Tennessee Firearms Assoc. Inc.

I guess the good news here is that our numbers as Carry Permit Holders is growing at a tremendous rate. Now, if we can just get all those in TFA, that's hope & change we can believe in.

From TFA Member, Jim Williams:


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Subj: HCP Renewals do NOT get automatic letters if delayed.


Because my own TN HCP was drawing near its
expiration date, I phoned the TN Dept of Safety
in Nashville. After a long wait (my phone battery
went dead, and I had to start over with a different
home phone the second time), I finally reached
someone who told me:

(1) They got my renewal documents by mail;
(2) They cashed my check [my bank told me that];
(3) They were still processing it, and had not even
gotten up to the re-approval stage yet;
(4) It takes three months from the date they first
get your paperwork and payment.

Then I asked how soon I would get the temporary
time extension letter, and they told me that they:
DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY MAIL OUT SUCH
LETTERS -- I would have to ask for one. Upon
my request now, it will still take up to 14 days to
get that time extension letter.

I sent this info to you in case you want to warn
the local TFA members about the TDOS policy
of NOT automatically mailing time extension letters.
We had believed letters would be sent out early.
Any renewal applicant should phone Nashville
about three (3) weeks earlier to request such a
letter to carry with them until the new card arrives.
Otherwise, they are very likely to be left with no
letter and an expired card, which would probably
be really impressive if presented in other states.

It appears that TDOS is swamped with paperwork,
with no solution in sight. Their phone system did
have a recording that permits may be renewed
up to six months early, which seems a possible
preventive step against last-minute renewal delays.

Jim

Thanks Rick, good to know.

Pat

In a message dated 3/28/2010 5:43:04 P.M. Central Daylight Time, guns4me@gmail.com writes:


Pat,

For what it's worth, if you go into a Driver's License Station and apply for renewal in person, they give you a receipt that IS a temporary permit and it has no expiration date on it; it's good until your new permit arrives. I went to the THP station in Oakland, took about 30 minutes to reapply. Got my new permit 88 days later but who cares!! my receipt was good until . . .

Rick

I always renew in person at a DL center, & have had to carry the 8.5 x 11" receipt in my wallet more than once.
I don't like doing it, but it keeps me covered.

Generally, avoid major urban DL centers--they'll be swamped no matter when you go. Rural/suburban DL centers
are much, much easier to deal with, and rarely as busy.

David

That is exactly why you should renew at a drivers license center. Your receipt from there allows you to continue to carry until your new permit is received in the mail.

If you renew by the internet you get a page to print to carry with you.

Got my renewal notice in the mail yesterday, filled it out last nite, & took it to the drivers license station
today in person in Lebanon. In & out of there in 15 mins. Paid cash, got a receipt(s). My permit doesn't expire
until 6/19/10, so I really don't need the receipt until then.
We'll see just how long this takes to get back in the mail. I'll give it 60 days & then check into it.
We're all aware that the number of permit applications have increased substantially since Osama took office,
but the time required is ridiculous. The State should provide more help, or pass it along to another Dept. TDOS
has a long history of bogging things down, intentional or not, I don't know, but never got the impression they
were our friend. JMHO

Good info Pat. Guess it is time to mark my calendar with a drop dead date to renew...

OK, folks, an update on my HCP renewal. Renewed Apr.1, got the new permit in the mail today. 32 days!!!

Maybe things are improving.....or I just got extremely lucky. Anyway, for what it's worth.

I don't know what the hold up is on my renewal. I'm about to make a call. I sent it off in January, the check cleared Jan. 28, and as of today I still haven't received it. Over 90 days of waiting and it expired March 27th.

Well, that's interesting. She said they're still waiting for my background check to come in. 3 months, really?? She said she'll send me a temp letter, which is fine, but I still wonder what the hold up is. Maybe it's because I didn't renew early? I sent the renewal off a couple days after I received the renewal notice in January...