1.Criteria for issuing permit. The issuing authority shall, upon written application, issue a permit to carry concealed firearms to an applicant over whom
it has issuing authority and who has demonstrated good moral character and who meets the following requirements:
A. Is 18 years of age or older; [1985, c. 478, §2 (NEW).]
B. Is not disqualified to possess a firearm pursuant to Title 15, section 393 , is not disqualified as a permit holder under that same section and is not disqualified to possess a firearm based on federal law as a result of a criminal conviction. [2007, c. 194, §5 (AMD).]
C. [1993, c. 368, §4 (RP).]
D. Submits an application that contains the following:
(1) Full name;
(2) Full current address and addresses for the prior 5 years;
(3) The date and place of birth, height, weight, color of eyes, color of hair, sex and race;
(4) A record of previous issuances of, refusals to issue and revocations of a permit to carry concealed firearms or other
concealed weapons by any issuing authority in the State or any other jurisdiction. The record of previous refusals alone
does not constitute cause for refusal and the record of previous revocations alone constitutes cause for refusal only as provided
in section 2005; and
(5) Answers to the following questions:
(a) Are you less than 18 years of age?
(b) Is there a formal charging instrument now pending against you in this State for a crime under the laws of this State
that is punishable by imprisonment for a term of one year or more?
(c) Is there a formal charging instrument now pending against you in any federal court for a crime under the laws of the
United States that is punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year?
(d) Is there a formal charging instrument now pending against you in another state for a crime that, under the laws of that
state, is punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year?
(e) If your answer to the question in division (d) is "yes," is that charged crime classified under the laws of that state
as a misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment of 2 years or less?
(f) Is there a formal charging instrument pending against you in another state for a crime punishable in that state by a
term of imprisonment of 2 years or less and classified by that state as a misdemeanor, but that is substantially similar to
a crime that under the laws of this State is punishable by imprisonment for a term of one year or more?
(g) Is there a formal charging instrument now pending against you under the laws of the United States, this State or any
other state or the Passamaquoddy Tribe or Penobscot Nation in a proceeding in which the prosecuting authority has pleaded
that you committed the crime with the use of a firearm against a person or with the use of a dangerous weapon as defined in
Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 9, paragraph A?
(h) Is there a formal charging instrument now pending against you in this or any other jurisdiction for a juvenile offense
that, if committed by an adult, would be a crime described in division (b), (c), (d) or (f) and involves bodily injury or
threatened bodily injury against another person?
(i) Is there a formal charging instrument now pending against you in this or any other jurisdiction for a juvenile offense
that, if committed by an adult, would be a crime described in division (g)?
(j) Is there a formal charging instrument now pending against you in this or any other jurisdiction for a juvenile offense
that, if committed by an adult, would be a crime described in division (b), (c), (d) or (f), but does not involve bodily injury
or threatened bodily injury against another person?
(k) Have you ever been convicted of committing or found not criminally responsible by reason of mental disease or defect
of committing a crime described in division (b), (c), (f) or (g)?
(l) Have you ever been convicted of committing or found not criminally responsible by reason of mental disease or defect
of committing a crime described in division (d)?
(m) If your answer to the question in division (l) is "yes," was that crime classified under the laws of that state as a
misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment of 2 years or less?
(n) Have you ever been adjudicated as having committed a juvenile offense described in division (h) or (i)?
(o) Have you ever been adjudicated as having committed a juvenile offense described in division (j)?
(p) Are you currently subject to an order of a Maine court or an order of a court of the United States or another state,
territory, commonwealth or tribe that restrains you from harassing, stalking or threatening your intimate partner, as defined
in 18 United States Code, Section 921(a), or a child of your intimate partner, or from engaging in other conduct that would
place your intimate partner in reasonable fear of bodily injury to that intimate partner or the child?
(q) Are you a fugitive from justice?
(r) Are you a drug abuser, drug addict or drug dependent person?
(s) Do you have a mental disorder that causes you to be potentially dangerous to yourself or others?
(t) Have you been adjudicated to be an incapacitated person pursuant to Title 18-A, Article 5, Parts 3 and 4 and not had
that designation removed by an order under Title 18-A, section 5-307, subsection (b)?
(u) Have you been dishonorably discharged from the military forces within the past 5 years?
(v) Are you an illegal alien?
(w) Have you been convicted in a Maine court of a violation of Title 17-A, section 1057 within the past 5 years?
(x) Have you been adjudicated in a Maine court within the past 5 years as having committed a juvenile offense involving
conduct that, if committed by an adult, would be a violation of Title 17-A, section 1057?
