Get your PA Non-Resident license before the change!

[robmcd]

A change in PA law will soon require applicants for non-resident licenses to appear in person. The Sheriff of Centre County is Second Amendment friendly, and is still issuing through the mail at this time. No photos, no certificates or prints required, and it's cheap. Visit his website to download an application form and send it in today! www.dennynau.com

 

[Liberty60]

I appreciate the heads up. I vists PA from time to time and it's great to be licensed to carry when I go.

 

[bubajoe]

Will permits restricted to "sport and target" cause any problems with the PA permit? I read somewhere they they wanted an unrestricted permit before they'd issue the same.

 

[robmcd]

Will permits restricted to "sport and target" cause any problems with the PA permit? I read somewhere they they wanted an unrestricted permit before they'd issue the same.

E-mail Sheriff Denny Nau and ask him. He's a decent guy, and will respond quickly.

 

[scottmac019]

It is actually a fillable PDF....so you can fill it in with your computer, makes it nice and neat...then just print it out....hey for $26 for 5 yrs why not!!!

 

[F2blica]

Will permits restricted to "sport and target" cause any problems with the PA permit? I read somewhere they they wanted an unrestricted permit before they'd issue the same.

I know someone who has a MA permit with a "Sporting" restriction and he received his PA permit for "Self-Defense" with in a week. YMMV

 

[Emoto]

I just checked the PA permit reciprocity against the Utah permit. I guess the PA permit is easier to get (no cert required) but the Utah permit is good in more states. Just an FYI.

 

[CTMustang]

kind of sucks seeing that you will have to go through ny and nj to get there.

 

[robmcd]

I just checked the PA permit reciprocity against the Utah permit. I guess the PA permit is easier to get (no cert required) but the Utah permit is good in more states. Just an FYI.

The PA license is accepted by a few states, but most applicants are people who travel to PA.

The Utah permit is still very popular in the Northeast due to reciprocity. I have 31 people signed up so far for a Feb. 13th course in western MA.

 

[robmcd]

kind of sucks seeing that you will have to go through ny and nj to get there.

See this info on interstate travel.

 

[Mr Weebles]

A change in PA law will soon require applicants for non-resident licenses to appear in person. The Sheriff of Centre County is Second Amendment friendly, and is still issuing through the mail at this time. No photos, no certificates or prints required, and it's cheap. Visit his website to download an application form and send it in today! www.dennynau.com

Definitely send your app in NOW, so if you're PICS check comes back as undetermined you can put in a challenge letter and get it fixed before the policy changes.

This happened to me. Here's the thread.

It took a month for the Sheriff's office to process the original app (this was around Christmas and New Year's so it may have taken longer than usual), and the PICS challenge took about two weeks. I just sent in the new app with a copy of the PICS challenge reversal letter.

Also, I emailed Sheriff Nau asking if the original denial due to the PICS "undetermined" finding would go on my record as a denial, he emailed me back saying it would not if the approval went through on the re-application. This is important because my NH renewal asks if I've ever been denied a permit in any jurisdiction. It's not a disqualifier if there's a good reason, but I'd rather the renewal be "clean."

Sheriff Nau is a really cool guy, BTW. He replied quickly to both emails I sent and seems to be very 2A friendly.

 

[CTMustang]

See this info on interstate travel.

Cool thanks! Saved that to my favs. I was under the impression that anyone not from those states, that is found with a pistol / revolver traveling through was in violation and will be arrested. Gonna down load the application now.

 

[TWtommers]

FWIW, I sent my application in on a Monday and got the permit back on the next Saturday. They seem to work fast.

 

[drgrant]

How about renewals? Are renewals required in person after the law change?

-Mike

 

[Daniel Boone]

Its not a LICENSE, IT IS A PISTOL PERMIT - AS IN A PERMIT TO TRANSPORT OR A PERMIT TO CARRY A LEGAL SIDE ARM.

It is not issued to out of state people - but to the residents of Pennsylvania.

