Should I get a CCW Permit?

Bob Slydell · July 4, 2011, 10:19 PM

I'm divided in getting a CCW permit. I travel through different states which do recognize out of state CCW permits or just frown on carrying a weapon for self defense. What if I am pulled over for a traffic violation and the officer runs my tags, notices that I have a CCW permit, which is not recognized and asks me if I'm carrying. What do you say if you have a pistol in the car? Would I be better off not having a CCW permit to bring attention to myself, especially when I travel? Better to appear to be a unarmed victim in a anti-gun state?

Onward Allusion · July 4, 2011, 10:48 PM

Yes, get a CCW Permit. The benefits far outweigh the risks. As for traveling through an "anti-State" or one that does not recognize your permit...etc. As long as you are traveling through and have the weapon cased/locked/unloaded in the trunk I don't see any problems. Obviously check the State laws out first...

BarryLee · July 4, 2011, 11:17 PM

Quote:

What if I am pulled over for a traffic violation and the officer runs my tags, notices that I have a CCW permit,

While I am not disputing your word I have heard several people make this statement and I am curious is it really true? Does the Department of Motor Vehicle database include firearm permit or license data?

Carry_24/7 · July 4, 2011, 11:57 PM

I believe the OP is a little paranoid (it happens to some folks pre-CCW).

Get the CCW permit, follow the law to the letter, you will be ok.

I don't know your state, by in Florida, cops seem to not care if you are a legal CCW holder, which is the way it should be.

JIMSPD9 · July 5, 2011, 02:05 AM

The state issues CCW permits. An officer is usually only concerned & given wants and warrants on both persons or stolen vehicles. Most handgun registration is kept with your local Sheriff's office. If the officer wants CCW info the State dispatcher should have that data available from a secondary data base. Local agencys usually do not, but can run a weapons serial no. through NCIC to check if it is stolen.

Get your CCW permit and when the officer asks for ID surrender CCW along with DL. No surprisies on the side of the hwy at 2 AM is best. The Supreme Court has ruled that an officer can search any area within the drivers immediate reach.

Here in Mississippi anyone can have a weapon in an automobile provided he is allowed to own one.

JIMSPD9

**Aguila Blanca** · July 5, 2011, 05:37 AM

"Carrying" is not "transporting." If you are not carrying and you are asked "Are you carrying," the answer is "No."

If you are transporting, just be certain you are transporting in accordance with the laws of the state you are in. If the question is, "Do you have any firearms in the vehicle?", the answer then is, "Yes, in a locked case in the trunk." If the officer then asks if he/she can see it/them, the answer is "No, I do not consent to a search of my vehicle."

But how many states to you think will actually see your out-of-state CCW when they run your DL and tags? A lot of states don't feed that info back even for their own, home state CCWs. I think everyone should have a CCW. After you get it, there's nothing that says you have to use it. If you're going to be in unfriendly states, you can leave the guns at home. Then, if an officer asks, you can honestly answer that you have no firearms in the vehicle.

**Spats McGee** · July 5, 2011, 08:49 AM

According to my meager understanding of law enforcement databases, CCLs are not tied to the license plate (tags), but are tied to your driver's license. If the police run someone's tags, the CCL shouldn't show up. When they run his DL, on the other hand, it will.

OP, get the CCL. If you get stopped for a traffic violation, hand it over, whether you're carrying or not. As someone already pointed out, don't surprise the officer on the side of the road at 2 a.m. Go here: http://www.handgunlaw.us/ and familiarize yourself with laws in the pertinent jurisdictions. If you're in compliance with the laws of the state in which you are present, and have a CCL, you ought to be OK. If you're not in compliance, the CCL isn't going to save you. Your possession of a CCL, on the other hand, will at least tell the officer that you've passed the requirements for it, such as a background check.

Unfortunately, OP, it sounds like what you're really itching to do is to carry without the benefit of the CCL. That's a bad idea, and may well put you in violations of the law, even where a CCL from your home state would have been recognized.

Get the permit.

Edited to add: Welcome to The Firing Line!

ChrisJ715 · July 5, 2011, 10:31 AM

Yes, get one. I like it better the more armed good guys are out there.

Uncle Buck · July 5, 2011, 10:34 AM

I say get one. It is a political statement as well as nice to have.

BTR · July 5, 2011, 11:02 AM

Yes, get one.

Pahoo · July 5, 2011, 11:21 AM

Bob
The decision on whether or not to get the permit, is an evolutionary thing, private and personal.

If you feel that it's your God given right of self protection, then take your first step. Fill out your application and let it happen. ....

If on the other hand you want to leave your protection, to LE agencies, then do nothing. ..... :barf:

As you proceed through the process, you will realise that most of your worries are unfounded. In fact, the least of which will be whether or not you will be asked for your permit. Keep in mind that the Constitution and law, is on your side. ....

