Posted: 11/27/2004 8:21:23 PM EDT
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Found this on another gunsite and thought it would be of great benefit to my fellow AR members. Several States including Arizona, Utah, Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada will issue a Concealed Firearm Permit to Residents from any State. These Non-Resident CCW Permits are valid in numerous other States. This is of great benefit to law-abiding citizens that travel to multiple States, due to the fact that these Permits are valid through Reciprocity or Recognition in many neighboring States. And because these States have 'Right to Carry" Laws and are considered "Shall Issue States", you do not need a Specific Reason, nor do you have to prove that you are valuable enough to protect. Your natural instinct for self-preservation and the desire for a viable means to defend yourself from a criminal attack are understood as the most basic of your human rights. The two "Most Valuable" Non-Resident CCW Permits, based on the initial cost, renewal fees, and the number of States that honor each permit, are Utah and Florida CCW Permits. Any law-abiding citizen with a valid Utah CCW Permit, even a Non-Resident of Utah, may legally carry a Concealed Firearm in the following twenty-six (26) States: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming, and Washington State. The Utah Department of Public Safety BCI (Bureau of Criminal Identification) oversees the application and issuance of Utah Concealed Firearm Permits. They have done an excellent job of making the application process very simple and user friendly. Utah requires that you attend Basic Training Course, submit an application, and pass a thorough criminal background check. You must attend an approved training course offered by a Utah Certified Concealed Firearms Instructor, usually three or more hours in length. Several Utah Certified Instructors in various States advertise their courses on the Internet. You can also obtain a listing of all Utah Certified Instructors in your area from the Utah BCI website at http://bci.utah.gov/CFP/insoutstate.pdf Along with the one-page application, you submit one recent color photograph (passport quality, 2X2 inches), a photocopy of your valid Drivers License, one fingerprint card, and the application must be notarized. The State application fee is only $59.00 ($35.00 is for application and permit processing, $24.00 goes to the FBI for fingerprint processing) and the permit is valid for five years. Renewal every five years is only $10.00. The entire application process can be handled through the mail. And unlike many other States, Utah CCW Permit information is not a public record. The cost of a Utah CCW Course can range anywhere from $89.00 to over $250.00, depending on exactly what the Instructor is providing. Some Utah Certified Instructors will provide everything you need from your application, photograph, photocopying your Drivers License, taking your fingerprints, and providing a pre-addressed envelope for your application. One course currently offered in Southern California provides a Notary Public to notarize applications at the conclusion of the course. The total cost of obtaining a Utah CCW Permit is between $150.00 and $250.00 for the initial five-year permit. Thereafter, renewal is only $10.00 every five-years, and there are no refresher or renewal classes required. The average turn-around on Utah CCW applications is approximately 3 to 4 weeks, although Statute does allow up to 60 days to issue a permit or deny your application. Compare this to almost any other State and you can see why so many people are scrambling to get their Utah Concealed Firearm Permit. If a Utah Permit sounds too easy, take a look at the Florida CCW application process. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services handle the application and processing of Florida Concealed Weapon Permits. With Florida you either qualify in an exempt category [Law Enforcement, Military, Prior Firearms Experience, etc.] or you can attend any National Rifle Association or State Certified Firearms Course that includes weapon manipulation and live-fire range exercises. The Florida application process is almost identical to Utah's. Complete Florida's one-page application, send in one color photograph, one Florida fingerprint card [Completed by a Law Enforcement Agency], and have the application notarized. The processing time is much longer than Utah's, 60 to 90 days is standard turn-around for Florida CCW Permits. The initial cost of Florida's CCW Permit is $117.00. Non-Resident renewals are $107.00 every five-years. Although this is more money than the Utah Permit, it's still a great value, considering it could save your life one day. A Florida CCW Permit will allow you to carry a concealed weapon in many of the same States covered by Utah, plus Florida and Pennsylvania. With only Two State-issued Permits, you can now legally carry a concealed firearm in 28 different States. This is great news for anyone that travels for business or leisure. And with the continuing efforts of a strong Pro-Rights lobby in Utah and Florida, the value of both permits is likely to increase as additional States agree to Reciprocity or Recognition. Although Utah and Florida Permits are recognized in many other States, California recognizes neither Permit. It is the responsibility of the individual permit-holder to comply with all other States laws when traveling to States granting Reciprocity or Recognition. A great source of information regarding State Firearms and CCW Laws is the Travelers Guide to the Firearms Laws of the Fifty States by J. Scott Kappas, Esq. Available from www.gunlawguide.com. Another fantastic website that provides a great deal of useful information regarding Concealed Carry Permits in any of the 50 States is www.packing.org, where you will find a summary of each States statutes, current reciprocity, access to each States issuing Authority, and links to individual State websites that can help answer any specific questions you may have. For more information regarding California, Utah, or Florida Concealed Weapon Permit Courses in California, you may contact the author at [email protected] or visit www.CCWUSA.com About the Author: William Desy, CFE is a State Licensed Private Investigator, Certified Fraud Examiner, and State Certified Firearms Instructor in both California and Utah. And he has been an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor since 1992." |