It is not illegal to transport a pistol from one state to another - especially if you were traveling from say a summer home in New York to a winter home in Florida and back again.

It is also not illegal to transport a sidearm for the purpose of going to a shooting range to practice, nor is it illegal to transport it - if you are going to a licensed gunsmith to have repairs or alterations made to the firearm.

Where you get into trouble is if you try to transport it concealed under your front seat.

The only purpose for selling the pistol permits is to generate revenue for the county sheriffs.
Any legal hunter can carry a pistol - for the purpose of hunting, in any legal season. The firearm has to be legal for hunting purposes - no semi auto's and it cannot be loaded while in the vehicle or leaning against it.

I believe that you could probably get a pistol permit from any county sheriff, but that it is best to obtain one from your home county.
There is the part of having three references and a background check - so if you are a habitual drunkard, a dope addict, a mental deficient, have been convicted of a crime punishable by more then one year in jail, have a felony, a PFA against you, prosecuted under Megan's law etc - don't even bother trying to get a pistol permit in Pennsylvania.

State law requires all pistol permit applicants to apply in person as of 1/1/2011 - because it is a photo ID type system now and you have to have your picture taken in order to get a permit.
For the most part - it has been that way in Jefferson county for years.

Anyone on active duty with the armed forces is not required to have a pistol permit.

Don't forget - there is two types of permit.
A PROTECTION PERMIT - WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO CARRY A LOADED FIREARM INSIDE OF YOUR VEHICLE AND WITH YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO.

and - A SPORTSMAN'S PERMIT - WHICH ONLY ALLOWS YOU TO TRANSPORT A PISTOL TO AND FROM A FIRING RANGE. TO AND FROM A HUNTING EXPEDITION AND NOT MUCH OF ANYTHING ELSE.

If you read the first part of my post - you do not need a pistol permit to carry a legal side arm while hunting or going to or from a shooting range or to or from a licensed gunsmith or while traveling between residences.
You just can't carry it loaded in the vehicle.

 

[SSShooter]

Its not a LICENSE, IT IS A PISTOL PERMIT - AS IN A PERMIT TO TRANSPORT OR A PERMIT TO CARRY A LEGAL SIDE ARM.
<snip>

What do you base this on, since it is specifically called a "License to Carry Firearms" and the application allows you to specify reasons other than hunting or sinple transport, such as "self-defense"?

 

[clinotus]

kind of sucks seeing that you will have to go through ny and nj to get there.

NEVER get off the boat...Never go through New Jersey.

 

[drgrant]

Its not a LICENSE, IT IS A PISTOL PERMIT - AS IN A PERMIT TO TRANSPORT OR A PERMIT TO CARRY A LEGAL SIDE ARM.

It is not issued to out of state people - but to the residents of Pennsylvania.

Those who have PA permits on this board would probably disagree with that statement.

If you read the first part of my post - you do not need a pistol permit to carry a legal side arm while hunting or going to or from a shooting range or to or from a licensed gunsmith or while traveling between residences.
You just can't carry it loaded in the vehicle.

Like MA, exemptions aren't good enough. The bottom line is in PA, in order to roam around with a pistol in your car, even unloaded, you need a permit. The exemptions aren't good enough, to say, cover someone who is visiting PA and happens to have a pistol locked up in their trunk.

-Mike

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Those who have PA permits on this board would probably disagree with that statement.

Very true. PA is very generous with reciprocity in the statute, however, there have been cases of PA police officers (particularly in Philly) refusing to accept the validity of non-PA permits, hence many have found the $26 for the 5 year permit to be a cheap insurance policy.

First, Mr. Boone states:

The only purpose for selling the pistol permits is to generate revenue for the county sheriffs.

Then he proceeds to contradict himself:

If you read the first part of my post - you do not need a pistol permit to carry a legal side arm while hunting or going to or from a shooting range or to or from a licensed gunsmith or while traveling between residences.
You just can't carry it loaded in the vehicle.

