For those who have never purchased a firearm before, the process might be a little daunting, but it is not as bad as you think. Each state in the USA has its own gun laws and rules for making a firearms purchase. While some gun owners think Illinois has the toughest gun laws in the country, that is not true. California, Maryland and New Jersey make Illinois look good.

Illinois has something that other states do not have—the FOID card. FOID stands for Firearms Owners Identification Document. This card, issued by the Illinois State Police (ISP), allows citizens to purchase, possess and transport legal firearms and ammunition. The ISP issues the card after conducting state and federal background checks. Once issued, the card is valid for ten years. Applicants must be Illinois residents and include their Illinois Driver’s License or State ID card number on the application. Applicants under the age of 21 must have a parent’s signature on a notarized form. The parent must have or be eligible to have a FOID card.

You can apply for your FOID card at Old Gunslingers. We will assist you in doing the application and will take the necessary ID photo. We also can do the notarized form for applicants under 21.

Card holders must show their card when purchasing firearms and ammunition and must have the card in their possession while transporting firearms and ammunition. For more information on the FOID card and other related firearms questions, visit the ISP’s website at https://www.ispfsb.com. Once you have your FOID card, you may purchase a firearm. When you are approached by a sales associate in a gun store, you must show your card in order to handle any firearm.

Minimum age for purchase: Illinois residents 18 years of age may purchase rifles and shotguns (Long Guns); Illinois residents 21 years of age may also purchase pistols and revolvers (Handguns).

Waiting Period & Background Check: Illinois law requires a 72 hour waiting period for long guns and handguns, provided that your background check has been approved. These waiting periods are held to the minute, so if your purchase receipt says the release time is May 3, 2023 at 4:14pm, you must wait until that time.

Federal law requires a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, for all firearm purchases. The ISP conducts the background checks in Illinois. The buyer’s background is checked at both state and federal levels in Illinois. The system is not always “instant”, sometimes we get delays due to various reasons. This is no reflection on the buyer’s background –usually just that the system is busy. Release a firearm unless we have an approval for the transaction from the ISP.

Paperwork: The federal laws require a BAFTE form 4473 for each firearms sale made to a person who does not have a Federal Firearms License (FFL). This form contains information about the person who is buying the firearm, the Driver’s License number and expiration date, the FOID number and expiration date, and the description of the firearm(s) being purchased. The only information we give to the ISP is the buyer’s FOID number, date of birth, and whether the purchase is for a long gun, handgun, or both. The ISP does not get the make, model, serial number or any other information on the firearm.

Residency Requirements: You must be a resident of Illinois to take possession of a handgun; however, residents of states that physically border Illinois are allowed to purchase and take possession of long guns. The 72 hour waiting period applies.

Release of the firearm to the buyer: The buy must show their identification at pick-up and sign the 4473 and the final register receipt. Illinois law requires firearm owners to keep receipts for a period of ten years from any firearm transaction.

Firearms registration: Illinois has no provision for registration of firearms; however, some communities have their own laws. Check with your town’s municipal codes.

Firearms Training: Training is not required by the state to purchase a firearm.

Concealed Carry: Illinois has concealed carry. Old Gunslingers hosts Concealed Carry Classes. Stop in and sign up for a class.

430 ILCS 65/13.4 (new)

{1) When a person who possesses a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card applies for and is approved for a concealed carry license, the valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card is renewed for 10 years from the time of approval instead of 10 years from the date of the oriqinal card.

So, if you apply, and are approved for a CCL, your FOID will automatically be renewed (at no additional cost) for 10 years from the date of the CCL approval.

(2) if a person is eligible for both a Firearm Owner's Identification Card and a concealed carry license, the Illinois State Police shall by rule create one card that may be used as both a Firearm Owner's IdentifIcation Card and a concealed carry license. A combined Firearm Owner's Identification Card and concealed carry license shall be considered a valid card for the purposes of this Act. If a person who possesses a combined Firearm Owner's IdentifIcation Card and a concealed carry license becomes subject to suspension or revocation under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, but is otherwise eligible for a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card, the Illinois State PoliCe shall ensure the person's Firearm Owner's Identification Card status is not interrupted. The Illinois State Police shall adopt rules to implement this Section.

