Expert: Robert P. Firriolo - 9/4/2011

Question
Sir,

I'm a retired police officer from CA, currently authorized by my former department to carry per H.R. 218.  I have the opportunity to work in NYC in a protective detail for a family and would like to obtain approval for on and off duty CCW there.

I understand the city is very restrictive in their licensing process.  Are there attorneys or reputable companies that assist a person through the process or is it normal for an individual to try and navigate their way on their own?

Also, do you need to be a resident of the city or state?  My potential employment there will not  require me to actually live there full time.

Thank you for your consideration.

V/r,
Steve

Answer
By New York State law, one must be a resident or have a place of business in a given county (or New York City) in order to apply for a firearm license in that place. Licenses issued in New York City are valid throughout the state, but licenses issued in counties outside New York City are not valid within the city without a "special" endorsement from NYPD. So, in order to carry legally in the city, you either need a business or residence address in the city and a city-issued license, or a business or residence in county outside the city, obtaining a a county license and then a special endorsement. The ease of obtaining a business carry (or even a full carry) license outside of the city varies from county to county.

I cannot advise you as to companies or attorneys that assist with obtaining licenses. However, NYPD has attempted to list very specific criteria an applicant must meet in order to obtain a business carry license (either a plenary license or special endorsement). You may want to check out the NYPD License Division website and/or make a call to the License Division to see if your prospective employment is within the categories NYPD recognizes as justification for a license. If they do, and given your LEO background, you may well not need any professional assistance to complete the application successfully.

Best of luck to you.