Erie County, NY Pistol Permit Application Process

[Bluesdriven]

I obtained my permit in 1989 it was originally for target and hunting 1yr later I applied for an unresticted permit and it was granted. It is unbelievable to see how it has changed from a annoying and unecessary long process to pure torture. When you get non resident permits (for states) its actually easier and quicker.Good Luck to you folks !

 

[Viper Specialty]

I got my application moving by calling APD myself and inquiring about it, then asking my references to call the detective (I won't mention his name but there is only one) and leave messages with their cell phone numbers.

The detective was nice enough to call me and let me know when he had completed the paperwork. But he only goes downtown ever 2 or 3 weeks to deliver the files.

Yep, I know the person you are referring to. In fact, I both met him a few times, and he is a friend of a few of my close friends. In the end, this did nothing, for some reason I could not seem to get him to respond to any of my inquiries, which was exceptionally odd considering he even told me to inquire after 6 months... himself!

Then you have to wait for the judge to review and approve the permit. Next, you get a letter congratulating you on your gun permit with instructions. You have just 60 days to purchase a gun or co-register one.

The letter doesn’t say anything about restrictions, so you’ll have to wait until you get your actual permit to know if there are any restrictions or ask the clerk if they can check on it when you bring the bill of sale to get your actual permit.

If you buy a gun, you have to pay for it in full, then take the bill of sale to the clerk's office to get your actual permit. You can't pick up the gun from the clerk's office until after you receive the actual permit in the mail, which I was told would take another 8 to 10 weeks.

Already all set there, already have purchased 2 handguns, which are sitting on hold until I get my paperwork. Also, from what I have heard over and over, it is not near 8 to 10 weeks to get the actual permit from when you supply the bill of sale, most everyone has it in 2-4 weeks max.

 

[Viper Specialty]

The NY Application process has been getting slower and slower. Partly because of the huge increase in the number of applications being submitted, Partly because they, the powers that be in NY are trying to keep the process as complex and annoying as possible. So slowing down the paperwork is just another power-play. Keep calling and asking what up with your stuff. When I got mine, I called at least once a month to check on the progress.

And the Erie County Office has been getting lazier and lazier. I tried that approach, and they will not lift a FINGER until after 12 months these days. In fact, they sure made it seem like I was bothering them, even when I contacted them after 10 months, with not even a single reference having been contacted yet! Obviously, if you dont have a reference even being contacted yet at 10+ months, you are going to run over the 12 month mark... why not just look into for good measure? Nope, no common sense there.

 

[Viper Specialty]

I am also curious, as I have not seen the answer to this outlined anywhere:

Do you ALWAYS have to go in front of a Judge for a Carry or Business, or is that only to UPGRADE to that status if not initially granted? I am just curious if I am going to have to go when I get my permit for the first time? I do not see that mentioned anywhere in particular on the paperwork, but people seem to be mentioning it... unless it is not common practice ANYMORE? Not that it would be a bad thing, I could plea my case in detail.

 

[holdmdwn]

Well it took almost a year to the day (7 days short of 1 year to be exact) for Erie county to send me the golden ticket. Took the letter and the proper info to the pistol permit dept, got a new picture taken and a thumb print, and now 8 - 10 more weeks for me to get my actual permit. Well at least I got this far so far.

 

[Viper Specialty]

and now 8 - 10 more weeks for me to get my actual permit. Well at least I got this far so far.

Everyone I have talked to recently says that this has proven to be closer to 2-4 weeks, but keep us updated on that! Also, add in what you applied for, what reasons you may have given, and what restrictions you ended up with...?

 

[holdmdwn]

Only went for target and hunting for now, have heard way to many horror stories and such about applying for anything else in this county. Now one thing I did do, is after 6 months I started writing to anyone who would listen, congressmen, NYS officials, Town and County officials. Finally got a reply from the Erie County Clerk, and 2 days later a call from Will, the head of the pistol permit dept. Dont know if helped to speed it up, but from the looks of things it might have.

 

[golocx4]

On Friday I returned to complete the paperwork, and then took it to the clerk's office. They said it would be 8 to 10 weeks before I received the permit in the mail. If it takes that long, then the entire process from the day I picked up the application until the day I actually can pick up my first handgun will be about 16 months.

.

This is just wrong. I turned in my application in September 09
I have tracked every movement and expense involved down to the mileage to take the class etc.
With mileage - parking - cost of NRA course - FFL fees etc. I am sure it will be close to 1000 dollars when all is said and done and that does not include the cost of a firearm.

When it is all done I am going to put every detail of the process on my website to assist others.

Here is hoping that the Supreme Court Hearing on March 2nd will strike down these obtrusive and in my opinion unconstitutional laws.

 

[titaniumman]

still waiting for lisence. final receipt for pistol and thumbprint done 6.5 weeks ago. was told 6-8 weeks at clerks office, should be any day now, i hope. all total, about 1 year

 

[titaniumman]

finally

scratch my last post, my best friend the mail lady brought the best christmas gift ever today FINALLY!
I will pick my pistol up tonight. 11.5 mos. total time :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Viper Specialty]

still waiting for lisence. final receipt for pistol and thumbprint done 6.5 weeks ago. was told 6-8 weeks at clerks office, should be any day now, i hope. all total, about 1 year

Unreal that it actually took them that long for you. What... are all the elves that have to widdle out the permit cards busy making toys this time of year? What a crock.

On that note, it has been a couple weeks since all of my references have been contacted, time to start calling the ECPPD to find out when they get my file back...

 

[mjb1956]

app process

I've been told that once it gets to the judge it takes about 3 months for him/her to review the app and give final approval and then another 8-10 weeks to print out the actual permit.

