You have to be 21 in order to get a pistol license in New York State. Most places outside New York City grant pistol licenses for life. The requirements are pretty similar for all.
You get the application from the County Clerk during normal business hours. You will have to fill it out exactly as they say to. If the form specifies blue ink, use blue ink. Not black ink; not blue-black ink; BLUE INK. The clerk in my county mentioned to me once when I was in adding a pistol to my permit that they have tossed applications that were submitted with the wrong color ink. It's their ball and their bat, so play by their rules.
You will have to pass the NRA Basic Pistol Course. A photocopy of your certificate will have to be presented as part of your application.
You have to answer on an official county form essentially the same questions you have to answer on the BATFE Form 4473 you fill out when you buy a gun. Same disqualifications apply for a pistol permit as they do for purchase.
You will have to pay the county a sum of money - it's usually around $100 - for a background check to be run on you by the FBI.
Your fingerprints will be taken and run through the NCIC system. You may or may not have to pay a fee for this; that varies from county to county. You have to get it done by the County Sheriff during regular business hours.
You will have to provide a couple of passport-size pictures. One will go on your permit, the other on file.
You may or may not have to provide references. If you do, the requirements for references (how long they have known you, if they have to live in the county you're applying in, if relatives are acceptable, etc.) are written in the application form.
You may or may not be able to get a concealed-carry permit right off. Some counties issue nothing but CCWs. They figure that anyone who can get past the FBI background check is not going to be a risk. Others, like mine, will issue a Hunting & Target permit first. After four or five years, you can then apply for an upgrade to CCW; which, having demonstrated you can be trusted with a pistol, you should get.
If you get a Hunting & Target permit, you usually don't have to appear in front of a judge. However, for the CCW, you will have to appear before the judge who handles such things in your county. Generally, judges want to know why you want a CCW and do not issue them casually.
A Hunting & Target permit will let you transport between range and home or hunting area and home with no trouble. The usual sort of safety precautions apply. Pistol to be unloaded and ammo stored separately from pistol; pistol to be in locked box out of reach of the driver while vehicle is moving, preferably in the trunk or in underdeck space in a station wagon or minivan. Like that. If you're hunting, having it in a holster on your belt is fine. However, you can't keep it on your belt in a car on a Hunting & Target permit. New York State does not have open carry.
Also, you need to remember that a New York pistol permit is valid everywhere in New York State - except New York City. New York City does not acknowledge any pistol permits except the ones issued by the five counties that comprise the city. A NYC permit is valid anywhere in the state; the reverse is not true. This may change after the honest gun owners of America win McDonald vs Chicago; but for now, that's the law.
You also need to remember that New York State does not have reciprocity with any other state. Their permits are not valid here and ours are invalid the moment we cross the border into another state. The only exception to this is for shooters going to an NRA-sanctioned pistol match in New York State, provided they have something to show that is their destination, like the ad for the match and an entry form for the match. And yes, that sucks.
Those are the current rules on pistols here. If the Thune Amendment ever passes, the rules may change; but for now, that's what you have to live with.
k thanks. im i no rush. jsut wanted to see is i could get things out of the way so when i turn 21 i could just get the gun.
O well less then 2 years to go.
thanks. if i could just get the range and hunting license i would be glad with that since i dont need to carry a gun. just want to shoot squirrels, rabbits and targets with it
Location: Colorado, with all the pot smoking libtards -_-
Posts: 4,151
good god!! What part of "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" does New York not get? That seems like the steps you would have to go through to get a full auto rifle!! I don't think I could live in such a state that has those kinds of gun laws!
__________________ Well done is better than well said - Benjamin Franklin
Location: upstate New Yorkistan [the first openly totalitian republic of AmeriKa]
Posts: 1,268
I've been a NYS permit holder since I was 18. I'm now the owner of an UNRESTRICTED PERMIT. To get the unrescricted permit I had to go to a class and write the Judge a letter stating why I wanted an unrestricted permit. The advantage of my permit is that is issued and controled by a NY State Supreme Court Judge, not a county Judge. I've heard of permit holders getting harrassed by Sheriff duputies because THEIR Judge hadn't issued the permit.
