A guide on how to own a firearm in NYC. Part 3

Handguns

Continuing from the first two parts (see below for links), the following deals with handgun rules and procedures if you live in NYC.

For those that didn’t read the first two parts: First, about me: I am not a lawyer but I have some amount of legal training and I can read the law as it is written. The following is not meant to be legal advice but just something that will give light on the firearm laws in NYC and help aspiring owners. Everything you read here is either from my personal experience with the NYPD or from the various bits and pieces of the NYC Admin Code.

I personally own 4 (soon to be 5) rifles, 2 shotguns and 3 handguns while living in the borough of Brooklyn. I’ve been dealing with the NYPD for about 5 years now (2 for handguns specifically) regarding my collection.

Handguns and long guns (rifle / shotgun) have completely different treatments in the city. They go through separate channels, have their own separate permits and have nothing to do with each other. If you have a handgun license, you are not authorized to own a long gun and vice-verse. Everything in this guide only applies to handguns and not to long guns. That means parts 1 & 2 do not apply if you want a handgun. Before I start going into detail, I would like to note that the handgun process is the one that most people think of when they hear the awful NYC regulations. I do not support it and I believe it is a broken and frustrating system meant to deter handgun ownership. That being said, if you have obligations in the city (like school) hopefully this guide will help you to navigate through the rules.

There are various types of permits for handgun in NYC, I will mostly focus on the “residence premise” type since all the other ones either follow the same rules or are unavailable to average civilians. The residence premise license allows you to keep a firearm in your home and to bring it to a range in the city. It does not grant you permission to bear the firearm outside NYC (More on this later). Concealed carry permits are impossible to get in the city. I know retired cops who couldn’t get one. The only way you can get one is by having a judge grant you one if you’re already been a victim of a crime or you can show serious need for one (ex. A jeweler who carries over 100k in cash on him daily) and even then it’s highly unlikely. In short, do not bother.

Let’s start with the general rules of dealing with any police force / officer. Be polite, courteous and patient no matter what happens. Just as with any large organization, there are good apples and bad ones. I have dealt with both. Being rude / yelling / swearing will not get you what you want (getting your licenses or moving on with your business if stopped).

Handgun Permit Application:

Everything to do with handguns will be done only in 1 Police Plaza (Central Precinct). You need to show up, in person, for every single thing whether it’s registration or application. The permit for handguns costs $340 with a mandatory $95 fingerprint fee (even if you have been fingerprinted before). The permit is renewable every 3 years. The renewal fee changes constantly be prepared to spend over $175. The application requires you to disclose everything (other than parking violations) not matter how minor. Additionally, you will need 3 character references from friends proving your “good” moral standing. You do not need to take firearms classes to get the permit, but they will improve your odds drastically.

In terms of how many people get rejected, there are reasons behind every one of them. If you have had no prior convictions, disclose everything, have all your paperwork in order and don’t piss off the person doing your application, you WILL get the permit. Even if you had prior convictions, as long as it was not violent in nature, and you disclose it on your application along with court documents, you WILL get the license. I you lie, be rude, don’t have your paperwork in order, you will get rejected and your permit fee will be forfeit. You need to bring your application in person to 1 Police Plaza, Manhattan, to be submitted. Warning, the people who work in the first submission room generally aren’t too nice. The reason is because they need to do the first sort of people who should not be allowed to own guns. You would be surprised on how many people simply don’t understand that if you went away for manslaughter or used to be part of a gang, you will not be given a firearm. They will also ask you a few questions about yourself to evaluate whether you are sane and can speak English. Again, it’s a sorting tool to deter people who may not understand instructions when a firearm is involved. After the first room, your application is submitted and the wait begins.

They advertise a wait of 8 months again. I received my permit in 6 months.

Link to application package: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/permits/handgun_licensing_application.shtml

Buying a handgun:

You can only purchase a handgun from a NYC or NYS FFL dealer. I recommend going out of the city to purchase because the transfer fees are insane (around $100). Before purchase you need to send off a request form specifying the make and caliber you want to purchase. They will hold you to the caliber and not so much to the manufacturer/model. So if you asked to buy a 9mm, don’t get a .45 because they will not register it. You need to pick up your purchase authorization in person (a pink slip) and have the dealer fill it out. After the purchase, you have 72 hours to bring the handgun to them to be “inspected” and registered along with the pink slip and your permit. Restrictions on handguns are 10 rounds max magazine, no threaded barrels, no silencers and no center or side fed magazines (like Tek DC-9). The idea is that these guns should be for sporting / hobby purposes. No restrictions on caliber. This is where it gets really ridiculous. In 72 hours, you need to take your handgun, put a trigger lock on it, lock it in a case and bring it to 1PP (1 Police Plaza). Do not bring the magazine or ammo. When transporting handguns in NYC for whatever reason, you must have a trigger lock on the gun. They will not allow you through the door without one (cable lock don’t work). You will then go to another room and have an officer record the serial number onto the back of your permit (your permit is your means of proving that you are legally allowed to own that specific gun). This process takes anywhere between 10 minutes to 2 hours but the people who work here are much friendlier than the first room.

Part 3: Hand guns continued: http://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/nwa1a/a_guide_on_how_to_own_a_firearm_in_nyc_part_4/

Part 1: Long guns (Rifle / Shotgun): http://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/nud1h/a_guide_on_how_to_own_a_firearm_in_nyc_part_1/ Part 2: Long guns (Rifle / Shotgun) Cont.: http://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/nudh5/a_guide_on_how_to_own_a_firearm_in_nyc_part_2/

All of the previous can be found in the official set of rules that the NYPD follow. Located here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/permits/title38_rcny_rev2010_11.pdf

TL;DR: Owning a handgun in NYC is a pain. Do it only if you really want to. It is a broken and frustrating system meant to deter handgun ownership.