Internet LTC Renewal?

[Ripach]

A friend of mine just told me his LTC renewal reminder came in the mail yesterday, he said it says if your licensing authority allows you may submit your renewal via the Internet. Has anyone heard of this? Do local PD's allow it? Could MA actually be progressing into this century?
He is supposed to bring the notice by for me to check out, if he does I'll post details.

 

[Scrivener]

A friend of mine just told me his LTC renewal reminder came in the mail yesterday, he said it says if your licensing authority allows you may submit your renewal via the Internet. Has anyone heard of this? Do local PD's allow it? Could MA actually be progressing into this century?
He is supposed to bring the notice by for me to check out, if he does I'll post details.

Don't bother. I't's called MIRCS - Mass. Instant Records Check System and, as it's been in place for a couple of years, it's not news.

To those of us who keep up, anyway.

And it's not "on the internet;" it's on a secure (?) state system. All it does is allow the info on the form to be submitted by that line to CHSB which, if approved, now issues the LTC to your PD to give to you.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

And it's not "on the internet;" it's on a secure (?) state system.

MIRCS is indeed "on the internet", but access is restricted to PDs, shops and the appropriate stage agencies (with specific access controls for each).

I know what you meant, so this is really a comment about precision in the use of terminology. There is no aspect of MIRCS available on-line directly to the individual licensee.

 

[Ripach]

Don't bother. I't's called MIRCS - Mass. Instant Records Check System and, as it's been in place for a couple of years, it's not news.

To those of us who keep up, anyway.

And it's not "on the internet;" it's on a secure (?) state system. All it does is allow the info on the form to be submitted by that line to CHSB which, if approved, now issues the LTC to your PD to give to you.

First off, I do know what MIRCS is, I try my best to keep up.
The person who told me this explained it as if he could file his renewal from his computer. I thought there was a remote chance the process had been brought into the 21st century, after all you can renew your drivers license online, or file your taxes, etc. I figured if this was indeed a change someone here probably knew all the details and they might be worth sharing.

Thank you anyway for your sarcasm, it never fails to brighten my day.

 

[Scrivener]

First off, I do know what MIRCS is, I try my best to keep up.
The person who told me this explained it as if he could file his renewal from his computer. I thought there was a remote chance the process had been brought into the 21st century, after all you can renew your drivers license online, or file your taxes, etc. I figured if this was indeed a change someone here probably knew all the details and they might be worth sharing.

Thank you anyway for your sarcasm, it never fails to brighten my day.

You misunderstood your friend or he misunderstood the system. Either way, the lax renewal of drivers licenses (issuing to the senile, deaf, blind and paralytic) is not mirrored in MIRCS.

Note that your drivers license does not require a fingerprint; your firearms license does. This alone would preclude the sort of on-line renewal your friend apparently claims is possible.

 

[MikeD]

Why would the state want to make it any easier for gun-owners to renew their license. Their overall goal is the complete elimination of guns period.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

This alone would preclude the sort of on-line renewal your friend apparently claims is possible.

That alone would not preclude renewals once the print is on file, however, MA uses the renewal as a chance for the issuing chief to once again apply a subjective "suitability" standard and "interview" the applicant. An on-line renewal system would run contrary to that agenda - unless, of course, the chiefs were supposed to pull up an on line form and use that, instead of an in person evaluation of the applicant, to determine "suitability."

In MA a "renewal" is processed more like a "re-issue" than a "renewal" - note the "Start from scratch" form, issuance of a new license number, etc.

 

[Scrivener]

That alone would not preclude renewals once the print is on file...

The print on file doesn't equate to a print on the new license. The scan at the PD when the MIRCS app is submitted does.

In MA a "renewal" is processed more like a "re-issue" than a "renewal" - note the "Start from scratch" form, issuance of a new license number, etc.

Absolutely true.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

The print on file doesn't equate to a print on the new license. The scan at the PD when the MIRCS app is submitted does.

The license is printed by the CHSB, not by your local PD. This means they use a digital image of the print uploaded by your local PD to place the print on the license therefore it is indeed "on file" in the system - once you have done your first MIRCS based new style license. The system may not be set up to use the print from a previous issue, however, it is not because they "don't have the image on file." They do.

 

[Scrivener]

The system may not be set up to use the print from a previous issue, however, it is not because they "don't have the image on file." They do.

I never said "they 'don't have the image on file.'" However, the old licenses used actual ink and paper imaging of prints, making those files useless for new licenses.

The new licenses thus require the print to be taken electronically at the PD. It is certainly feasible in the future to input the prints from the new electronic database, but I'm sure that won't affect having to apply to the local PD every 6 years.