The counties are in charge of the fees and hoops you have to deal with, but it's not uncommon to pay $200 for the permit buy the time everything is done. The classes cost money. The prints cost money. The forms/paperwork cost money.
good god!! What part of "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" does New York not get? That seems like the steps you would have to go through to get a full auto rifle!
cremley, you need to understand that New York State's constitution does NOT incorporate or guarantee the right to keep and bear arms. In that respect, we are even worse off than Massachusetts, which DOES have that amendment in the Commonwealth's constitution even though they restrict the daylights out of it. We have what gun rights the state legislature lets us have, subject to local regulation such as the incredible chicken**** the Five Boroughs of New York City must endure, where you need a permit for ANYTHING, not just pistols!
And we are not allowed Class III firearms, period. The only folks who have them are the police or sheriffs. And those guns belong to the Department, not to an individual. Mostly they are used by SWAT teams.
We are still saddled with the Patacki Gun Ban, which is the Slick Willy Assault Weapons Ban under another name and without an expiration date. It will be interesting to see if Patacki's atrocity survives after we win McDonald vs Chicago; likewise the Sullivan Law. Neither in my opinion qualifies as 'reasonble regulation.'
Require pistol permits, yes. Ban full autos... well, maybe; there is the National Firearms Act to consider. Magazine capacity restrictions if the magazine was made after 9/13/1994... what's the point? But banning guns just because they look like Evil Black Rifles - no. That's what the Patacki Gun Ban does, just as the Slick Willy Gun Ban did. And it's just as asinine as that was!
But at least in upstate New York, in most places the regulations on pistol ownership and longarm ownership are not too onerous, and a good chunk of the taxes collected on firearms goes into conservation funds to protect wildlife habitat, run fisheries and game breeding farms and the like, and not the state's general fund. It could be a lot worse.
Location: Colorado, with all the pot smoking libtards -_-
Posts: 4,151
"It could be a lot worse". Yea, well if you got mauled by a grizzly bear and survived, I am sure you can say "It could have been a lot worse", but it doesn't mean that it was anything good in the first place. Either way, New York is not a place I want to live in...
__________________ Well done is better than well said - Benjamin Franklin
"It could be a lot worse". Yea, well if you got mauled by a grizzly bear and survived, I am sure you can say "It could have been a lot worse", but it doesn't mean that it was anything good in the first place. Either way, New York is not a place I want to live in...
i dont plan on living in NY all my life. when im finished with college im going to start saving cash and looking around
Actually I think some info here is incorrect regarding a Target & Hunting License. I live in westchester county and have a target license (hate the term permit) no where on my license does it refer to a permit. Just License.
I carry to my ranges loaded with one in the chamber in double action as it should be. The NYS Troopers here in white plains who do the investigative leg work interviewing me and taking my fingerprints specifically said it was totally allowed. Actually I didn't ask. He just told me what I was allowed to do in regards to carry. And I quote " You can carry it concealed on your side and loaded as well. Otherwise it's just an expensive hammer" And this was December 09. I received my license April 15, 2010. And thats the way I carry it in NYS to a range and back I'm not sure where you got that info about loaded and locked up separate from. Yes for another state maybe. This is straight from the horses mouth.
fpicini, I got it from the NRA Basic Pistol course in my county that we have to take before we can put in for any sort of license. The rules, as I said, vary from county to county. In my county, the only way you can get away with carrying a pistol on your belt are to have a CCW, or be out hunting with it or carrying it as a backup gun, e.g., for bear hunting.
As I said, in the Peoples Democratic Republic on New York the rules vary from county to county quite a lot. You poor devils in Westchester County have it worse than we do. At least up here we have a judge who understands about shooters.
Cyrano, In westchester it is a bitch. At least they let us carry loaded to the range. Their ordinance regarding this administrative restrictions are above the law in my understanding. But we are in their home stadium so to speak so we have to play by their rules. But it's next to impossible to get that elusive unrestricted carry. Having a CCW for part time is better than nothing. As we say in westchester. I'm always going to or from a range.
Sawtooth: You definitely need a permit/license to carry a gun to both the range or hunting. One option on the permit is target & hunting. And of course premise is inclusive. If you live in NYC than you would need to obtain a hunting authorization permit to take it hunting in NYS. You need to have your hunting license so you can put that info on the application. 4 character references. Notarized. multiple pix 2" square. 4 to be exact. 3 pasted on each of the 3 duplicate forms and the other one is extra for their records And yes, Black ink only or they will not except it when you go in for your finger prints.
NRA certification course form. And lots of other ****. Its a lot of stuff that all has to be perfect or they will send you packing and tell you to make a new appointment. Which can be months in advance and you will have to wait again.
I had to wait 2 months before I got an appointment. And most important of all is that you have to buy a gun first and include the make model & serial number on your license application. So when you get your license for the first time you also get a coupon to buy that specific gun only as your first.
