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Question about Arlington Co. wait time

Cowboy8467

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Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
14
Location
Arlington, Virginia, USA
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Hi everyone,

I moved to Arlington county about 6 or 7 months ago and started doing research on purchasing a new handgun. I ended up getting a Springfield Armory a couple of weeks ago and have been OC'ing it in a few places around town with no real problems.

There are a few occasions however where I'll want to bring my gun with me but not have it visible so just today I submitted my CHP application to the Circuit court here in Arlington. The woman there told me it would take the full 45 days and then some before I could get it so I was wondering if anyone else has had any experience getting their CHP in Arlington Co. and whether or not I should expect to wait that long. Thanks for the replies!
 

darthmord

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Oct 10, 2008
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Norfolk, Virginia, USA
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Cowboy8467 wrote:
Hi everyone,

I moved to Arlington county about 6 or 7 months ago and started doing research on purchasing a new handgun. I ended up getting a Springfield Armory a couple of weeks ago and have been OC'ing it in a few places around town with no real problems.

There are a few occasions however where I'll want to bring my gun with me but not have it visible so just today I submitted my CHP application to the Circuit court here in Arlington. The woman there told me it would take the full 45 days and then some before I could get it so I was wondering if anyone else has had any experience getting their CHP in Arlington Co. and whether or not I should expect to wait that long. Thanks for the replies!


It can take a maximum of 45 days. If it has reached 45 days without a rejection, they are required by law to issue you a temporary permit that allows you to CC until such time as your regular permit is approved or denied.

You should read up on 18.2-308. It has all the answers to your question and a bunch more.

Welcome aboard btw. :)


*edit* correction of a typo.
 

GWRedDragon

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Dec 10, 2008
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252
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Arlington, Virginia, USA
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When I applied, I got no response after 45 days. On day 47 or so, I went back to the clerk's office and asked to be issued a temporary permit.

Magically, the real permit was ready a couple days later.

When your 45 days are up, just go there and demand the temporary permit. If you don't, it wouldn't surprise me if they took the full allowable time :banghead:
 

Cowboy8467

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Feb 23, 2010
Messages
14
Location
Arlington, Virginia, USA
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GWRedDragon wrote:
When I applied, I got no response after 45 days. On day 47 or so, I went back to the clerk's office and asked to be issued a temporary permit.

Magically, the real permit was ready a couple days later.

When your 45 days are up, just go there and demand the temporary permit. If you don't, it wouldn't surprise me if they took the full allowable time :banghead:
Yeah, I kind of figure that it would come down to that. It was the way the clerk there said that it would take "the full 45 days and then some" that I figured I might have to keep on them about this.
 

mdinnie

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Joined
May 18, 2009
Messages
25
Location
Arlington, Virginia, USA
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GWRedDragon wrote:
When I applied, I got no response after 45 days. On day 47 or so, I went back to the clerk's office and asked to be issued a temporary permit.

Magically, the real permit was ready a couple days later.

When your 45 days are up, just go there and demand the temporary permit. If you don't, it wouldn't surprise me if they took the full allowable time :banghead:
Ditto. My experience was the same as Dragon's. I posted the same question as you; Dragon responded, as he did here, and his prophecy came true..
You will have to go in on day 46 and request a temp, then your permit will be ready the following day or so.
 

mobeewan

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Hampton, Va, ,
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Since the clerk told you it will take 45 days and then some, you should have told the clerk that you will be back in 45 days and expect your temporary permit to br ready for pickup.
 

Cowboy8467

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Feb 23, 2010
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14
Location
Arlington, Virginia, USA
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mobeewan wrote:
Since the clerk told you it will take 45 days and then some, you should have told the clerk that you will be back in 45 days and expect your temporary permit to br ready for pickup.
Yeah, I wish I had done that but they had already been giving me the run around and been sending me all over the place to get stuff notarized and get fingerprinted, so by that point I just wanted to get out of there.

Either way though I will definitely be going back there on day 46 and requesting my temporary permit. Looks like I'm pretty much going to have to do that at this point. :banghead:
 

curtiswr

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Jul 11, 2008
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Richmond, VA, ,
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Cowboy8467 wrote:
mobeewan wrote:
Since the clerk told you it will take 45 days and then some, you should have told the clerk that you will be back in 45 days and expect your temporary permit to br ready for pickup.
Yeah, I wish I had done that but they had already been giving me the run around and been sending me all over the place to get stuff notarized and get fingerprinted, so by that point I just wanted to get out of there.

Either way though I will definitely be going back there on day 46 and requesting my temporary permit. Looks like I'm pretty much going to have to do that at this point. :banghead:
What did they have you get notarized and why?
 

mdinnie

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Joined
May 18, 2009
Messages
25
Location
Arlington, Virginia, USA
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Curtis wrote:
Cowboy8467 wrote:
mobeewan wrote:
Since the clerk told you it will take 45 days and then some, you should have told the clerk that you will be back in 45 days and expect your temporary permit to br ready for pickup.
Yeah, I wish I had done that but they had already been giving me the run around and been sending me all over the place to get stuff notarized and get fingerprinted, so by that point I just wanted to get out of there.

