18-3302K. ISSUANCE OF ENHANCED LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED WEAPONS. (1) The sheriff of a county, on behalf of the state of Idaho, must, within ninety (90) days after the filing of an application by any person who is not disqualified from possessing or receiving a firearm under state or federal law and has otherwise complied with the requirements of this section, issue an enhanced license to the person to carry concealed weapons on his person. Licenses issued under this section shall be valid for five (5) years from the date of issue.

(2) The sheriff must make license applications readily available at the office of the sheriff, at other public offices in his jurisdiction and on the website of the Idaho state police. The license application must be in a form to be prescribed by the director of the Idaho state police and must meet the following requirements:

(a) The license application shall require the applicant’s name, address, description, signature, date of birth, place of birth, military status, citizenship and the driver’s license number or state identification card number if used for identification in applying for the license. If the applicant is not a U.S. citizen, the application shall also require any alien or admission number issued to the applicant by U.S. immigration and customs enforcement, or any successor agency;

(b) The license application may ask the applicant to disclose his social security number but must indicate that disclosure of the applicant’s social security number is optional; and

(c) The license application must contain a warning that substantially reads as follows:

CAUTION: Federal law and state law on the possession of weapons and firearms differ. If you are prohibited by federal law from possessing a weapon or a firearm, you may be prosecuted in federal court. A state permit is not a defense to a federal prosecution.

(3) Any person who is applying for original issuance of a license to carry concealed weapons must submit his fingerprints with the completed application. Within five (5) days after the filing of an application, the sheriff must forward the applicant’s completed license application and fingerprints to the Idaho state police. The Idaho state police must conduct a national fingerprint-based records check, an inquiry through the national instant criminal background check system, and a check of any applicable state database, including a check for any mental health records for conditions or commitments that would disqualify a person from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, and must return the results to the sheriff within sixty (60) days. If the applicant is not a U.S. citizen, an immigration alien query must also be conducted through U.S. immigration and customs enforcement or any successor agency. The sheriff shall not issue a license before receiving and reviewing the results of the records check.

(4) The sheriff must deny an enhanced license to carry a concealed weapon if the applicant is disqualified under any of the criteria listed in section 18-3302(11), Idaho Code, or does not meet all of the following qualifications:

(a) Is over the age of twenty-one (21) years;

(b) Has been a legal resident of the state of Idaho for at least six (6) consecutive months before filing an application under this section or holds a current license or permit to carry concealed weapons issued by his state of residence; and

(c) Has successfully completed, within the twelve (12) months immediately preceding filing an application, a qualifying handgun course as specified in this paragraph and taught by a certified instructor who is not prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law. A copy of the certificate of successful completion of the handgun course, in a form to be prescribed by the director of the Idaho state police and signed by the course instructor, must be submitted to the sheriff at the time of filing an application under this section. Certified instructors of handgun courses when filing an application under this section shall not be required to submit such certificates but must submit a copy of their current instructor’s credential. The sheriff must accept as a qualifying handgun course a personal protection course offered by the national rifle association or an equivalent, provided that all personal protection or equivalent courses must meet the following requirements:

(i) The course instructor is certified by the national rifle association, or by another nationally recognized organization that customarily certifies firearms instructors, as an instructor in personal protection with handguns, or the course instructor is certified by the Idaho peace officers standards and training council as a firearms instructor;

(ii) The course is at least eight (8) hours in duration;

(iii) The course is taught face to face and not by electronic or other means; and

(iv) The course includes instruction in:

1. Idaho law relating to firearms and the use of deadly force, provided that such instruction is delivered by either of the following whose name and credential must appear on the certificate:

(A) An active, senior or emeritus member of the Idaho state bar; or

(B) A law enforcement officer who possesses an intermediate or higher Idaho peace officers standards and training certificate;

2. The basic concepts of the safe and responsible use of handguns;

3. Self-defense principles; and

4. Live fire training including the firing of at least ninety-eight (98) rounds by the student.

An instructor must provide a copy of the syllabus and a written description of the course of fire used in a qualifying handgun course that includes the name of the individual instructing the legal portion of the course to the sheriff upon request.

(5) A license to carry concealed weapons must be in a form substantially similar to that of the Idaho driver’s license and must meet the following specifications:

(a) The license must provide the licensee’s name, address, date of birth and the driver’s license number or state identification card number if used for identification in applying for the license;

(b) The license must bear the licensee’s signature and picture;

(c) The license must provide the date of issuance and the date on which the license expires; and

(d) The license must be clearly distinguishable from a license issued pursuant to section 18-3302, Idaho Code, and must be marked "Idaho enhanced concealed weapons license" on its face.

(6) Upon issuing a license under the provisions of this section, the sheriff must notify the Idaho state police within three (3) days on a form or in a manner prescribed by the Idaho state police. Information relating to an applicant or licensee received or maintained pursuant to this section by the sheriff or Idaho state police is confidential and exempt from disclosure under section 74-105, Idaho Code.

