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The Pennsylvania State Police announced July 15 that Gov. Tom Wolf has granted an additional extension to license to carry firearms permits.

Permits expiring on March 19, 2020, or later are now valid through Sept. 30, 2020. The previous extension was set to expire on July 31.

The extension of license to carry permit expiration dates is necessary due to the closure of some county courthouses and sheriff's offices, as well as other ongoing COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

In Pennsylvania, an individual 21 years old or older may apply for a license to carry firearms by submitting a completed application to the sheriff of the county in which they reside or, if a resident of a city of the first class, with the chief of police of that city. The sheriff has 45 days to investigate and determine an individual's eligibility to be issued a license, which is valid for five years.

A license to carry firearms is required to carry a firearm concealed on one’s person or in a vehicle. Under the law, any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person “except in his place of abode or fixed place of business without a valid and lawfully issued license commits a felony of the third degree.”

For more information on carrying a firearm in Pennsylvania, visit psp.pa.gov.

Blair Co. LTC Process

In related news, the Blair County Sheriff’s Office has announced an new an on-line option to process to License to Carry (LTC) applications and the payment process.

The office has partnered with Permitium, LLC, to offer an on-line option process to License to Carry (LTC) application and payment process.

The Blair County Sheriff’s Office is the first and currently only sheriff’s office in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide the online process to citizens.

Effective immediately, citizens wanting to apply for a license to carry may now do so online by going to the Blair County Sheriff's Office web page at http://www.blairco.org.

The process

1. At the county’s website, click on the “Sheriff” link under “Government” in the blue bar at the top of the webpage.

2. On the Sheriff’s page, click the “License to Carry” link at the left of the page.

3. On the “License to Carry” page, click on the “License to Carry Online Application” link at the bottom of the page.

4. Click the appropriate link at the left to start the process.

Once the on-line application is completed, applicants will have the ability to make the payment via credit or debit card.

Once completed

Once the completed application is submitted, the Sheriff’s Office will review it. If the application is completed properly, then will be submitted to the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) for approval processing.

Approved applicants will be notified on-line or by telephone or text to schedule an appointment for photograph and pickup of the approved license to carry (LTC). Proper photo identification is required to be presented prior to the photo being taken and LTC being issued. “

We are constantly looking at ways to better service to the community,” said Sheriff James E. Ott. “Here another example of our effort, offering a more streamlined process to apply and make payment for an LTC.”

Sheriff Ott said that by partnering with Permitium, LLC, the new application process allows applications to be submitted any time, including holidays or weekends.

Ott said that the online process also allows the office the ability to reduce the amount of time an individual spends inside the courthouse, which is important regarding the current COVID-19 conditions.

Ott said that because some county residents may not have access to a computer or able to apply on line, his office will continue to offer the conventional handwritten paper applications process and money-order payments.