Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

So I've posed the question to VSP with no real response. And have been absolutely unable to contact anyone at the court clerks office... Maybe someone here can shed some light. So I am active duty military, VA resident with valid DL, but stationed and living in Marylandistan. Does anyone know the legalities of me getting my resident permit, since I still travel home frequently to visit my folks. And to PA for my wife's family...

SpecialJ79 wrote:...So I am active duty military, VA resident with valid DL, but stationed and living in Marylandistan.

I'm confused. How can you be a VA resident if you reside in another state? What address is on your D/L?

You will also need a second form of ID as defined on the VSP website. The addresses must be the same on both.

And don't forget the background check. Lying on that will guarantee that you won't be making a purchase.

Seems to me that you should be able to get your resident permit as long as the address on your driver's license matches the address that you provide on the Form SP-248. However, IANAL!

and I agree with OakRidgeStars' points as well...particularly about being honest on your form. Why not just get a non-resident permit just to be safe? The letter of the law would indicate that you;re not a resident if your active duty orders have you stationed in MD .

My orders do put me in MD, however, I still have my VA DL. I was a VA resident long before joining the military. And the address on that DL is still the address my parents live at. It is also what the military considers as my home of record. I am only in MD after 10 years, and trips around the globe.

LAW -
§ 18.2-308 subsection D. Any person 21 years of age or older may apply in writing to the clerk of the circuit court of the county or city in which he resides, or if he is a member of the United States Armed Forces, the county or city in which he is domiciled, for a five-year permit to carry a concealed handgun. There shall be no requirement regarding the length of time an applicant has been a resident or domiciliary of the county or city.


If you are a Virginia resident (do you pay VA income tax?) then regardless of where in the world you are deployed, you can get a VA resident CHP.

My mother in-law and father in-law both went through this. They were both legal residence of RI, active duty and deployed to VA. Even though they lived in VA for near 15 years before there deployments were over, the whole time their vehicles were registered in RI, they had RI DL's, paid RI state income tax and were legal residence of the state of RI.

And yes... you can have state residence in two states. If MD issued permits, you could have a MD and a VA resident permit if you were a legal resident of both states... regarless of your military affiliation.

The clerk of the court is very busy in PWC. I am not sure which court you reached out to, but I am sure they are all pretty slammed all the time. When I was ready, I simply drove there and played 20 questions. While there in person they were very friendly and helpful. If you want first hand information, go visit them.

These might help too...

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_Res ... ealed.shtm

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_Non ... ealed.shtm

You guys are making this too hard - this one is easy.

The OP is a Virginia resident. His military orders have him stationed in the PRM. he may be living there on orders, but he has not given up his Virginia residency.

OP - go to the Circuit Court in the county where you claim residency and go get your Va permit.

LOL... that is what I said. Just took longer doing it.

ProShooter wrote:You guys are making this too hard - this one is easy.

The OP is a Virginia resident. His military orders have him stationed in the PRM. he may be living there on orders, but he has not given up his Virginia residency.

OP - go to the Circuit Court in the county where you claim residency and go get your Va permit.

Thanks for the simple version

MarcSpaz wrote:LOL... that is what I said. Just took longer doing it.

Thank you for digging in and putting some detail into your answer. All helpful information.