NYS Pistol Permit Holders, Who Needs to Recertify?

If you have ever gone through the process of getting a New York State Pistol Permit, you probably came away from that experience thinking, 'I never want to have to go through that again.' Right?

A few years ago, I went through the process. From the time I called the Sheriff's office to get the paperwork, then waiting for the appointment, getting the references, finally being able to get fingerprinted, then waiting for the piece of paper to arrive in the mail that said I could finally go back to the Sheriff's office to pick my permit up, took about 5 months, maybe 6. I have had friends who have gone through the process since I have. Two of them told me that their 'experience' took over a year. The reason? So many people had been applying, there was a back log of applications.

So, when I got a letter in the mail this week from New York State reminding me of one of the changes in the New York State Pistol Permit law. More specifically, the one where I will have to re-certify my permit every 5 years, this because I got my permit before 2013. If you got it after 2013 you were informed of this recertification process at the time you got your permit.

Here is the easier to read version of the NYS Penal Law Recertification:

Every 5 years you will need to verify the following information on your pistol permit to the New YorkState Police: name, DOB, gender, race, residential address, social security number, the firearms possessed, and if you want, your e-mail address. The purpose of the recertification is to update information. This recertification process will not be in place for one year. Once it is in place, you will have up to four years to do your first recertification. If you still have not recertified after four years, you will receive a notice to recertify. Once you have completed the recertification, you must recertify every five years thereafter. If you do not recertify, your permit will no longer be valid and you will need to reapply.

 

The process to recertify is simple. According to the paper that I received, if you got your permit before 2013, you will have until January 31, 2018, to complete this process.You have the option of going to a website, entering your information and then you wait a few days and go back to the website to check your status. I started the recertify process on a Wednesday, logged back in to check on Sunday and I had been approved.

You can also print out the recertify form, fill it out and then mail it back in. To complete either version of the form, you will need your NYS Pistol Permit and your NYS Drivers License or Non-Driver ID.