"Concealed carry permits test patience of Maine gun owners"

[Meanie-14]

In Massachusetts, state law allows permits to carry concealed handguns, "but they can make it impossible," Moore said. He hoped it would be different in Maine.
Though not impossible, getting a permit here appears to require increasing patience.
And it's not only at the state level.
Maine towns and cities that handle their own applications for permits to carry concealed handguns are telling permit seekers they should expect to wait more than 30 days.

<www.sunjournal.com/news/city/2012/03/17/concealed-carry-permits-test-patience-maine-gun-ow/1169487>

Great. And when I went to renew my permit earlier this year, I found out the town passed it off to DPS.
I downloaded the form from the state's Web site, and noticed the application instructions say you have to provide "one photos." Um, okay. I tried calling to find out how many are really needed, but couldn't get an answer. I'll probably have two taken, just to be sure. (I know there's a photo place in Brunswick that does passport-type photos, so maybe they've run across the question before.)

"It's always something."

 

[Len-2A Training]

Read the ME gun permit rules booklet (also online). I seem to think that they only needed one picture for my ME NR permit. It also took 2-3 months IIRC and that was last Summer. There is only one person at ME SP that handles the permits and she was swamped, plus vacations impact the time to issue.

Are there any of those little photo kiosks still in shopping malls? They create acceptable pictures and last time I used them (for MA LTC) it cost $2 or $3. Nowadays I take my own pics with the digital camera and print them on the inkjet printer. Works fine and everyone accepts them. No need to pay $18-20 to a "photo place" for them.

Good luck!

 

[fencer]

Most CVS Pharmacys offer passport photos for short money

 

[98XJSport]

I got mine through the local PD a month or so ago, took less than 2 weeks no picture required. I called the state office for my father who lives a couple of towns over, and they said he had to send his directly in to the state. They then sent it back to him and told him he has to give it to the town selectman, who then sends it in to the state. It will be 1 month this coming week, but with the state who knows how long it's actually going to take.

 

[Business]

Most CVS Pharmacys offer passport photos for short money

I got my passport photos at cvs I think it gave me 3 for like 8 bucks

 

[ericcif]

This varies from town to town. I live in Topsham which is the town over from Brunswick and we don't need photos. A friend of mine that lives a few towns over from me has a CCW permit with a picture. It only took about two weeks to get my permit and I didn't need any handgun classes. Being a veteran all my PD required was a copy of my discharge papers.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

 

[FreeWillie]

Most CVS Pharmacys offer passport photos for short money

This

 

[rogzballz]

That's lame, sorry for all your troubles.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I got my passport photos at cvs I think it gave me 3 for like 8 bucks

If you have a digital camera, but no high quality photo printer, you can upload photos for printing at any CVS for even shorter money.

 

[efowke]

If you are a member of AAA they will do passport photos for free

 

[Spanz]

I agree. I would have sent two photo, instead of one photos.

 

[Riverside]

Meanie 14 wrote: "It's always something."
I'm sorry to read that the state of Maine is experiencing delays in issuing licenses. I feel your anxiety as I have my own. It will be 3 months on Monday of waiting for my LTC renewal from Boston. And based on posts I've been reading in this forum, I may be waiting much longer.
On the bright side, more people are getting licensed, not only in Maine but mASSachusetts as well. Go to your local CVS and get the "passport photos." You'll have a few extra on hand as keepsakes.
Good Luck.

 

[Meanie-14]

We don't have much for shopping malls around here, and I stay away from Portland, etc., as much as possible.

I never had to bother with photos before, in this town or the one where I lived from 1993 until 2000, but now I gotta "dance to the state's tune," I guess. I have my DD214s that show my AFSC (81150/81172 Sky Cop) and Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, and I can even dig up one of my diplomas from the S&W Academy. So other than the overworked lady in the DPS office, it shouldn't be too big a hassle.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try CVS.

 

[98XJSport]

Some Rite-Aid stores do them as well.

 

[Meanie-14]

Hmm, we have a Rite-Aid in the next town over, but I suppose that would be too easy.

Trying to look up nearby CVS stores, I found that when I clicked on Brunswick, it brought up directions, etc. for the Brunswick Ohio store.
Luckily, I already know how to get to Merrymeeting Plaza. Bath would be closer, but I need to visit the T-Mobile store in Brunswick anyway.

