Pennsylvania non resident license

I did some research last night. Adams (Gettysburg) and Berks (Reading) counties will accept non resident applications. The instructions for Berks County say that as long as the background check comes back in a timely manner, the license will be issued while the applicant waits.

Dauphin (Harrisburg) and Northampton (Easton) counties will only accept applications from residents of the county.

I'll be heading through Reading the end of next month and plan to stop in and apply.
 
I did some research last night. Adams (Gettysburg) and Berks (Reading) counties will accept non resident applications. The instructions for Berks County say that as long as the background check comes back in a timely manner, the license will be issued while the applicant waits.

Dauphin (Harrisburg) and Northampton (Easton) counties will only accept applications from residents of the county.

I'll be heading through Reading the end of next month and plan to stop in and apply.

Pretty sure I went to Bergs, if you have a restricted license, they won't issue a non-resident.
 
I don't have a restricted license, I went to Berks County, and they issued me a permit.

I originally went to the main courthouse, but there was a line. The deputy there suggested I drive over to the airport and go to the sub station there. Good idea.

10 minutes from the time I walked in, I had my license in hand and was continuing on my trip. Berks offers the permit on line as a fillable PDF. I filled it out before I left, printed it and brought it with me. I signed it and gave that along with my MA LTC and DL to the deputy with $20.00.

That was it.

He punched some info into the computer, had me stand in front of the camera, and then printed and laminated my license.



Pretty sure I went to Bergs, if you have a restricted license, they won't issue a non-resident.
 
Just got back from Centre County with a buddy. They have a new sheriff, Sheriff Nua retired. Mine was a renewal, my buddy's was a first PA LTC, the whole process took 18 minutes for both of us. Very easy and friendly staff, they even laminated our LTC for us, wished us a happy Easter and safe travels.
 
I'm going to PA later this year. I have my MA LTC A NO RES. I also have a Non RESY NH LIC. As far as I can tell NH NON RES has me covered in PA but I will still be doing a license once I get there. Glad to hear about the online PDF.
 
See the post below. The state police have the current information on their website, and the AG site took down their FAQ page that specifically allowed NR NH permits.
I got this from the AG's office:

Mr. XXX,
This is the information that I have about New Hampshire reciprocity.

It is a PA requirement that in order to recognize any out-of-state CCW permit, the permit holder MUST be a resident of the state that has issued the CCW permit. This residency requirement is regardless of the type of reciprocity involved (ie. written, statutory or unilateral).

Any out-of-state person seeking to have a valid PA CCW permit may apply for one with any PA Sheriff’s Office.

Here is a link to our website for the firearm reciprocity agreements:
https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/Media_and_Resources/Firearm_Reciprocity_Agreements/
 
See the post below. The state police have the current information on their website, and the AG site took down their FAQ page that specifically allowed NR NH permits.

Never seen this thread till my first post in this thread. I never knew of the FAQ page and only have seen the apparently outdated info on the above PA AG page.

Reasonably thinking, I looked on the AG page for info on reciprocity and there it was. Anywho, lesson learned.
 
Never seen this thread till my first post in this thread. I never knew of the FAQ page and only have seen the apparently outdated info on the above PA AG page.

Reasonably thinking, I looked on the AG page for info on reciprocity and there it was. Anywho, lesson learned.
The new (current) PA AG is an anti. The old one was not. I think that's the real reason for the change
 
The new (current) PA AG is an anti. The old one was not. I think that's the real reason for the change

Allegedly, PA residents who did not have a PA license were getting non-res licenses from other states and carrying on them in PA. That's the stated reason I read in {some article or other} for the change. Seems a big hammer for a small problem - an imposition on PA non-residents, especially those from states that don't tend to issue, where just letting it be (they had to have clean records anyhow) or, if they must, amending the existing law regarding PA residents would have handled it.
 
Allegedly, PA residents who did not have a PA license were getting non-res licenses from other states and carrying on them in PA. That's the stated reason I read in {some article or other} for the change. Seems a big hammer for a small problem - an imposition on PA non-residents, especially those from states that don't tend to issue, where just letting it be (they had to have clean records anyhow) or, if they must, amending the existing law regarding PA residents would have handled it.
There was pressure from Philly to make that change, because Philly makes people jump through hoops to try to limit licensing, so Philly residents were carrying on out of state licenses.

The change to only allow out of state residents to carry on out of state licenses is older than the current decision though.
 
So it's gonna flipflop based on the AG's politics. Awesome. "Rule of law" my Aunt Patty's patooch!
 
National recognition of all state/territory licenses would put an end to this mess.

If done by multi-state compact, yes. If done by the federal government, it could flipflop for all of us, then, with every Congress and have standards set that are intentionally, prohibitively high, and change every 2-4 years. Further, that really isn't the feds' space to legislate. It's either a constitutional right, in which case we need to keep moving it through the courts (I'm still waiting for the P&A clause suit against NY State for their situation where residents have a right denied to non-residents), or it is a power reserved to the states. It's been made plain letter law again, thanks to the Court, that we're talking about a right reserved to the People.
 
I'm glad I saw this, I am in Bucks county PA visiting family for the next 3 days, I may just have to stop in the sheriffs department while I'm here.
 
Just got back from Centre County with a buddy. They have a new sheriff, Sheriff Nua retired. Mine was a renewal, my buddy's was a first PA LTC, the whole process took 18 minutes for both of us. Very easy and friendly staff, they even laminated our LTC for us, wished us a happy Easter and safe travels.

