NC passed a pistol purchase permit law back in the Jim Crow days as a means of making it harder for black men to buy guns for self defense. The law is still on the books today.
Every gun purchaser must have a PPP (1 gun per permit) or a CCW (unlimited purchases) even for private sales.
NC is one of the states with a constitutional carry law pending in congress. This bill also eliminates the PPP.
Given that it is already illegal to sell or transfer a gun to a prohibited person, we don't need these other laws requiring permission to buy or sell a gun. They will never prevent criminals from getting guns.