ISP Extends Renewal Of FOID, Concealed Carry Due To Pandemic

The extension now gives FOID card owners and CCL holders (whose card expired after March 9th) eighteen months to renew after Illinois' disaster proclamation ends.

A month or so back, I wrote a post here that described how FOID card applications here in Illinois are skyrocketing, but huge delays in the process are keeping applicants from receiving their FOID cards.

This is what the Illinois State Police (ISP) had to say about the issue at that time:

The Illinois State Police agree FOID applications should be processed quickly and within the statutory guidelines. Financial instability brought on by the lack of a budget in the prior administration greatly impacted the processing of FOID applications by the Firearms Services Bureau. Gov. Pritzker's budget and the fiscal assurance it brings will allow the ISP to continue efforts to hire at least 32 additional analysts and invest in technology upgrades. This year alone, FSB processed 65,969 new FOID applications....broader legislative remedies to streamline and modernize the FOID process will be necessary to meet statutory timelines. We look forward to working with all interested parties and members of the general assembly to reach those solutions.

This current change comes after ISP announced back in April that FOID card and CCL holders would have 12 months to renew after the state's disaster proclamation ends. They've now tacked on 6 more months.

Here are the new guidelines:

• FOID card holders, who submit their renewal application will remain valid during the duration of the state’s disaster proclamation and for a period of 18 months following the termination of the disaster, even if their renewal application is/was not submitted prior to expiration.
• CCL licensees, who submit their renewal application, will remain valid during the duration of the state’s disaster proclamation and for a period of 18 months following its termination, even if their CCL renewal application was not submitted prior to expiration.
• CCL licensees will not be required to immediately submit proof of three-hour training with their CCL renewal application.
• CCL licensees will need to submit proof of their three-hour renewal training within 18 months following the termination of the state’s disaster proclamation in order to maintain the validity of their CCL license.

On June 30th, ISP said new FOID cards were taking an average of 70 days, but I've talked with several people who have been waiting well over 100 days and are still waiting.

This year, there have been a record number of gun purchases and requests for Illinois FOID cards.

FOID applications:
November 2019: 14,063
December 2019: 13,141

January 2020: 21,424
February 2020: 13,629

March 2020: 36,762
Average: 15,564, with 62,257 total.

April 2020: 25,254
May 2020: 22,813
June 2020: 62,823
Average: 36,913, with a total of 147,652

Click here for information on how to apply for an Illinois FOID card.