At any point of your new adventure, you feel it's not right, just quit and leave your weapons at home. .....

Be Safe !!!

AirForceShooter · July 5, 2011, 11:25 AM

Some states tie the CCW to the DMV database. Others don't.
If you're out of state running your license and plares won't bring up your CCW from your home state.

You can't lose anything by getting a CCW.

AFS

Kreyzhorse · July 5, 2011, 06:49 PM

Quote:

While I am not disputing your word I have heard several people make this statement and I am curious is it really true? Does the Department of Motor Vehicle database include firearm permit or license data?

I don't know about every state, but I know for a fact that in the state of Kentucky, when an officer runs your license, part of the data available is if you have a CCW license.

As far as the OP, I highly suggest getting your license. I feel that I am responsible for my own protection and part of that protection is that I have my CCW license.

Part of having that license by the way is understanding where you can carry legally and where you can't. If you follow the law, you will not have a problem if you are legally carrying your gun. If you don't want to take the time to learn the law, I'd suggest that you do not get your CCW.

youngunz4life · July 5, 2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Should I get a CCW Permit?

YES,

one of many reasons:

laws can change. if that happens you will already have a CCW that you can basically renew whenever it is running low on time. Better to be ready 'just in case'.

I'll give another:

there is absolutely no reason why you should live your life in fear and/or by worrying what other people think(unless there are serious reasons why you have to). Don't worry about that coming up - chances are it won't anyways. The officer is usually making sure everything you have is up-to-date and legit as well as making sure you are not a wanted individual or carrying any warrants. You have nothing to be ashamed about.

Lastly, here is a website that can help you out w/state laws(you can even click on USA for federal laws):

www.handgunlaw.us

tony pasley · July 5, 2011, 07:49 PM

Yes get your Permit, you will be more comfortable. N.C. does tie permit to DMV and you are required to show permit when confronted by LEO. Most importantly for ever 1 permit there are 10 firearm friendly voters that elected officals and those who want to be need to hold office, which helps protect all firearm owners from the evil gun grabbers

Standing Wolf · July 5, 2011, 07:52 PM

Quote:

I travel through different states which do recognize out of state CCW permits or just frown on carrying a weapon for self defense.

Oh, don't tell me California has passed a new law frowning on the right of the commoners to keep and bear arms!

Seriously: better to have the permit and not need it than need it and not have it. Mysteriously, the same goes for guns, but get the permit first, eh?

wally626 · July 5, 2011, 08:22 PM

Quote:

I'm divided in getting a CCW permit. I travel through different states which do recognize out of state CCW permits or just frown on carrying a weapon for self defense. What if I am pulled over for a traffic violation and the officer runs my tags, notices that I have a CCW permit, which is not recognized and asks me if I'm carrying. What do you say if you have a pistol in the car? Would I be better off not having a CCW permit to bring attention to myself, especially when I travel? Better to appear to be a unarmed victim in a anti-gun state?

First did you mean states that do not recognize out of state CCW?

Getting a CCW permit is separate from the out-of-state issues. If you wish to be able to carry concealed and your state requires the permit then get one. While traveling in other states you need to follow their laws. It is pretty easy these days to find out what states honor other states permits and what the basic carry laws are. If you are pulled over and are following the states laws for carrying a gun, then whether the police receive notice of you having a CCW or not is of no concern.

The main issue in most states is whether or not you have to inform the officer if you are carrying, some require it some do not, some people like to inform whether required or not. If the state does not honor your permit, you will be restricted to transporting the weapon either under state laws or federal if you are not staying in the state and just traveling though. So make sure you know those laws, which generally include having the weapon unloaded and cased and not in the passenger compartment. Some states allow loaded weapons just about anywhere in the vehicle without a permit, just make sure before traveling in different states.

If you are carrying a weapon with a permit that is not honored by the state, sometimes the officers will let you off and inform you how to carry the weapon properly in their state, sometimes they will arrest you, depends on the state and the officer. If you are carrying a weapon illegally without any type of permit and you are caught, then you are going to jail, unless you run into a very lenient officer. The chance that out-of-state you will get flagged as having a CCW is very remote.

CTCFPD320 · July 5, 2011, 08:38 PM

Yes definatly get a ccw. In missouri, i'm employed in law enforcement and in our state when you qualify for your ccw permit you are given the option of attaching it to your drivers license or getting it on a seperate nondriver state id card. If you elect to get it attached to your drivers license not only must you renew your drivers license every 3 years but when pulled over by an officer when the dor report returns it will show you as an active ccw permit holder, however if you elect to get it on a state id card it will not show up on the dor report. The only caution i would say is like others have is to ensure you know & abide by any and all laws pertaining to firearms in whichever state you enter and plan ahead to stop before entering that state that is foolish enough to not allow ccw and get your weapon in accordance with their laws.

