Less than 60 days after the first Concealed Carry License applications were accepted in the state, the Illinois State Police are ready to mail 5,000 licenses.
Illinois, in July, became the last state in the union to allow concealed weapons to be carried legally. The application process was opened on Jan. 5 and more than 50,000 applications have been received. Licenses will be printed and mailed on a daily basis, as they are approved, the State Police said.
The license is approximately three inches by two inches and contains an ISP security hologram in the center.
The State Police objected to 800 of the 50,000 applications, none of which have been appealed. After a person submits a request, background checks are conducted by State Police, while local law enforcement agencies review the applications for objections.
After objections are compiled, the Concealed Carry License Review Board has 30 days to review the information regarding an application that has not been statutorily denied by the State Police. If the State Police determine there is a statutory reason to deny, or the CCLRB determines that the applicant poses a danger to him /herself, or threat to public safety, State Police must notify the applicant in writing of the denial. All final administrative decisions are subject to judicial review under the provisions of the Administrative Review law.
“This collaborative process offers the multiple layers of scrutiny envisioned by the legislature, and we believe that the law enforcement objections provide for enhanced public safety,” State Police Colonel Marc Maton said in a prepared statement.
To be eligible for a concealed carry license, Illinois residents:
Must be 21 years-old
Must have a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card
Must have completed 16 hours of concealed carry firearms training provided by an ISP approved instructor, including classroom and range instruction
Cannot have been convicted or found guilty of a misdemeanor involving the threat of physical force or violence to any person within the past five years
Cannot have two or more violations related to driving while under the influence of alcohol, other drugs or intoxicating compounds within the past five years
Cannot be subject to a pending arrest warrant, prosecution or proceeding for an offense or action that could lead to disqualification to own or possess a firearm
Cannot have been in a residential or court-ordered treatment for alcoholism, alcohol detoxification or drug treatment within the past five years
If all of these qualifications are met, law enforcement can still object to the issuance of a license.
Illinois residents applying for a concealed carry license must be able to prove they have completed 16 hours of concealed carry firearms training provided by an ISP approved instructor, have a valid driver’s license or state ID and have an electronic copy of a head and shoulders photograph taken within the past 30 days.
Information about obtaining electronic fingerprints, which will expedite the process, can be found here. There are four concealed carry instructors listed on the ISP website who operate in Collinsville or Maryville (see the “Find Instructors” link). Glen Carbon has seven instructors.
A 5-year concealed carry license costs $150 for Illinois residents and $300 for out-of-state residents.
Additional details and registration information can be obtained on the Illinois State Police Concealed Carry Licensing web page.
