Reminder for Maine

[Aguila Blanca]

I discovered recently, by accident/coincidence, that my Maine carry permit had expired several months ago. When I called, the woman on the phone at the State Police licensing office pleasantly informed me that Maine doesn't send reminders -- we are expected to remember to renew on our own.

Fortunately, she also mentioned that there's a 6-month grace period. If you send in your renewal within that 6-month period, you can simply renew. If you miss that window, you have to start the application process all over again.

I was within the 6-month window by a month, so I sent in my renewal by certified mail, and I have documentation that the State Police received it within the allotted window. I'm awaiting my new permit.

If you're in Maine or if you have a Maine non-resident permit ... check your expiration date, and add a reminder to your calendar or digital assistant to send in your renewal before the permit expires.

[eflyguy]

GA also does not send reminders. I think they had a grace period for online renewals due to the backlog of in-person appointments but I missed that and had to just keep checking the web site daily until the next block opened up.

They don't send reminders for drivers license either so just have to stay on top of it.

[Screwball]

The clock starts for expiration on the day it is issued… so if there is a six month grace period, you’d want to send it in as late as possible to get the most amount of time.

At least for the local town offices/departments.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by Screwball

The clock starts for expiration on the day it is issued… so if there is a six month grace period, you’d want to send it in as late as possible to get the most amount of time.

The woman didn't tell me -- and I didn't think to ask -- if the grace period allows carry during that period, or if it only applies for renewal without having to start over as a new applicant. My Pennsylvania non-resident permit has a 90-day grace period, and in PA I believe the license remains valid for carry during the grace period.

Of course, now that Maine has [mostly] "constitutional" carry, it's not such a big deal. But that also makes it easier to forget about checking your expiration date. The issue for me is that Maine doesn't allow permitless carry in state parks ... and Acadia National Park follows state law for carry in parks. I definitely want to be legal for carry in Acadia, so keeping the permit active was a big deal for me.

[Screwball]

I use this…

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ccw-co...te/id443321291

Has a reminder system built in to add a calendar event.

Don’t think you can carry expired… just that you don’t need to do the application from Jump Street in those six months.

[mk70ss]

Tennessee issues LIFETIME concealed carry permits for an extra $100. Although now we also have Constitutional carry law in effect, no permit needed.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by mk70ss

Tennessee issues LIFETIME concealed carry permits for an extra $100. Although now we also have Constitutional carry law in effect, no permit needed.

The hidden danger in "constitutional" carry is the federal Gun Free School Zones Act. This is a federal law that makes it illegal to possess a loaded firearm within 1,000 feet of a school property -- not just ON school property, and not just within 1,000 feet of the actual school building, but anywhere within 1,000 feet of the perimeter of the school property.

Being federal law, it is not mitigated by a state's adoption of permitless carry. The FBI probebly isn't sitting around, waiting to pounce on hapless citizens who venture within 1,000 feet of a school zone while armed, but the possibility exists. The exception in the GFSZA is if the person has a carry permit issued by the state in which the school is located.

This is why I maintain non-resident carry permits for several states that I might visit periodically, even though some of them are now permitless carry states. Reciprocity doesn't protect you. The federal law specifically exempts carry pursuant to a permit issued by the state in with the school is located.

To be honest, as more state srae going to permitless carry, I foresee this becoming a bigger problem, unless we can get the GFSZA amended.