Either way though I will definitely be going back there on day 46 and requesting my temporary permit. Looks like I'm pretty much going to have to do that at this point. :banghead:
What did they have you get notarized and why?
This is from Arlington County website: http://www.co.arlington.va.us/Departments/ClerkofCircuitCourt/CivilCourt/page64985.aspx

Please read carefully:
  • You must be a resident of Arlington County or the City of Falls Church
  • Pay a fee of $50.00 by cash; by check or money order made payable to the "Clerk of the Circuit Court"; or by credit card (Mastercard or Visa only; a service charge of four (4) percent of the amount paid will be collected for credit card payments).
  • Be fingerprinted by the Sheriff's Department (Room 9100 of the Courthouse), which you may do from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday - Thursday (excluding holidays).
  • Provide evidence of competence with a handgun (i.e. proof from a qualified instructor, range, or military discharge papers)
  • Provide the original application (signed and notarized), three (3) copies of the application (after it has been notarized), and four (4) copies of your certificate of competency - if needed.
 

curtiswr

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Richmond, VA, ,
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Is that only required if you do not fill it out in front of them? Are the multiple copies of everything mandatory, and if so will they make copies in the circuit court clerk's office?

Could that all be construed as extra expenses?

I'm just curious and wondering if all this might be extralegal added hassle to make it just that much more annoying for the 2A and freedom conscious citizens.
 

ProShooter

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www.ProactiveShooters.com, Richmond, Va., , USA
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Curtis wrote:
Are the multiple copies of everything mandatory, and if so will they make copies in the circuit court clerk's office?

The Code says:

"A photocopy of a certificate of completion of any of the courses or classes; an affidavit from the instructor, school, club, organization, or group that conducted or taught such course or class attesting to the completion of the course or class by the applicant; or a copy of any document which shows completion of the course or class or evidences participation in firearms competition shall constitute evidence of qualification under this subsection"



Where I come from, "a copy" doesn't mean 3 or 4 copies, it means one copy.
 

Grapeshot

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May 21, 2006
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Valhalla
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mdinnie wrote:
Curtis wrote:
Cowboy8467 wrote:
mobeewan wrote:
Since the clerk told you it will take 45 days and then some, you should have told the clerk that you will be back in 45 days and expect your temporary permit to br ready for pickup.
Yeah, I wish I had done that but they had already been giving me the run around and been sending me all over the place to get stuff notarized and get fingerprinted, so by that point I just wanted to get out of there.

Either way though I will definitely be going back there on day 46 and requesting my temporary permit. Looks like I'm pretty much going to have to do that at this point. :banghead:
What did they have you get notarized and why?
This is from Arlington County website: http://www.co.arlington.va.us/Departments/ClerkofCircuitCourt/CivilCourt/page64985.aspx

Please read carefully:
  • You must be a resident of Arlington County or the City of Falls Church
  • Pay a fee of $50.00 by cash; by check or money order made payable to the "Clerk of the Circuit Court"; or by credit card (Mastercard or Visa only; a service charge of four (4) percent of the amount paid will be collected for credit card payments).
  • Be fingerprinted by the Sheriff's Department (Room 9100 of the Courthouse), which you may do from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday - Thursday (excluding holidays).
  • Provide evidence of competence with a handgun (i.e. proof from a qualified instructor, range, or military discharge papers)
  • Provide the original application (signed and notarized), three (3) copies of the application (after it has been notarized), and four (4) copies of your certificate of competency - if needed.
Extra legal requirements or misleading statements:

1) Do not see statutory basis for 4% service charge.

2) Think that the 2 hour window, 4 days a week is too restrictive and not in "good faith."

3) There are many more ways of satisfying competency requirement - see link

4) Only one (1) copy of the application and one (1) copy of the certificate is required.
There is NO statutory requirement for multiple copies of the application.
Excerpted from Code of Va. - "A photocopy of a certificate of completion ...."

5) If application is signed in front of the clerk, it does NOT have to be notarized.

6) Municipalities are only allowed to require those things that are specifically authorized by the Code of Va.

http://leg1.state.va.us/000/cod/18.2-308.HTM

If I were going for my original CHP, I assure you I would be in the clerk's office when they opened for business on the 46th day.

Only if someone holds their feet to the fire will they come into compliance. :cuss:

Yata hey
 

Cowboy8467

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Feb 23, 2010
Messages
14
Location
Arlington, Virginia, USA
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Curtis wrote:
Is that only required if you do not fill it out in front of them? Are the multiple copies of everything mandatory, and if so will they make copies in the circuit court clerk's office?

Could that all be construed as extra expenses?

I'm just curious and wondering if all this might be extralegal added hassle to make it just that much more annoying for the 2A and freedom conscious citizens.