(y) To your knowledge, have you been the subject of an investigation by any law enforcement agency within the past 5 years
regarding the alleged abuse by you of family or household members?
(z) Have you been convicted in any jurisdiction within the past 5 years of 3 or more crimes punishable by a term of imprisonment
of less than one year or of crimes classified under the laws of a state as a misdemeanor and punishable by a term of imprisonment
of 2 years or less?
(aa) Have you been adjudicated in any jurisdiction within the past 5 years to have committed 3 or more juvenile offenses
described in division (o)?
(bb) To your knowledge, have you engaged within the past 5 years in reckless or negligent conduct that has been the subject
of an investigation by a governmental entity?
(cc) Have you been convicted in a Maine court within the past 5 years of any Title 17-A, chapter 45 drug crime?
(dd) Have you been adjudicated in a Maine court within the past 5 years as having committed a juvenile offense involving
conduct that, if committed by an adult, would have been a violation of Title 17-A, chapter 45?
(ee) Have you been adjudged in a Maine court to have committed the civil violation of possession of a useable amount of
marijuana, butyl nitrite or isobutyl nitrite in violation of Title 22, section 2383 within the past 5 years?
(ff) Have you been adjudicated in a Maine court within the past 5 years as having committed the juvenile crime defined in
Title 15, section 3103, subsection 1, paragraph B of possession of a useable amount of marijuana, as provided in Title 22,
section 2383?; and [2003, c. 341, §4 (AMD).]
E. Does the following:
(1) At the request of the issuing authority, takes whatever action is required by law to allow the issuing authority to obtain
from the Department of Health and Human Services, limited to records of patient committals to Riverview Psychiatric Center
and Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center, the courts, law enforcement agencies and the military information relevant to the following:
(a) The ascertainment of whether the information supplied on the application or any documents made a part of the application
is true and correct;
(b) The ascertainment of whether each of the additional requirements of this section has been met; and
(c) Section 2005;
(2) If a photograph is an integral part of the permit to carry concealed firearms adopted by an issuing authority, submits
to being photographed for that purpose;
(3) If it becomes necessary to resolve any questions as to identity, submits to having fingerprints taken by the issuing
authority;
(4) Submits an application fee along with the written application to the proper issuing authority pursuant to the following
schedule:
(a) Resident of a municipality or unorganized territory, $35 for an original application and $20 for a renewal, except that
a person who paid $60 for a concealed firearms permit or renewal during 1991 or 1992 is entitled to a credit toward renewal
fees in an amount equal to $30 for a person who paid $60 for an original application and $45 for a person who paid $60 for
a permit renewal. The credit is valid until fully utilized; and
(b) Nonresident, $60 for an original or renewal application, except that a person who paid $80 for a concealed firearms
permit during 1991 or 1992 is entitled to a $20 credit toward permit renewal fees. The credit is valid until fully utilized;
and
(5) Demonstrates to the issuing authority a knowledge of handgun safety. The applicant may fully satisfy this requirement
by submitting to the issuing authority, through documentation in accordance with this subparagraph, proof that the applicant
has within 5 years prior to the date of application completed a course that included handgun safety offered by or under the
supervision of a federal, state, county or municipal law enforcement agency or a firearms instructor certified by a private
firearms association recognized as knowledgeable in matters of firearms safety by the issuing authority or by the state in
which the course was taken. A course completion certificate or other document, or a photocopy, is sufficient if it recites
or otherwise demonstrates that the course meets all of the requirements of this subparagraph.
As an alternative way of fully satisfying this requirement, an applicant may personally demonstrate knowledge of handgun safety
to an issuing authority, if the issuing authority is willing to evaluate an applicant's personal demonstration of such knowledge.
The issuing authority is not required to offer this 2nd option.
The demonstration of knowledge of handgun safety to the issuing authority may not be required of any applicant who holds a
valid State permit to carry a concealed firearm as of April 15, 1990 or of any applicant who was or is in any of the Armed
Forces of the United States and has received at least basic firearms training. [1993, c. 524, §8 (AMD); 2005, c. 236, §§3, 4 (REV).]
[
2007, c. 194, §5 (AMD)
.]
2.Complete application; certification by applicant. The requirements set out in subsection 1, constitute a complete application. By affixing the applicant's signature to the
application, the applicant certifies the following:
A. That the statements the applicant makes in the application and any documents the applicant makes a part of the application
are true and correct; [1993, c. 524, §9 (AMD).]
A-1. That the applicant understands that an affirmative answer to the question in subsection 1, paragraph D, subparagraph (5),
division (l) or (o) is cause for refusal unless the applicant is nonetheless authorized to possess a firearm under Title 15,
section 393; [2003, c. 341, §5 (AMD).]