What's been everyones experience with the length of time needed for the judge to give final approval?:hang3:

 

[Viper Specialty]

I've been told that once it gets to the judge it takes about 3 months for him/her to review the app and give final approval and then another 8-10 weeks to print out the actual permit.

What's been everyones experience with the length of time needed for the judge to give final approval?:hang3:

I have not heard that long... but I HAVE heard of delays of 30-60 days where it sits at the police station before they get around to bringing them back downtown to the ECPPD office.... which is why I will start rattling cages at the 2-3 week mark from when they contacted my last reference.

UPDATE: As of Dec. 15th, about 2.5 weeks after all of my references had been contacted, it still hasn't made it back down town.

 

[Mr. B]

Update

I called the Pistol Permit Office today and after a short conversation with the "oh so pleasant" man who answered the phone I was told that my permit had made it back from the FBI and is on to the next step. Here is a quick recap:
- 5/15 submitted finished application downtown and sched. my fingerprints
- permit sent to FBI in August
- called 12/11 to find out permit was sent to local Cheektowaga PD for my reference checks (none contacted as of 12/11)

I'll post again as my references are contacted and at 8 months in hopefully it won't be much longer.

 

[GLOCK4Life]

Sorry New Yorkers

It saddens and angers me to see how NY tries to make it nearly impossible for law abiding citizens to arm themselves, while joe dirt is swapping his Ipod for an illegal gun on the street corner! But you inspire others through your efforts. Fight for your Rights! It's Ridiculous! Bureaucratic BS to discourage gun ownership.

 

[golocx4]

I called the Pistol Permit Office today and after a short conversation with the "oh so pleasant" man who answered the phone I was told that my permit had made it back from the FBI and is on to the next step. Here is a quick recap:
- 5/15 submitted finished application downtown and sched. my fingerprints
- permit sent to FBI in August
- called 12/11 to find out permit was sent to local Cheektowaga PD for my reference checks (none contacted as of 12/11)

I'll post again as my references are contacted and at 8 months in hopefully it won't be much longer.

It makes you wonder what they were doing between May and August.

I was talking to a very experienced FFL the other day. Based on what he said, your paperwork went to Cheektowaga PD. It will now go into a pile with a the others.
They will only do X per what ever, Day Week Month, More like fillin work.
When they get to yours and call or visit your references, the completed paper work will go into a pile.
When the pile reaches X a the PD will drive them downtown. Could be once a week, once a month or once a quarter.
Then the completed paperwork goes into another pile for the Judge.
The Judge will do X per what ever, Day Week Month, More like fillin work.
Once the Judge signs off the paperwork goes back to the Pistol Permit Office into another pile.
Where once processed your letter will be sent.

Remember you are not dealing with a company that has to show a profit and must have good customer service. You are dealing with government. "Government don need no stinking profit, they got taxes"


My guess is you are half way through the process give or take 2 months.
He told me that it is currently taking 12 months or more.

If you call again and a man answers. Hang up and wait for one of the girls in the office. They are usually more pleasant to deal with.

Hang in there.

 

[mjb1956]

Visit to the Pistol Permit Bureau

I was at county hall today on business and decided to stop in the PPB to see if they'd received my application from my local PD.

After waiting at the counter for a couple of minutes, my existence was acknowledged by one of the staff. As I was explaining the reason for my visit, one of the" ladies" cut me off mid sentence and curtly asked where I was in the process and my SS number. She then got up from her throne and sauntered over to the counter. As she did, I noticed she wasn't wearing any shoes and that the white athletic socks she was wearing had a larger hole in the front allowing her big toe to stick out. It took all the self control I could muster to stop myself from laughing hysterically in her face.

She told me that my application had just arrived the day before ( my local PD had it 2 months ) and that I have another 3 months to go.

I'm sooooo glad I live in Erie County, The Peoples Republic of New York. Ten more years and I'm outta here!:victory:

 

[golocx4]

Kinda like all the people in all the offices down there.

So that puts at about 11 months then. Assuming she was right. Man that is just not right.

Is this how it's gonna be with Obama Care?

 

[permitinNYtakesayear]

The people who work at this office are HORRIBLE. I applied in March of 2009. It took them 9 months to call my references. Now they tell me 10 more weeks to get the permit card printed out. This is for a Hunting/Target only permit. Still no permit as of today.

There was a stack of applications at least a foot high visible from the counter. How do I know they were applications? Because they all had the same purple colored Postal Money orders attached to them. These slobs are so lazy and they were all talking about some movie they saw and looking up jokes or something on the computer. Lots of cookie eating and snacks visible. Everyone moving like snails with a mouth full of food. Very rude and terse also.

My favorite part? Getting fingerprinted by a sheriff who was almost BLIND. I'm not kidding you. He had to put his face right down until his nose was literally touching the paper when he filled it out. He was barking at me that I was fighting him while he was fingerprinting me and if they came out smeared I'd have to do it over and pay again. Everyone during this whole process treated me like a criminal. It sucked. I don't know why I am bothering to do this as I plan on leaving this rotten state in a few years. Oh well. I just wanted to try handgun hunting before I get too old. Deer hunting in NY is pretty darn good.

One more thing: the guy at the gun shop said that I was a real FAST approval when it comes to getting a permit. Most can expect to wait close to 18 months these days.

 

[permitinNYtakesayear]

I've been told that once it gets to the judge it takes about 3 months for him/her to review the app and give final approval and then another 8-10 weeks to print out the actual permit.

What's been everyones experience with the length of time needed for the judge to give final approval?:hang3:

So far, I've been waiting SEVEN WEEKS for the actual permit to arrive once I was approved. I can't wait until our health care system is run like this.