So, while there is probably a lot of valid info in the post, the combination of a glaring factual inaccuracy, as well as a self-contradictory assertion, make it hard for me to consider the source knowledgeable or credible. He may very well be both, but it was certainly not demonstrated in his post that was replete with error.

 

[bubajoe]

E-mail Sheriff Denny Nau and ask him. He's a decent guy, and will respond quickly.

Email outbound... I'll report when I get a reply.

 

[Kevlar]

...The bottom line is in PA, in order to roam around with a pistol in your car, even unloaded, you need a permit. The exemptions aren't good enough, to say, cover someone who is visiting PA and happens to have a pistol locked up in their trunk...

Mike, I don't think that's correct...

(b) Exceptions.--The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:

>snip<

(11) Any person while carrying a firearm in any vehicle, which person possesses a valid and lawfully issued license for that firearm which has been issued under the laws of the United States or any other state.

http://reference.pafoa.org/statutes...firearms-not-to-be-carried-without-a-license/

 

[robmcd]

How about renewals? Are renewals required in person after the law change?

-Mike

Renewals will be covered by the new PA law, so you will need to pay a personal visit to the issuing authority. The new licenses will be plastic cards issued through a system similar to that now used by MA.

I'll time my trip to coincide with one of the huge gun shows in Harrisburg.

 

[drgrant]

Renewals will be covered by the new PA law, so you will need to pay a personal visit to the issuing authority. The new licenses will be plastic cards issued through a system similar to that now used by MA.

I'll time my trip to coincide with one of the huge gun shows in Harrisburg.

Hmm.... course this begs the question, what about renewals after that? Or do they want to get a new picture every X years?

Gun show? Where are the listings for these down there...

-Mike

 

[yanici]

Hmm.... course this begs the question, what about renewals after that? Or do they want to get a new picture every X years?

Gun show? Where are the listings for these down there...

-Mike

IIRC, you gotta show up for renewals, just like home in MA.

 

[CTMustang]

I see that on the form it say "photograph if required" and on the application for Penn Lic. To Carry Firerarms it does not ask for one. Does anyone know if the Penn Lic to carry has a picture of the licensee on it? and should we provide a picture? ...even though its not on the required list.

 

[drgrant]

Mike, I don't think that's correct...

Well, you still need some kind of permit. Say an NH resident w/o a permit or a VT resident (who gets no permit) is visiting PA, they will need a permit from someplace. An MA resident would be "OK" as presumably they are licensed for MA at least.

I believe GSG and others have posted about this PA issue, too, but I can't find it offhand.

-Mike

 

[robmcd]

I see that on the form it say "photograph if required" and on the application for Penn Lic. To Carry Firerarms it does not ask for one. Does anyone know if the Penn Lic to carry has a picture of the licensee on it? and should we provide a picture? ...even though its not on the required list.

If you are applying to the Centre County Sheriff, you do not need to provide a photo. The license you receive will say "Valid Without Photo" on it. On your renewal, after the law has taken effect, your photo will be on the license.

The license you receive will be a piece of paper. The Sheriff told me in writing that it's OK to photocopy it smaller and laminate it, which is what I have done with mine.. I've had a PA license from Centre County for several years.

 

[Rob]

IIRC, you gotta show up for renewals, just like home in MA.

Yikes, a drive to Hicksville in 5 years...where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average. Oh that’s Lake Wobegon.

 

[Mr Weebles]

Yikes, a drive to Hicksville in 5 years...where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average. Oh that’s Lake Wobegon.

We should rent a bus and make it a "PA Non-Resident Permit Renewal NES Road Trip!"

 

[Kevlar]

Well, you still need some kind of permit. Say an NH resident w/o a permit or a VT resident (who gets no permit) is visiting PA, they will need a permit from someplace. An MA resident would be "OK" as presumably they are licensed for MA at least.

I believe GSG and others have posted about this PA issue, too, but I can't find it offhand.

-Mike

Yes, you need a permit from somewhere (anywhere). I thought you were referencing a PA permit specifically.