A-2. That the applicant understands that an affirmative answer to subsection 1, paragraph D, subparagraph (5), division (p) is
cause for refusal if the order of the court meets the preconditions contained in Title 15, section 393, subsection 1, paragraph
D. If the order of the court does not meet the preconditions, the conduct underlying the order may be used by the issuing
authority, along with other information, in judging good moral character under subsection 4; [2003, c. 341, §6 (NEW).]
B. That the applicant understands that an affirmative answer to one or more of the questions in subsection 1, paragraph D,
subparagraph (5), divisions (a), (k), (n) or (q) to (x) is cause for refusal; [2003, c. 341, §7 (AMD).]
B-1. That the applicant understands that an affirmative answer to one or more of the questions in subsection 1, paragraph D,
subparagraph (5), divisions (b) to (j), (m), (y), (z) or (aa) to (ff) is used by the issuing authority, along with other information,
in judging good moral character under subsection 4; and [2003, c. 341, §8 (AMD).]
C. That the applicant understands any false statements made in the application or in any document made a part of the application
may result in prosecution as provided in section 2004. [1993, c. 524, §9 (AMD).]
[
2003, c. 341, §§5-8 (AMD)
.]
3.Copy of laws furnished to applicant. A copy of this chapter and the definitions from other chapters which are used in this chapter shall be provided to every
applicant.
[
1985, c. 478, §2 (NEW)
.]
3-A.Model forms. The Attorney General shall develop model forms for the following:
A. An application for a resident permit to carry concealed firearms; [1989, c. 917, §12 (NEW).]
B. An application for a nonresident permit to carry concealed firearms; [1989, c. 917, §12 (NEW).]
C. A resident permit to carry concealed firearms of which a photograph is an integral part; [1989, c. 917, §12 (NEW).]
D. A resident permit to carry concealed firearms of which a photograph is not an integral part; [1989, c. 917, §12 (NEW).]
E. A nonresident permit to carry concealed firearms; and [1989, c. 917, §12 (NEW).]
F. Authority to release information to the issuing authority for the purpose of evaluating information supplied on the application. [1989, c. 917, §12 (NEW).]
Each issuing authority shall utilize only the model forms.
[
1989, c. 917, §12 (NEW)
.]
4.Good moral character. The issuing authority in judging good moral character shall make its determination in writing based solely upon information
recorded by governmental entities within 5 years of receipt of the application, including, but not limited to, the following
matters:
A. Information of record relative to incidents of abuse by the applicant of family or household members, provided pursuant
to Title 19-A, section 4012, subsection 1; [1995, c. 694, Pt. D, §51 (AMD); 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
B. Information of record relative to 3 or more convictions of the applicant for crimes punishable by less than one year imprisonment
or one or more adjudications of the applicant for juvenile offenses involving conduct that, if committed by an adult, is punishable
by less than one year imprisonment; [1989, c. 924, §14 (AMD).]
C. Information of record indicating that the applicant has engaged in reckless or negligent conduct; or [1989, c. 924, §14 (AMD).]
D. Information of record indicating that the applicant has been convicted of or adjudicated as having committed a violation
of Title 17-A, chapter 45 or Title 22, section 2383, or adjudicated as having committed a juvenile crime that is a violation
of Title 22, section 2383 or a juvenile crime that would be defined as a criminal violation under Title 17-A, chapter 45 if
committed by an adult. [1989, c. 924, §15 (NEW).]
[
1995, c. 694, Pt. D, §51 (AMD);
1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF)
.]
5.Access to confidential records. Notwithstanding that certain records retained by governmental entities are by law made confidential, the records pertaining
to patient committals to Riverview Psychiatric Center and Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center, and records compiled pursuant to
Title 19-A, section 4012, subsection 1, that are necessary to the issuing authority's determination of the applicant's good
moral character and compliance with the additional requirements of this section and of section 2005 must, at the request of
the issuing authority, be made available for inspection by and dissemination to the issuing authority.
[
1995, c. 694, Pt. D, §52 (AMD);
1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF);
2005, c. 236, §§3, 4 (REV)
.]
6.Unorganized territory.
[
1993, c. 524, §10 (RP)
.]
7.Nonresident.
[
1993, c. 524, §11 (RP)
.]
8.Term of permit. All concealed firearm permits are valid for 4 years from the date of issue, unless sooner revoked for cause by the issuing
authority. If a permit renewal is issued before the expiration date of the permit being renewed or within 6 months of the
expiration date of the permit being renewed, the permit renewal is valid for 4 years from the expiration date of the permit
being renewed.