Its hard to let someone let you hold one at a store since its illegal for them to let you since you do not have a gun license. Its a catch 22. Stupid restriction. My gun sat in the dealers safe for 4&1/2 months. I went in almost every 2 weeks just to hold it. Lots to think about during you 1 year wait. But its worth it.
Sawtooth: You definitely need a permit/license to carry a gun to both the range or hunting. One option on the permit is target & hunting. And of course premise is inclusive. If you live in NYC than you would need to obtain a hunting authorization permit to take it hunting in NYS. You need to have your hunting license so you can put that info on the application. 4 character references. Notarized. multiple pix 2" square. 4 to be exact. 3 pasted on each of the 3 duplicate forms and the other one is extra for their records And yes, Black ink only or they will not except it when you go in for your finger prints.
NRA certification course form. And lots of other ****. Its a lot of stuff that all has to be perfect or they will send you packing and tell you to make a new appointment. Which can be months in advance and you will have to wait again.
I had to wait 2 months before I got an appointment. And most important of all is that you have to buy a gun first and include the make model & serial number on your license application. So when you get your license for the first time you also get a coupon to buy that specific gun only as your first.
Its hard to let someone let you hold one at a store since its illegal for them to let you since you do not have a gun license. Its a catch 22. Stupid restriction. My gun sat in the dealers safe for 4&1/2 months. I went in almost every 2 weeks just to hold it. Lots to think about during you 1 year wait. But its worth it.
I have to pick the gun before I apply? That's dumb. I dont think my uncle had to. He got a full carry permit and then Ordered his gun a few months later. O well I already know the first one I want. Just want a. 22 for fun then get something deer worthy later on
I have to pick the gun before I apply? That's dumb. I dont think my uncle had to. He got a full carry permit and then Ordered his gun a few months later. O well I already know the first one I want. Just want a. 22 for fun then get something deer worthy later on
Well then again I forgot to mention that this is for westchester county. Not sure if you live in the same county. That would vary based on where you live.
For your sake I hope its not westchester.
Well then again I forgot to mention that this is for westchester county. Not sure if you live in the same county. That would vary based on where you live.
For your sake I hope its not westchester.
nope i live in broome county. must not be the same cause i know my uncle got his concealed carry then just recently bought his gun and was talkinga bout the different ones he was thinking about getting before he settel on a S&W.
i hope i dont have to pick it before hand. seems like a pain in the azz
....You will have to pass the NRA Basic Pistol Course. A photocopy of your certificate will have to be presented as part of your application. This must vary by county because I didn't have to take any course.
You may or may not be able to get a concealed-carry permit right off. Some counties issue nothing but CCWs. They figure that anyone who can get past the FBI background check is not going to be a risk. Others, like mine, will issue a Hunting & Target permit first. After four or five years, you can then apply for an upgrade to CCW; which, having demonstrated you can be trusted with a pistol, you should get. I wish my county would do this. In bright red letters on the back of my permit it reads "Valis only for hunting, fishing, trapping, or target shooting and transporting weapon for such use."
My county won't give anything but restricted licenses. My father got his before we moved upstate so he has unrestricted.
__________________
My greatest fear in life is dying and my wife selling my guns for what I told her I paid for them.
EVERY county is DIFFERENT in NY. My wife got her CCW 2 years ago. From the time she applied for the permit, to the time she was shooting, was 10 days. It cost her $125 dollars for the photos, background check, paperwork,etc. She had to take NO course before getting the permit. That being said, the laws have changed in 2 years here in Wayne Co. One must show a NEED, such as a profession, to have a CCW granted. My son turned 21 in Sept, and we're still waiting. All the fees were the same, but the judges were only granting hunting/target shooting permits. A deputy sheriff also came to the house to make sure my son was living there. The county clerk told my son a deputy would enter the house, inspect for safe keeping of firearms, etc, but that did not happen. In my county, CCW permits were being taken at about 5 per week. After Obama took office, the permit application went up to 50 per week!! The county suspended accepting permit applications until they could get a handle on it.So, every county is different. Get your application in the day you turn 21. Also, you must purchase a pistol first, before applying for the permit.What we did is to use one of my wife's pistols for the app.In some gunshops, where I will not go anymore, they ask you to see your permit before they allow you to handle a pistol.. How the hell can you show them a permit when you don't have one, and you're buying a pistol for the first time??? I mean, you want to handle it before you make a purchase, right??
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