It’s been five years since Illinois enacted the concealed carry law, and gun owners who got their permits when they first became available will soon need to renew.
More than 100,000 people applied for a concealed carry permit in 2014, the first year of the program. If they do not renew their permit at the five-year mark they will have to start over from scratch.
According to the Illinois State Police, they are still working on the online auto-renewal process.
Jim Feagans, a certified instructor in Illinois, says those who are trying to renew early are running into problems.
“The website’s been crashing and having a lot of issues so I would highly recommend if you’re six months out, get your class done and as soon as you get in the five-month window start the renewal,” he said.
There is a three-hour education requirement, which needs to state approved, plus a $150 fee to renew. ISP will have a 30-day window to approve or deny your renewal, which could be extended if there is an influx of renewal applications.