As always if you're caught in a fair fight your tactics suck!

chasep255 · July 5, 2011, 08:58 PM

Getting it can't hurt. Carrying it where legal and not bringing it along where illegal is better than nothing.

Bob Slydell · July 6, 2011, 08:12 PM

I meant don't not do. A friend of mine ws going to take a pistol on a vacation to Maine. He decided not to due to the laws of the different states but New York's laws was the decision maker not to bring one. It really sucks that we should even have to need one. When you look at the second amendment, it says nothing about felons and after they do the time, they should get a secong chance. We take gun RIGHTS from a person with a felony DUI but give them back driving PRIVLEDGES. Starting to go off the subject.
I think i will sign up for the class. Thanks

HoraceHogsnort · July 6, 2011, 10:32 PM

Onward Allusion

"Yes, get a CCW Permit. The benefits far outweigh the risks. As for traveling through an "anti-State" or one that does not recognize your permit...etc. As long as you are traveling through and have the weapon cased/locked/unloaded in the trunk I don't see any problems. Obviously check the State laws out first..."

Quite frankly that's good advice as long as you stay out of New Jersey.

July 4, 2011, 10:19 PM	#1
Bob Slydell Junior Member Join Date: July 4, 2011 Posts: 2	Should I get a CCW Permit? I'm divided in getting a CCW permit. I travel through different states which do recognize out of state CCW permits or just frown on carrying a weapon for self defense. What if I am pulled over for a traffic violation and the officer runs my tags, notices that I have a CCW permit, which is not recognized and asks me if I'm carrying. What do you say if you have a pistol in the car? Would I be better off not having a CCW permit to bring attention to myself, especially when I travel? Better to appear to be a unarmed victim in a anti-gun state?

July 4, 2011, 10:48 PM	#2
Onward Allusion Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2009 Location: Back in a Non-Free State Posts: 3,133	Yes, get a CCW Permit. The benefits far outweigh the risks. As for traveling through an "anti-State" or one that does not recognize your permit...etc. As long as you are traveling through and have the weapon cased/locked/unloaded in the trunk I don't see any problems. Obviously check the State laws out first... __________________ Simple as ABC . . . Always Be Carrying

July 5, 2011, 02:05 AM	#5
JIMSPD9 Member Join Date: August 6, 2010 Posts: 86	CCW Data on licence check? The state issues CCW permits. An officer is usually only concerned & given wants and warrants on both persons or stolen vehicles. Most handgun registration is kept with your local Sheriff's office. If the officer wants CCW info the State dispatcher should have that data available from a secondary data base. Local agencys usually do not, but can run a weapons serial no. through NCIC to check if it is stolen. Get your CCW permit and when the officer asks for ID surrender CCW along with DL. No surprisies on the side of the hwy at 2 AM is best. The Supreme Court has ruled that an officer can search any area within the drivers immediate reach. Here in Mississippi anyone can have a weapon in an automobile provided he is allowed to own one. JIMSPD9

July 5, 2011, 08:49 AM	#7
Spats McGee Staff Join Date: July 28, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 8,821	According to my meager understanding of law enforcement databases, CCLs are not tied to the license plate (tags), but are tied to your driver's license. If the police run someone's tags, the CCL shouldn't show up. When they run his DL, on the other hand, it will. OP, get the CCL. If you get stopped for a traffic violation, hand it over, whether you're carrying or not. As someone already pointed out, don't surprise the officer on the side of the road at 2 a.m. Go here: http://www.handgunlaw.us/ and familiarize yourself with laws in the pertinent jurisdictions. If you're in compliance with the laws of the state in which you are present, and have a CCL, you ought to be OK. If you're not in compliance, the CCL isn't going to save you. Your possession of a CCL, on the other hand, will at least tell the officer that you've passed the requirements for it, such as a background check. Unfortunately, OP, it sounds like what you're really itching to do is to carry without the benefit of the CCL. That's a bad idea, and may well put you in violations of the law, even where a CCL from your home state would have been recognized. Get the permit. Edited to add: Welcome to The Firing Line! __________________ I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.

July 5, 2011, 10:34 AM	#9
Uncle Buck Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 2,592	I say get one. It is a political statement as well as nice to have. __________________ Inside Every Bright Idea Is The 50% Probability Of A Disaster Waiting To Happen.

July 4, 2011, 11:57 PM	#4
Carry_24/7 Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2011 Posts: 801	I believe the OP is a little paranoid (it happens to some folks pre-CCW). Get the CCW permit, follow the law to the letter, you will be ok. I don't know your state, by in Florida, cops seem to not care if you are a legal CCW holder, which is the way it should be.

