Military Living Outside of OH

[patgusn]

All,

First time on this forum. I appreciate any advice anyone can give. I've been searching the internet and can't find anything for my situation. Was thinking I'd just have to stop in the sheriff's office and ask until I found this site.

So, here's my deal: I am an Ohio resident but due to military orders have lived outside of the state for the last 6 years. Under the Servicemembers Relief Act, I am an Ohio resident and have been a non-resident living in different states over the last 6 years. Am I able to get an Ohio CHL? I'm still in the military and looking to get an Ohio license since I move around so much. The states I'll physically live in for the next few years (currently in VA and moving to FL within a year) accept the Ohio CHL. Both offer non-resident CHLs but I'm thinking it would be easier to get an Ohio and not have to worry about it when I move around. Also, not all states recognize another state's non-resident CHL. I travel back to Ohio frequently to visit family so if I can get one it wouldn't be a problem to do it in person.



Thanks for any help!
PG

[MyWifeSaidYes]

If you have not changed your state of residency or your home of record, AND you have not had a break in your enlistment, then you are an Ohio resident.

Period.

You should only be required to pay the $67 application fee.

On your application, use the address where you will be receiving mail for the next 45 days.

You may want to include copies of any orders that required a change of location.

If the sheriff doesn't like your address OR he wants to charge you $91, ask him to check with his County Prosecutor (and immediately let us know about it).

And welcome to the forum !!

[MyWifeSaidYes]

Also, if your family home is what you would consider your "permanent address", ask the sheriff which address HE/SHE wants you to enter on the application.

[Paul1201]

I'm in a very similar situation. I'm an OH resident, currently in VA on orders, and was previously assigned to a duty station in FL. As a result I actually have an OH license to carry a concealed handgun, VA concealed handgun permit, and FL concelaed weapons license. I got the FL concelaed weapons license first and picked up the VA and OH licenses along the way. Now that OH (and VA on July 1st) has universal reciprocity the OH license to carry a concealed handgun is a pretty good deal. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you decide which license to apply for.

As crazy as it may seem you actually qualify for a resident VA concealed handgun permit and an OH resident permit. According to the VA law if you are active duty and domiciled in VA you are eligible for the resident permit. Here's the text from the VA State Police website:

Application for a Concealed Handgun Permit – Section 18.2-308.02

Any person 21 years of age or older may apply in writing to the clerk of the circuit court of the county or city in which he or she resides, or if he is a member of the United States armed forces, the county or city in which he is domiciled, for a five-year permit to carry a concealed handgun. There is no requirement as to the length of time an applicant for a Concealed Handgun Permit must have been a resident or domiciliary of the county or city where he or she resides

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_Res ... ealed.shtm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Florida makes no distinction between resident and not resident conclealed weapons licenses and is currently expiditing the processing of applications for all military service members:

Note to Military Members and Veterans
The department is now expediting all Florida concealed weapon or firearm license applications submitted by active military members and veterans.
Active military personnel who want to apply for a concealed weapon license should include a copy of their Common Access Card or other form of official military identification with their applications. The department will also accept a copy of service members' current orders as proof of active duty status.

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisio ... on-License" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The primary reason I ended up with all the 3 licenses is the interpretation of the gun free zone school zone act. From Wikipedia:

Although the Federal GFSZA does provide an exception for an individual licensed to carry a firearm, this exception only applies in the State that physically issued the permit.[1][2][3][7][13][16] Nearly all fifty States have provisions to issue concealed carry permits to citizens.[17] Most of these States also enter into reciprocity agreements with other States where each State agrees to recognize the other's concealed carry permits.[17] Because the Federal GFSZA requires the permit be issued by the State which the school zone is in,[1][2][3] it is difficult for a permit holder to travel outside their State of issuance to a reciprocating State without violating the Federal GFSZA.[1][3][7][13][16]

Hope this helps.

[JustaShooter]

Great point about the Federal GFSZA - although I've never heard of it being prosecuted as a separate offense against an otherwise law-abiding citizen, it seems pretty clear to me that you need a license issued by the state in which the school is located, a reciprocal recognition of another state's license is not enough. It's why I recommend people get a license for any state they spend a lot of time in, even though they may be covered by reciprocal recognition of another license.

[JEaton]

The Federal GFSZA was the reason HB234 included a change to allow persons who live out of state, but work in Ohio to get an Ohio CHL. We had school systems training with FASTERSavesLives, but some of the staff lived in KY, IN, PA etc. The out of state staff could not be authorized to carry in the schools because federal law requires the CCW to be from the state where the school is located. Now schools can have the out of state staff authorized in the schools via the 'works in Ohio' change.

JLE

Great point about the Federal GFSZA - although I've never heard of it being prosecuted as a separate offense against an otherwise law-abiding citizen, it seems pretty clear to me that you need a license issued by the state in which the school is located, a reciprocal recognition of another state's license is not enough. It's why I recommend people get a license for any state they spend a lot of time in, even though they may be covered by reciprocal recognition of another license.

[patgusn]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm heading back to Ohio in a few weeks so I'm going to get my Ohio license then. I'm only in Virginia for a few more months so I probably won't get one here but will when I get to Florida. I'll let everyone know how it goes... From the other forum rooms, it sounds like for someone living around Cleveland, Geauga County is the place to go so going to give that a shot

[patgusn]

Follow up in case anyone is in the same situation. I was home last weekend I stopped at the Geauga County office to apply. Application once moose and I paid the resident fee. I was out of town for a week on travel and when I got back yesterday, the license was in the mail. Easy process, no issues at all. Th deputies at the office are a great bunch, very helpful and courteous.

[schmieg]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm heading back to Ohio in a few weeks so I'm going to get my Ohio license then. I'm only in Virginia for a few more months so I probably won't get one here but will when I get to Florida. I'll let everyone know how it goes... From the other forum rooms, it sounds like for someone living around Cleveland, Geauga County is the place to go so going to give that a shot

Before you come back, call the sheriff's office in your home Ohio county and see if you need to make an appointment. If you do, you can probably make it during the time you will be here and that may help you avoid wasting the trip. If your home sheriff can't oblige, you can also apply in any county adjoining your home county, so you will have several options.