Those 250,000ish Illinois concealed carry license holders know that they will need a state-mandated three-hour renewal / requalification course to renew their license before it expires at five years after issuance. The first of Illinois' CCWs will begin to expire in March/April/May 2019.
Long-time gun owners in Illinois have experienced the Illinois State Police's history of sometimes less-than-timely processing of FOID card applications. While past performance is not an indicator of future performance, some folks are wanting to get an early start on filing for their CCW renewals. I've gotten multiple calls on this in just the last couple of weeks.
I called the Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau this morning so you wouldn't have to.
I spoke with a courteous young woman (I'll leave her name out of it) who did a nice job diplomatically telling me there are no formal policies and procedures for Illinois concealed carry license renewals. I've put her answers in bold. Paraphrased.
"Do you guys have a certificate of completion template ready for those seeking to proactively get their state-mandated 3-hour training for renewal out of the way?" Nope, sorry. They're working on it.
"Do you have any idea when you might have a handle on this and other issues relating to renewals ready for public distribution?" Nope, sorry. They're working on it.
She mentioned that ISP will have something "at least a couple of months out" from when licenses begin to expire. That didn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy. Who wants to spend an hour of range time outside in snow and a -21 degree windchill in January? Not me.
She also noted that they will probably handle renewals just like new applications.
"So, does that mean local departments will have a 30-day window to object to a renewal even though the existing license has been carried without being suspended or revoked?" I would assume so, yes. I can't wait to hear the line of people caught in the two-year (maybe a lot longer under a JB Pritzker administration) holding pattern as the Concealed Carry License Review Board works its way to taking up the objections to renewals!
"So, you believe that a reasonable person would expect that a renewal would take the same four months, without fingerprints, that a new license takes?" Probably, yes.
PRO-TIP: The Live-Scan fingerprint vendors won't like me for saying this, but save your money and skip the fingerprints. Take that $75 and buy some ammo and practice your shooting. Or, for domestic tranquility, you might consider using it to take your significant other out for a dinner date. The only benefit to submitting an application with prints is you might get your license back about a month sooner.
Towards the end of the call, I noted that getting the required training would not happen for most folks overnight, and how it would be nice if the ISP proactively had guidelines out so licensees could begin acquiring the renewal training and range requalification ahead of time. She agreed, repeating that they are working on it.
Absolute bs. Treating them like new applicants,serious, how crazy is that,we jumped through every hoop they gave us and now were gonna b treated like new apps. Not fair at all. I never even knew we had to go through a renewal cert to renew our license so im glad u posted this. Wow!!! Good ol IL.
I would hope they dont plan on letting existing licenses expire once a renerwal is applied for, but perhaps we need to be prepared to file lawsuits everytime one expires. Cost the staee a few miilion inlegal fees and maybe they will learn
I'm definitely on board with the lawsuit send out the petition so we can sign it
They won't care… it isn't their money. With no skin in the game, there is no concern.
I lived in Illinois for 73 years and had a Illinois CCW. I spent almost $500 to get my Illinois card.
I now have a Tennessee carry card and it cost me $90 for the test and the Live-Scan fingerprints.
($300 for a life time CC) and i can open carry if I ever want to.
Keep fighting for your rights in Illinois, I now have my rights in Tennessee.
I'm adding TN to my top 5 possible "move to" states!
Sounds to me like they want the licenses to expire. While we wait for the ISP to do something .
Let me get this straight. They made up regulations governing the issuance of licenses, which were for a five-year lifespan, and at the same time didn't make up regulations governing the renewal of such licenses, the very same licenses they knew would expire eventually?
Ronald Reagan was right. When you hear someone say, "We're from the government and we're here to help you," be afraid, be very afraid.
Mine will expire in may 2019,should i start my renew as of now?