant shall pass, a background investigation, including a computer check of available on-line records and a check utilizing the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The issuance of a permit to carry a concealed pistol under this chapter, or the recognition of nonresident permits to carry a concealed pistol under § 23-7-7.4, does not impose a general prohibition on the carry carrying of a pistol without a permit.