July 5, 2011, 05:37 AM	#6
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,459	"Carrying" is not "transporting." If you are not carrying and you are asked "Are you carrying," the answer is "No." If you are transporting, just be certain you are transporting in accordance with the laws of the state you are in. If the question is, "Do you have any firearms in the vehicle?", the answer then is, "Yes, in a locked case in the trunk." If the officer then asks if he/she can see it/them, the answer is "No, I do not consent to a search of my vehicle." But how many states to you think will actually see your out-of-state CCW when they run your DL and tags? A lot of states don't feed that info back even for their own, home state CCWs. I think everyone should have a CCW. After you get it, there's nothing that says you have to use it. If you're going to be in unfriendly states, you can leave the guns at home. Then, if an officer asks, you can honestly answer that you have no firearms in the vehicle.

July 5, 2011, 10:31 AM	#8
ChrisJ715 Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2011 Location: Small town in eastern KY Posts: 155	Yes, get one. I like it better the more armed good guys are out there.

July 5, 2011, 11:02 AM	#10
BTR Senior Member Join Date: July 13, 1999 Posts: 570	Yes, get one.

July 5, 2011, 11:21 AM	#11
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	One step at a time !! Bob The decision on whether or not to get the permit, is an evolutionary thing, private and personal. If you feel that it's your God given right of self protection, then take your first step. Fill out your application and let it happen. .... If on the other hand you want to leave your protection, to LE agencies, then do nothing. ..... :barf: As you proceed through the process, you will realise that most of your worries are unfounded. In fact, the least of which will be whether or not you will be asked for your permit. Keep in mind that the Constitution and law, is on your side. .... At any point of your new adventure, you feel it's not right, just quit and leave your weapons at home. ..... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

July 5, 2011, 11:25 AM	#12
AirForceShooter Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2005 Location: Sarasota (sort of) Florida Posts: 1,296	Some states tie the CCW to the DMV database. Others don't. If you're out of state running your license and plares won't bring up your CCW from your home state. You can't lose anything by getting a CCW. AFS __________________ 'Qui tacet consentit': To remain silent is to consent.

July 5, 2011, 07:49 PM	#15
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,641	Yes get your Permit, you will be more comfortable. N.C. does tie permit to DMV and you are required to show permit when confronted by LEO. Most importantly for ever 1 permit there are 10 firearm friendly voters that elected officals and those who want to be need to hold office, which helps protect all firearm owners from the evil gun grabbers __________________ Every day Congress is in session we lose a little bit more of our Liberty.

July 5, 2011, 08:38 PM	#18
CTCFPD320 Junior Member Join Date: June 30, 2011 Location: Taneyville MO Posts: 5	Yes definatly get a ccw. In missouri, i'm employed in law enforcement and in our state when you qualify for your ccw permit you are given the option of attaching it to your drivers license or getting it on a seperate nondriver state id card. If you elect to get it attached to your drivers license not only must you renew your drivers license every 3 years but when pulled over by an officer when the dor report returns it will show you as an active ccw permit holder, however if you elect to get it on a state id card it will not show up on the dor report. The only caution i would say is like others have is to ensure you know & abide by any and all laws pertaining to firearms in whichever state you enter and plan ahead to stop before entering that state that is foolish enough to not allow ccw and get your weapon in accordance with their laws. As always if you're caught in a fair fight your tactics suck!

July 5, 2011, 08:58 PM	#19
chasep255 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 727	Getting it can't hurt. Carrying it where legal and not bringing it along where illegal is better than nothing.

July 6, 2011, 08:12 PM	#20
Bob Slydell Junior Member Join Date: July 4, 2011 Posts: 2	ccw I meant don't not do. A friend of mine ws going to take a pistol on a vacation to Maine. He decided not to due to the laws of the different states but New York's laws was the decision maker not to bring one. It really sucks that we should even have to need one. When you look at the second amendment, it says nothing about felons and after they do the time, they should get a secong chance. We take gun RIGHTS from a person with a felony DUI but give them back driving PRIVLEDGES. Starting to go off the subject. I think i will sign up for the class. Thanks

July 6, 2011, 10:32 PM	#21
HoraceHogsnort Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Stanislaus Co., Mexifornia Posts: 615	Onward Allusion "Yes, get a CCW Permit. The benefits far outweigh the risks. As for traveling through an "anti-State" or one that does not recognize your permit...etc. As long as you are traveling through and have the weapon cased/locked/unloaded in the trunk I don't see any problems. Obviously check the State laws out first..." Quite frankly that's good advice as long as you stay out of New Jersey.