With the first wave of the 10-year Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) cards expiring this summer, Illinois State Police (ISP) are anticipating a significant backlog of renewal applications. In response, Illinois State Police Director Leo Schmitz is urging Illinois firearm owners to file paperwork early to renew their FOID cards.
More than 50,000 FOID cards are expiring between June 1 and August 1. To allow for sufficient time to process the paperwork and issue a new card before it expires, ISP recommends gun owners submit their renewal applications at least one to two months in advance.
Illinois State Police has already sent renewal notices to those whose cards will expire June 1. Applicants can visit the ISP’s Firearms Services Bureau website at ispfsb.com to renew online, or call ISP at 217-782-7980 and a call-taker will complete the application over the phone. The cost of the card is $10.
Applicants must be Illinois residents and include their driver’s licenses or state ID card numbers. Applicants younger than age of 21 must have a parent’s signature on the application. Applicants are encouraged to ensure the name and address on FOID applications match their records on file at the Secretary of State’s Office, otherwise the renewal process will be further delayed.
The Illinois State Police oversee the FOID card system and issue the cards that are required to buy or possess a firearm or ammunition in Illinois. FOID card applications require state and federal background checks, as well as review of the database from the Illinois Department of Human Services to confirm applicants have not been in a mental institution in the past five years. Persons with common names may find additional delays as identities are confirmed.