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The following persons are exempt from the FOID Card requirement:
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Disclaimer: The following answers are meant only to give general guidance and do not replace statutory language. For questions not addressed here, contact the Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau at (217) 782-7980.
The Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) Card was created in 1968 by the Firearm Owner's Identification Act as part of a public safety initiative in Illinois to identify persons eligible to possess and acquire firearms and firearm ammunition. The FOID Act is codified under Illinois law.
Unless specifically exempted by statute, any Illinois resident who acquires or possesses firearms, firearm ammunition, tasers, or stun guns within the State must have in their possession a valid FOID Card issued in his or her name. Non-residents are not eligible for a FOID Card.
The FOID Card is valid for 10 years, subject to auto-renewal in certain circumstances.
No. The FOID Card is not the same as a concealed carry license. You must have a valid FOID in order to have a CCL.
To be eligible, a person must be 21 years of age or have a parent or guardian sponsor who is eligible for a FOID card. An applicant must not be prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law. Disqualifying factors include:
Yes, under Illinois law. However, under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922, Gun Control Act of 1968), you are subject to restrictions that prohibit you from acquiring or possessing firearms and firearms ammunition. These restrictions remain in effect for one year after the revocation or relinquishment of your medical cannabis card.
After logging into the ISP Firearms Services Bureau website, cardholders can view their eCard under "My eCard." The FOID eCard may be used to purchase firearms and ammunition, though it is within the dealer's discretion whether to accept the eCard in lieu of the physical FOID card.
The following persons are exempt from the FOID Card requirement:
Everyone who wants to carry a concealed firearm on his/her person in Illinois is required to have an Illinois Concealed Carry License, except:
A newly-issued Concealed Carry License has a five-year expiration date.
The applicant must:
No. You can only carry a handgun as defined in the Firearm Concealed Carry Act if it is completely or mostly concealed from view of the public.
Yes. As long as your FOID is valid, 430 ILCS 65/3(a) allows you to present your CCL in lieu of a FOID to purchase a firearm or ammunition.
Rejection is NOT a denial. A rejection means your submission is incomplete and needs correction or additional documentation. If rejected, you will be given 60 days to submit the missing information. If you do not provide the missing information within 60 days, the application will be denied, and you will have to pay another fee and resubmit a complete application.
Yes. The exemptions are set by statute and cannot be expanded upon by the ISP.
No. Outside of prior training credits, you need to take all the hours during a single class. If there are multiple instructors during a single class, all instructors must sign the training certificate and provide their Instructor ID.
"Hit the Target" and "Scoring Area" mean a round that has impacted within the black portion of the silhouette on a B-27 target. Any round that breaks the line between the black portion of the silhouette and the non-scoring area is considered a "hit."
All replacement CCL cards (whether due to damage, loss, theft, or name/address change) cost $75.00 plus a 2.25% ePay service fee for credit/debit cards. Electronic checks are accepted. Cash, paper checks, or money orders are no longer accepted.
Log into the ISP Firearms Services Bureau website or call the Customer Service Center at (217) 782-7980. You must notify the ISP within 10 days of discovering your CCL is lost or stolen.
Request a replacement via the ISP website or call (217) 782-7980. You will retain your current CCL number and expiration date. You must notify the ISP within 10 days of discovering your CCL is destroyed.
Mail your CCL to the Firearms Services Bureau at 801 S. 7th Street, Suite 400M, Springfield, Illinois 62703. Include a note requesting cancellation and explaining why.
All cards issued by the Firearms Services Bureau are now Combination (Combo) cards - a FOID card with a CCL indicator showing either "CCL: Yes" or "CCL: No." A Concealed Carry License holder no longer has to carry two cards. The Combo card does not include an expiration date or issue date.
All cardholders can log into the ISP website via smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device and view their most recent card by clicking "My eCard." The eCard communicates the status of your FOID/CCL in real time. Similar to a digital insurance card, the Combo eCard can be displayed during a traffic stop. If the CCL is expired but the FOID is still valid, the eCard will show "CCL: No." If the FOID is expired, the eCard will display "EXPIRED."
Yes, but only residents of states or territories with laws related to firearm ownership, possession, and carrying that are substantially similar to Illinois requirements. Currently, the only states considered substantially similar are:
Mail your CCL to the Firearms Services Bureau at 801 S. 7th Street, Suite 400M, Springfield, Illinois 62703 with a note that you have moved out of state. If moving to a substantially similar state and you wish to retain an Illinois CCL, contact the Firearms Services Bureau via email at isp.ccw.illinois@illinois.gov to have your FOID canceled so you may apply for a CCL change of address. You must submit your CCL from your new state, a copy of your new state ID, and a notarized Out of State affidavit.
Yes. All state buildings are prohibited areas and must be posted as such.
Any licensee prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm into a prohibited location is permitted to:
Note: This exception does not apply to any area where firearms are prohibited under federal law or to property regulated by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Signage information is available on the ISP Firearms Services Bureau website under "Public Signage."
The ISP continues to enforce the law in effect. Persons who carry firearms without a Concealed Carry License issued by the ISP are subject to arrest.
Similar to displaying a digital insurance card, the Combo (FOID/CCL) eCard allows cardholders to show their most recent information during a traffic stop.
For questions about CCL denial or revocation, the ISP website contains information on reasons for denial and revocation, firearms rights restoration, types of appeals, forms, and links to statutes and administrative rules.
Lautenberg Amendment - 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9). A misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (MCDV) - any misdemeanor that has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed against a current or former spouse, parent, guardian, person with a child in common, cohabitant, or similarly situated person - triggers a federal lifetime firearm-possession bar that is independent of state law. The federal bar applies even when the state-court conviction did not involve a firearm and even when no firearm-related penalty was imposed at sentencing. The 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision in United States v. Rahimi reaffirmed that federal firearm disabilities tied to domestic-violence findings remain constitutional under the Second Amendment.
This page covers one part of our Illinois concealed carry guide.
Read the complete Illinois guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.