Beginning January 1, 2022, with a few exceptions, the Illinois State Police will issue a new style of card that will look very similar to the current FOID card but will have no issuance date and no expiration date. If the holder has a Concealed Carry License, the upper-right-hand corner will contain the words, “Indicator: CCL.” The lack of an expiration date is due to the many new opportunities to renew the FOID without a direct interaction between the cardholder and the Firearms Services Bureau. The “ALF at the top of the card is an internal, individual document tracking number.

FOID

“430 1 LCS 65/7"

(b)

If a renewal application is submitted to the Department before the expiration date of the applicant’s current Firearm Owner’s IdentifIcation Card, the Firearm Owner’s IdentifIcation card shall remain valid for a period of 60 business days, unless the person is subject to or becomes subject to revocation under this Act. Unless the person no longer meets the requirements or becomes subject to suspension or revocation under this Act, a card issued under a renewalapplication made as provided insubsection (a-25) ofSection4shall remain valid if the person meets the implementation requirements of subsection (b-5) of Section 3.1. "

In other words, if a person submits their renewal application prior to the cartfs expIration date , their FOID card will remain valid until the ISP approves or denies the application. This simply removed the 60- day time limitation.

CCL

“430 1 LCS 66/70"

A license is invalid upon expiration of the license, unless the licensee has submitted an application to renew the license, and the applicant is otherwise eligible to possess a license under this Act. Nothing changed in this section. This is merely included as a reminder. Note that, “application to renew," means that the application must be submitted prior to the card’s expiration date.

“430 1 LG 66/55"

(b) A licensee shall notiB the Department within 10 days of discoverhrg that a license has been lost, destroyed, or stolen. A lost, destroyed, or stolen license is hvali(t To request a replacement license, the licensee shall submit:

(1) A notarized statement written or electronic acknowledgment that the licensee no longer possesses the license, and that it was lost, destroyed, or stolen;

(2) if applicable, a copy of a polk;e report statilg that the license was stolen; and

(3) the requisite fee.

Since the inception of the Illinois Concealed Carry License (CCL), reporting a license lost, stolen or destroyed and requesting a replacement required the submission of a notarized affidavit attesting that the CCL was, in fact, no longer in the possession of the licensee. On web applications, this will now be an attestation built into the application process. For applicants utilizing the alternate call-in method to order a replacement, a paper affidavit will continue to be sent. However, this affidavit will no longer be required to be notarized.

“(430 1 LCS 65/13.4)"

Sec. 13.4. Illinois State Police; rule making authority. The Illinois State Police shall by rule adopt the following procedures:

(1) When a person who possesses a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card applies for and is approved for a concealed carry license, the valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card is renewed for 10 years from the time of approval instead of 10 years from the date of the original card.

Also, from Illinois Administrative Rules:

Section 1230.30 Duration, Renewal, and Expiration of FOID Card

A FOID Card holder who is approved for a new or renewed FCCL shall have their FOID Card automatically renewed for 10 years from the time of approval of the FCCL. No additional fee shall be charged for the renewal of the FOID Card.

In other words, renew your CCL and the ISP FSB will renew your FOID up to 10 years from the time of approval.

For the past couple of years, you could start the process of renewing a FOID at least 60 days prior to its expiration date, and a CCL 120 days prior. Due to a change in notification requirements outlined below, effective immediately, we now allow renewal applications to begin 180 days ahead of expiration and we will send expiration notices via first class mail in that timeframe.

Applicants who have opted out of first-class mail will receive multiple reminders of an upcoming expiration.

“430 1 LCS 65/13.2”
The Department of State Police shall, 180 69 days prior tothe expiration of a Firearm Owner's Identification Card, forward by first class mail, or by other means provided in Section 7.5 to each person whose card is to expire a notification of the expiration of the cardand instructions for renewal.

'430 1 LCS 66/50'
The Illinois State Police shall, 180 days prior to the expiration of a concealed carry license notify each person whose license is to expire a notification of the expiration of the license and instructions for renewal