I'm going down next month, did you stay overnight? Where?
 
If done by multi-state compact, yes. If done by the federal government, it could flipflop for all of us, then, with every Congress and have standards set that are intentionally, prohibitively high, and change every 2-4 years. Further, that really isn't the feds' space to legislate. It's either a constitutional right, in which case we need to keep moving it through the courts (I'm still waiting for the P&A clause suit against NY State for their situation where residents have a right denied to non-residents), or it is a power reserved to the states. It's been made plain letter law again, thanks to the Court, that we're talking about a right reserved to the People.

Absolutely agree on the compact. Ideally, constitutional carry would be the best. But, what gets me is that everyone who applies for any license in any state gets sniffed by the FBI. That should be good enough for national recognition.
 
Allegedly, PA residents who did not have a PA license were getting non-res licenses from other states and carrying on them in PA. That's the stated reason I read in {some article or other} for the change. Seems a big hammer for a small problem - an imposition on PA non-residents, especially those from states that don't tend to issue, where just letting it be (they had to have clean records anyhow) or, if they must, amending the existing law regarding PA residents would have handled it.

Delaware had the exact same problem. DE used to be "whimsical issue"; typically you had to prove you were "special", like you worked in dangerous neighborhoods or routinely carried large amounts of cash like bank deposits, that kind of thing, and even then it wasn't guaranteed. So DE residents were getting NR permits from places like Florida and using those. Delaware did a very simple tweak to the law saying that "If you're a resident here you need DE CCDW to carry," and that was that.

They also got much more permissive with issuance and, as I understand it, they're now de-facto "shall issue", although the issuance process is still kinda burdensome (five reference questionnaires filled out by residents of your county, and taking out a legal notice in the newspaper that you're applying, and so on).
 
I'm going down next month, did you stay overnight? Where?
There's a nice state park with camping, rustic cabins & modern cabins at Black Moshannon State Park about 20 minutes away if you want to get rustic and stay for cheap. In my opinion PA has the best state park camping facilities in the Northeast.

So it's gonna flipflop based on the AG's politics. Awesome. "Rule of law" my Aunt Patty's patooch!
On the bright side, after the PA House decided to begin impeachment proceedings against AG Kathleeen Kane, she declared she wouldn't run for reelection. She's still under criminal investigation too.
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/02/house_votes_to_launch_impeachm.html
 
Delaware had the exact same problem. DE used to be "whimsical issue"; typically you had to prove you were "special", like you worked in dangerous neighborhoods or routinely carried large amounts of cash like bank deposits, that kind of thing, and even then it wasn't guaranteed. So DE residents were getting NR permits from places like Florida and using those. Delaware did a very simple tweak to the law saying that "If you're a resident here you need DE CCDW to carry," and that was that.

They also got much more permissive with issuance and, as I understand it, they're now de-facto "shall issue", although the issuance process is still kinda burdensome (five reference questionnaires filled out by residents of your county, and taking out a legal notice in the newspaper that you're applying, and so on).

That's insane.
 
(re: legal notice in the newspaper for DE CCDW)

That's insane.

Yup. "I, rivet_42, intend to make application to the judges of the Superior Court in and for New Castle County for license to carry a concealed deadly weapon for the protection of my person or property or both." In a "newspaper of general circulation in the county."

The five reference questionnaires? back in the '80s and '90s those used to have to be written letters indicating that they had known you for <X> years and that they were aware you were applying for CCDW and could not think of any reason you shouldn't have a license, etc. Going back even further, like to the 1970s, the five references had to be *landowners* in your county of residence. (Source: a friend who had CCDW in Delaware in the '70s and '80s, when he owned a business.)

And then you have to appear in front of a Superior Court judge who is the person who renders the final decision.

What a lot of hoops to have to jump through. Makes MA look simple, actually. Then again this is the state that produced Joe Biden.
 
Perfectly said.

If done by multi-state compact, yes. If done by the federal government, it could flipflop for all of us, then, with every Congress and have standards set that are intentionally, prohibitively high, and change every 2-4 years. Further, that really isn't the feds' space to legislate. It's either a constitutional right, in which case we need to keep moving it through the courts (I'm still waiting for the P&A clause suit against NY State for their situation where residents have a right denied to non-residents), or it is a power reserved to the states. It's been made plain letter law again, thanks to the Court, that we're talking about a right reserved to the People.

- - - Updated - - -


Any out-of-state person seeking to have a valid PA CCW permit may apply for one with any PA Sheriff’s Office.

Misinformation from the DA. Not all counties will process non resident applications. Dauphine and Northampton do not accept applications from non county residents. Berks does, because that's where I got my license last month.

The county website is down right now, but you should check to see if the Bucks County will process applications from non residents. Not all counties doe, and it's up to the Sheriff.

I'm glad I saw this, I am in Bucks county PA visiting family for the next 3 days, I may just have to stop in the sheriffs department while I'm here.
 
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The county website is down right now, but you should check to see if the Bucks County will process applications from non residents. Not all counties doe, and it's up to the Sheriff.

Advice on where to get a NR permit close to philly would be useful, since that's the part of PA I'm in most often. Seems a lot of people go to Centre County but I don't often have occasion to journey to/through there. (I knew people in State College but they moved back to the Boston area as of a few years ago.)
 
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