I just remembered the gun shop that used to be on Bath Rd., back when I first moved up here.

 

[atmay]

Most CVS Pharmacys offer passport photos for short money

I got my passport photos at cvs I think it gave me 3 for like 8 bucks

This

It's 9.99 now. You get either 2 or 4.

If you have a digital camera, but no high quality photo printer, you can upload photos for printing at any CVS for even shorter money.

$0.25 per 4x6, usually.

 

[C-pher]

If you are a member of AAA they will do passport photos for free

Really? That's good to know...as we might be getting them for the whole family. And I always went to CVS to have them done.

 

[NHKevin]

I have my DD214s that show my AFSC (81150/81172 Sky Cop)

What exactly is a sky cop?

 

[ericcif]

My DD214 doesn't show any gun training (I did have training tho) but Topsham issued me a CCW with it.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

 

[Garys]

If you have a digital camera, but no high quality photo printer, you can upload photos for printing at any CVS for even shorter money.

We're not exactly talking thousands of dollars here. Or even tens. I think four photos cost $9.95 and take about ten minutes. It's exactly what I used for my passport (duh) and my ME license. Which took about six weeks the last time I renewed. I'm waiting on my NH license, but the delay is my fault. I sent in everything except a photocopy of my MA LTC. Doh!

ME is pretty much shall issue, even for out of non residents. A friend of mine is a life long Mainer and told me the story of how a former Portland Chief was such and a**hole about using loopholes to deny applications that the legislature took pretty much all discretion away from the local CLEOs.

 

[Meanie-14]

What exactly is a sky cop?

A nickname for Air Force Security Police. It probably goes back to the days when they were called Air Police.
We didn't go around pulling over and ticketing speeding aircraft or anything.

ME is pretty much shall issue, even for out of non residents. A friend of mine is a life long Mainer and told me the story of how a former Portland Chief was such and a**hole about using loopholes to deny applications that the legislature took pretty much all discretion away from the local CLEOs.

Hmm; I won't mention any names as to who that might have been. but I'll bet one of his nicknames was "Media Mike."

In towns without a police department, the selectmen could be the issuing authority. In my town, the town administrator signed 'em. I never heard of anyone being denied a permit, but I suppose there could have been past cases of "political differences" in some places leading to a refusal to issue.

This is the first time I ever had to have a photo taken for a Maine permit. I don't remember the form even having a place for a photo.

 

[Garys]

Hmm; I won't mention any names as to who that might have been. but I'll bet one of his nicknames was "Media Mike."

In towns without a police department, the selectmen could be the issuing authority. In my town, the town administrator signed 'em. I never heard of anyone being denied a permit, but I suppose there could have been past cases of "political differences" in some places leading to a refusal to issue.

This is the first time I ever had to have a photo taken for a Maine permit. I don't remember the form even having a place for a photo.

I'm not being coy when I say that I don't remember his name. My friend and I had a lot of conversations during our drive from outside of Boston to western Iowa. One thing I do remember is that my friend said that the people who run Portland have a fondness for bringing in chiefs from LA and that this guy was one of them. He apparently felt that the law allowed him more discretion than it in fact did. His abuse lead to legislative changes and that pissed off the other chiefs who actually used their now non existent discretion wisely. I think some open carry incidents also contributed to his professional demise, but again the details are fuzzy.

NR permits require two photos as I recall, although maybe it's only one. In any case my NR Maine permit has my picture on the back.

 

[Meanie-14]

My new permit arrived in Friday's mail (07/12). I'm not even gonna look to see when I sent in the app; I'm just happy I got it.

 

[falcon123]

Read the ME gun permit rules booklet (also online). I seem to think that they only needed one picture for my ME NR permit. It also took 2-3 months IIRC and that was last Summer. There is only one person at ME SP that handles the permits and she was swamped, plus vacations impact the time to issue.

Are there any of those little photo kiosks still in shopping malls? They create acceptable pictures and last time I used them (for MA LTC) it cost $2 or $3. Nowadays I take my own pics with the digital camera and print them on the inkjet printer. Works fine and everyone accepts them. No need to pay $18-20 to a "photo place" for them.

Good luck!

I used them for my passport without any problem.