Got my LTCF today...!

[Andrew17019]

So I've been wanting to get my PA LTCF for a while, but haven't been able to get back in the state. Sure, most of the states that I live in don't honor the PA LTCF, but I wanted one just because I'm proud to be from PA and still carry a PA residency.

While I was back on some leave I took the time to go to the York County Judicial Center in York and apply for my License. It was 95+ degrees today and I found a spot to park about 3 blocks away, not too bad, but not really a great distance to walk in 95 degrees with pants and a long sleeved shirt on. I walk the 5 minutes to the Judicial Center and notice the big NO CELL PHONES sign on the door. I try to go in anyway and see if they can check a phone at the front...they can't. I hike back to my car and put my cell phone away and head back inside. I get through the checkpoint and into the Sherriff's office where I pick up an application and sit down to fill it out. I get almost done and realize that I need two references with phone numbers. Unfortunately all my phone numbers are in my PHONE which is in the car. I hike back to my car and get the numbers from my phone and head back up, by this time sweating profusely. I turn in my application and the Deputy then tells me I have to have my picture taken (I thought I had to bring passport photos, which I had with me), so in my photo I'm covered in sweat and looking dehydrated. Ten minutes later she was handing me my little card, which went into my wallet...and there we go!

Having undergone this process in Kansas and currently working on a Florida out of state license, PA was ridiculously easy. I was a little disappointed there wasn't any literature associated with the license, such as an outline of PA code that covers concealed weapons or firearms. Is this the same in every county? In Kansas I had to take an 8 hour class and shoot a target from three different distances. I think this was overkill, but the class did a lot to inform me and other applicants of the duties, hazards, and consequences of a concealed license. (I was also expecting fingerprinting, since both the states I've applied for require fingerprints)

In either case, it was a good experience...and easy enough that there's no excuse for any PA resident NOT to have a LTCF!

[Kratos]

Congrats.

Is this the same in every county?

The clerk at the sheriff's office told me the wait time in Delaware county is currently 50 days to receive your notification letter.

[IronSight]

The clerk at the sheriff's office told me the wait time in Delaware county is currently 50 days to receive your notification letter.

There's absolutely no excuse for that "wait time".

OP, congrats on getting the LTCF. If you want a booklet of the laws on firearms in PA, your State Representative's office should give you it for free. It's titled, "Pennsylvania Laws Relating to Firearms". You could always e-mail your state rep and see if his/her office would mail it to you.

[GuyMontag]

But what did you have for breakfast?

[Kratos]

There's absolutely no excuse for that "wait time".

While I'll agree it shouldn't take so long, by law they are allowed 45 days to send out their approval/denial letter. So it sounded to me that was just the 45 days plus the mail delay. Hopefully there will be a supreme court case in the near future that makes these licenses unnecessary.

[IronSight]

While I'll agree it shouldn't take so long, by law they are allowed 45 days to send out their approval/denial letter. So it sounded to me that was just the 45 days plus the mail delay. Hopefully there will be a supreme court case in the near future that makes these licenses unnecessary.

I agree, and it just emphasizes another problem with the current law, it sets out the specific procedure by which a refusal to issue is to be communicated, but states absolutely nothing about how the applicant is supposed to be notified of an approval.

[plumbcrazy]

So I've been wanting to get my PA LTCF for a while, but haven't been able to get back in the state. Sure, most of the states that I live in don't honor the PA LTCF, but I wanted one just because I'm proud to be from PA and still carry a PA residency.

While I was back on some leave I took the time to go to the York County Judicial Center in York and apply for my License. It was 95+ degrees today and I found a spot to park about 3 blocks away, not too bad, but not really a great distance to walk in 95 degrees with pants and a long sleeved shirt on. I walk the 5 minutes to the Judicial Center and notice the big NO CELL PHONES sign on the door. I try to go in anyway and see if they can check a phone at the front...they can't. I hike back to my car and put my cell phone away and head back inside. I get through the checkpoint and into the Sherriff's office where I pick up an application and sit down to fill it out. I get almost done and realize that I need two references with phone numbers. Unfortunately all my phone numbers are in my PHONE which is in the car. I hike back to my car and get the numbers from my phone and head back up, by this time sweating profusely. I turn in my application and the Deputy then tells me I have to have my picture taken (I thought I had to bring passport photos, which I had with me), so in my photo I'm covered in sweat and looking dehydrated. Ten minutes later she was handing me my little card, which went into my wallet...and there we go!

Having undergone this process in Kansas and currently working on a Florida out of state license, PA was ridiculously easy. I was a little disappointed there wasn't any literature associated with the license, such as an outline of PA code that covers concealed weapons or firearms. Is this the same in every county? In Kansas I had to take an 8 hour class and shoot a target from three different distances. I think this was overkill, but the class did a lot to inform me and other applicants of the duties, hazards, and consequences of a concealed license. (I was also expecting fingerprinting, since both the states I've applied for require fingerprints)

In either case, it was a good experience...and easy enough that there's no excuse for any PA resident NOT to have a LTCF!

Just curious
When I went to get my LTCF in Columbia County I had to give two references but they would not process it until both references called the sheriff’s office first. When you gave the sheriff your two references did the sheriff call them first or did your references have to call the sheriff or was there no contact at all with the references ?. Just wondering if the process works the same in all counties.

[mingomom]

Just curious
When I went to get my LTCF in Columbia County I had to give two references but they would not process it until both references called the sheriff’s office first. When you gave the sheriff your two references did the sheriff call them first or did your references have to call the sheriff or was there no contact at all with the references ?. Just wondering if the process works the same in all counties.

Nope. It doesn't work the same way at all. To my knowledge, my references (Lancaster Co) were never contacted. I know this because I used a friend as a reference (she has been my reference for other things) without asking her first OR letting her know what I was doing!

[Andrew17019]

Just curious
When I went to get my LTCF in Columbia County I had to give two references but they would not process it until both references called the sheriff’s office first. When you gave the sheriff your two references did the sheriff call them first or did your references have to call the sheriff or was there no contact at all with the references ?. Just wondering if the process works the same in all counties.

No, they never contacted the references at all to my knowledge. I sat there and watched the girl working for the Sherriff type in my info and run the background check (I assume) and that was all there was to it.

But what did you have for breakfast?

Ok, ok, but at least I'm getting excited over something worthwhile! FYI I didn't eat breakfast today.

[Usmc0311]

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Dauphin County:
12 days for the license. The deputy just said to come back in two weeks but I was excited so I thought I would try it earlier.

Neither of my references were called.

The Dauphin County Sheriff did provide a booklet covering firearms law.