I agree with everything that's been said here so far. It does seem to me that Arlington goes out of it's way to make things extra hard in order to get a CHP. For what it's worth I will say that they were much nicer in the sheriffs office where I had to go to get fingerprinted and my application notarized. They even made me the copies I needed for free (after charging $3 to notarize my documents ;))

Mostly they were just rude in the clerks office, and of course I forgot to bring cash or check so I had to pay the 4% surcharge for using my credit card. I guess this is just what you have to go through if you want to conceal carry in Arlington :cuss:
 

RPW

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Arlington, ,
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I can only share my own experience. I read all of the Arlington Countyrequirements beforehand, andcarefully brought in exactly what they required. Nothing more, nothing less. Fingerprints were taken on the spot (maybe on a different floor, but same building). I was notified on day 45 that my rinky-dinkpaper CCP was ready to pick up. They were cordial. No problems.

Not to say I approve of the Arlington process, but their stated process for me went exactly as advertised.
 

Grapeshot

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RPW wrote:
I can only share my own experience. I read all of the Arlington Countyrequirements beforehand, andcarefully brought in exactly what they required. Nothing more, nothing less. Fingerprints were taken on the spot (maybe on a different floor, but same building). I was notified on day 45 that my rinky-dinkpaper CCP was ready to pick up. They were cordial. No problems.

Not to say I approve of the Arlington process, but their stated process for me went exactly as advertised.
Yet therein lies the problem. :(

What they advertise/require is extra legal - not allowed under preemption.

What is next? Social security numbers, interview and passport size color photograph? :banghead:

Yata hey
 

Gregory

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Aug 24, 2009
Messages
4
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Arlington, Virginia, USA
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Cowboy8467 wrote:
Hi everyone,
The woman there told me it would take the full 45 days and then some before I could get it so I was wondering if anyone else has had any experience getting their CHP in Arlington Co. and whether or not I should expect to wait that long. Thanks for the replies!

I just got my CHP from Arlington about 4 months ago. It took 50 days total to get it. What I would do is call the Comm Atty office on day 40 and ask for status on you permit. That will remind the kid that does the paperwork to finish it up. Nice guy but I had to call to get it moving and they like to take the full time so expect the full 45 day wait.
 

Cowboy8467

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Feb 23, 2010
Messages
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Location
Arlington, Virginia, USA
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Gregory wrote:
Cowboy8467 wrote:
Hi everyone,
The woman there told me it would take the full 45 days and then some before I could get it so I was wondering if anyone else has had any experience getting their CHP in Arlington Co. and whether or not I should expect to wait that long. Thanks for the replies!

I just got my CHP from Arlington about 4 months ago. It took 50 days total to get it. What I would do is call the Comm Atty office on day 40 and ask for status on you permit. That will remind the kid that does the paperwork to finish it up. Nice guy but I had to call to get it moving and they like to take the full time so expect the full 45 day wait.
Not a bad idea, I want them to know that I'm paying attention to the amount of time they're taking. Thanks to everyone who's already gone through it for letting me know!
 

Grapeshot

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Cowboy8467 wrote:
Gregory wrote:
Cowboy8467 wrote:
Hi everyone,
The woman there told me it would take the full 45 days and then some before I could get it so I was wondering if anyone else has had any experience getting their CHP in Arlington Co. and whether or not I should expect to wait that long. Thanks for the replies!

I just got my CHP from Arlington about 4 months ago. It took 50 days total to get it. What I would do is call the Comm Atty office on day 40 and ask for status on you permit. That will remind the kid that does the paperwork to finish it up. Nice guy but I had to call to get it moving and they like to take the full time so expect the full 45 day wait.
Not a bad idea, I want them to know that I'm paying attention to the amount of time they're taking. Thanks to everyone who's already gone through it for letting me know!
When your CHP comes through, laminate it, put it in your wallet and OC. :lol:

Yata hey
 

Cowboy8467

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Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
14
Location
Arlington, Virginia, USA
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Grapeshot wrote:
Cowboy8467 wrote:
Gregory wrote:
Cowboy8467 wrote:
Hi everyone,
The woman there told me it would take the full 45 days and then some before I could get it so I was wondering if anyone else has had any experience getting their CHP in Arlington Co. and whether or not I should expect to wait that long. Thanks for the replies!

I just got my CHP from Arlington about 4 months ago. It took 50 days total to get it. What I would do is call the Comm Atty office on day 40 and ask for status on you permit. That will remind the kid that does the paperwork to finish it up. Nice guy but I had to call to get it moving and they like to take the full time so expect the full 45 day wait.
Not a bad idea, I want them to know that I'm paying attention to the amount of time they're taking. Thanks to everyone who's already gone through it for letting me know!
When your CHP comes through, laminate it, put it in your wallet and OC. :lol:

Yata hey
That's the plan! Just wanted a little extra insurance in case I need to put my shirt over it for a brief period.
 
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