[
1993, c. 289, §1 (AMD)
.]
9.Information contained in permit. Each permit to carry concealed firearms issued shall contain the following: The name, address and physical description
of the permit holder; the holder's signature; the date of issuance; and the date of expiration. A permit to carry concealed
firearms may additionally contain a photograph of the permit holder if the issuing authority makes a photograph an integral
part of the permit to carry concealed firearms.
[
1985, c. 478, §2 (NEW)
.]
10.Validity of permit throughout the State. Permits issued authorize the person to carry those concealed firearms throughout the State.
[
1985, c. 478, §2 (NEW)
.]
11.Permit to be in permit holder's immediate possession. Every permit holder shall have his permit in his immediate possession at all times when carrying a concealed firearm and
shall display the same on demand of any law enforcement officer. No person charged with violating this subsection may be adjudicated
as having committed a civil violation if he produces in court the concealed firearms permit which was valid at the time of
the issuance of a summons to court or, if he exhibits the permit to a law enforcement officer designated by the summonsing
officer not later than 24 hours before the time set for the court appearance, no complaint may be issued.
[
1985, c. 478, §2 (NEW)
.]
12.Permit for a resident of 5 or more years to be issued or denied within 30 days; permit for a nonresident and resident of less
than 5 years to be issued or denied within 60 days. The issuing authority, as defined in this chapter, shall issue or deny, and reply in writing as to the reason for any denial,
within 30 days of the application date in the case of a resident of 5 or more years and within 60 days of the application
date in the case of a nonresident or in the case of a resident of less than 5 years. If the issuing authority does not issue
or deny a request for a permit renewal within the time limits specified in this subsection, the validity of the expired permit
is extended until the issuing authority issues or denies the renewal.
[
1991, c. 865, §3 (AMD)
.]
13.Fee waiver. An issuing authority may waive the permit fee for a permit issued to a law enforcement officer certified by the Maine Criminal
Justice Academy.
[
1991, c. 865, §4 (NEW)
.]
14.Lapsed permit. A person may apply for renewal of a permit at the permit renewal rate at any time within 6 months after expiration of a
permit. A person who applies for a permit more than 6 months after the expiration date of the permit last issued to that
person must submit an original application and pay the original application fee.
[
1991, c. 865, §5 (NEW)
.]
15.Duty of issuing authority; application fees. The application fees submitted by the applicant as required by subsection 1, paragraph E, subparagraph (4) are subject to
the following.
A. If the issuing authority is other than the Chief of the State Police, $25 of the fee for an original application and $15
of the fee for a renewal must be paid over to the Treasurer of State. [1993, c. 524, §12 (NEW).]
B. If the Chief of the State Police is the issuing authority as the designee of a municipality under section 2002-A, $25 of
the fee for an original application and $15 of the fee for a renewal must be paid over to the Treasurer of State. [1993, c. 524, §12 (NEW).]
C. If the Chief of the State Police is the issuing authority because the applicant is either a resident of an unorganized territory
or a nonresident, the application fee must be paid over to the Treasurer of State. The fee must be applied to the expenses
of administration incurred by the State Police. [1993, c. 524, §12 (NEW).]
[
1993, c. 524, §12 (NEW)
.]
16.Application fee; use. The application fee submitted by the applicant as required by subsection 1, paragraph E, subparagraph (4) covers the cost
of processing the application by the issuing authority and the cost of the permit to carry concealed firearms issued by the
issuing authority.
[
1993, c. 524, §12 (NEW)
.]
SECTION HISTORY
1985, c. 478, §2 (NEW).
1989, c. 917, §§8-12 (AMD).
1989, c. 924, §§14,15 (AMD).
1991, c. 528, §§EE1,2 (AMD).
1991, c. 591, §§EE1,2 (AMD).
1991, c. 622, §§PP2,3 (AMD).
1991, c. 865, §§1-5 (AMD).
1991, c. 528, §RRR (AFF).
1991, c. 624, §§2,3 (AFF).
1993, c. 289, §1 (AMD).
1993, c. 340, §§2,3 (AMD).
1993, c. 368, §§4-7 (AMD).
1993, c. 524, §§5-12 (AMD).
1995, c. 560, §K82 (AMD).
1995, c. 694, §§D51,52 (AMD).
1995, c. 560, §K83 (AFF).
1995, c. 694, §E2 (AFF).
2001, c. 354, §3 (AMD).
2001, c. 549, §§6,7 (AMD).
2003, c. 341, §§3-8 (AMD).
2003, c. 689, §B6 (REV).
2005, c. 236, §§3,4 (REV).
2007, c. 194, §5 (AMD).
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