(7) The fee for original issuance of an enhanced license shall be twenty dollars ($20.00), which the sheriff must retain for the purpose of performing the duties required in this section. The sheriff may collect the actual cost of any additional fees necessary to cover the processing costs lawfully required by any state or federal agency or department, as well as the actual cost of materials for the license lawfully required by any state agency or department, which costs must be paid to the state. The sheriff must provide the applicant with a copy of the results of the fingerprint-based records check upon request of the applicant.

(8) The fee for renewal of the enhanced license shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00), which the sheriff must retain for the purpose of performing duties required in this section. The sheriff may collect the actual cost of any additional fees necessary to cover the processing costs lawfully required by any state or federal agency or department, as well as the actual cost of materials for the license lawfully required by any state agency or department, which costs must be paid to the state.

(9) Every license that is not, as provided by law, suspended, revoked or disqualified in this state shall be renewable at any time during the ninety (90) day period before its expiration or within ninety (90) days after the expiration date. The sheriff must mail renewal notices ninety (90) days prior to the expiration date of the license. The sheriff shall require the licensee applying for renewal to complete an application. The sheriff must submit the application to the Idaho state police. The Idaho state police must conduct the same records checks as required for an initial license under subsection (3) of this section and must return the results to the sheriff within thirty (30) days. The sheriff shall not issue a renewal before receiving and reviewing the results of the records check and must deny a license if the applicant is disqualified under any of the criteria provided in this section. A renewal license shall be valid for a period of five (5) years. A license so renewed shall take effect on the expiration date of the prior license. A licensee renewing ninety-one (91) days to one hundred eighty (180) days after the expiration date of the license must pay a late renewal penalty of ten dollars ($10.00) in addition to the renewal fee, except that any licensee serving on active duty in the armed forces of the United States during the renewal period shall not be required to pay a late renewal penalty upon renewing ninety-one (91) days to one hundred eighty (180) days after the expiration date of the license. After one hundred eighty-one (181) days, the licensee shall be required to submit an initial application for an enhanced license and pay the fees prescribed in subsection (7) of this section. The renewal fee and any penalty shall be paid to the sheriff for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter. Upon renewing a license under the provisions of this section, the sheriff must notify the Idaho state police within five (5) days on a form or in a manner prescribed by the Idaho state police.

(10) No city, county or other political subdivision of this state shall modify or add to the requirements of this section, nor shall a city, county or political subdivision ask the applicant to voluntarily submit any information not required in this section. A civil action may be brought to enjoin a wrongful refusal to issue a license or a wrongful modification of the requirements of this section. The civil action may be brought in the county in which the application was made or in Ada county at the discretion of the petitioner. Any person who prevails against a public agency in any action in the courts for a violation of this section must be awarded costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred in connection with the legal action.

(11) A county sheriff, deputy sheriff or county employee who issues a license to carry a concealed weapon under this section shall not incur any civil or criminal liability as the result of the performance of his or her duties in compliance with this section.

(12) The sheriff shall have the power to revoke a license issued pursuant to this section subsequent to a hearing in accordance with the provisions of chapter 52, title 67, Idaho Code, for any of the following reasons, provided that the sheriff must notify the Idaho state police within three (3) days on a form or in a manner prescribed by the Idaho state police of any such revocation:

(a) Fraud or intentional misrepresentation in the obtaining of a license;

(b) Misuse of a license, including lending or giving a license to another person, duplicating a license or using a license with the intent to unlawfully cause harm to a person or property;

(c) The doing of an act or existence of a condition that would have been grounds for the denial of the license by the sheriff;

(d) The violation of any of the provisions of this section; or

(e) The applicant is adjudicated guilty of or receives a withheld judgment for a crime that would have disqualified him from initially receiving a license.

(13) An applicant who provides information on the application for an enhanced license to carry a concealed weapon knowing the same to be untrue shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(14) The attorney general must contact the appropriate officials in other states for the purpose of establishing, to the extent possible, recognition and reciprocity of the enhanced license to carry a concealed weapon by other states, whether by formal agreement or otherwise. The Idaho state police or the attorney general must keep a copy and maintain a record of all such agreements and reciprocity recognitions that must be made available to the public.

(15) Any license issued pursuant to this section is valid throughout the state of Idaho and shall be considered an authorized state license.

(16) The Idaho state police must maintain a computerized record system that is accessible to law enforcement agencies in any state for the purpose of verifying current enhanced licensee status. Information maintained in the record system shall be confidential and exempt from disclosure under section 74-105, Idaho Code, except that any law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency, whether inside or outside the state of Idaho, may access the record system for the purpose of verifying current enhanced licensee status.

History:

[18-3302K, added 2015, ch. 303, sec. 5, p. 1194; am. 2015, ch. 141, sec. 18, p. 398; am. 2018, ch. 171, sec. 1, p. 379.]