§ 25 §2003 — Permits to carry concealed handguns

1.
Criteria for issuing permit.
The issuing authority shall, upon written application, issue a permit to carry concealed handguns to an applicant over whom it has issuing authority and who has demonstrated good moral character and who meets the following requirements:
2.
Complete application; certification by applicant.
The requirements set out in subsection 1, constitute a complete application. By affixing the applicant's signature to the application, the applicant certifies the following:
3.
Copy of laws furnished to applicant.
A copy of this chapter and the definitions from other chapters that are used in this chapter must be provided to every applicant.
3-A.
Model forms.
The Attorney General shall develop model forms for the following:
4.
Good moral character.
The issuing authority in judging good moral character shall make its determination in writing based solely upon information recorded by governmental entities within 5 years of receipt of the application, including, but not limited to, the following matters:
5.
Access to confidential records.
Notwithstanding that certain records retained by governmental entities are by law made confidential, the records pertaining to patient committals to Riverview Psychiatric Center and Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center, and records compiled pursuant to Title 19‑A, section 4114, subsection 1, that are necessary to the issuing authority's determination of the applicant's good moral character and compliance with the additional requirements of this section and of section 2005 must, at the request of the issuing authority, be made available for inspection by and dissemination to the issuing authority.
6.
Unorganized territory.
7.
Nonresident.
8.
Term of permit.
All concealed handgun permits are valid for 4 years from the date of issue, unless sooner revoked for cause by the issuing authority. If a permit renewal is issued before the expiration date of the permit being renewed or within 6 months of the expiration date of the permit being renewed, the permit renewal is valid for 4 years from the expiration date of the permit being renewed.
9.
Information contained in permit.
Each permit to carry concealed handguns issued must contain the following: The name, address and physical description of the permit holder; the holder's signature; the date of issuance; and the date of expiration. A permit to carry concealed handguns may additionally contain a photograph of the permit holder if the issuing authority makes a photograph an integral part of the permit to carry concealed handguns.
10.
Validity of permit throughout the State.
Permits issued authorize the person to carry those concealed handguns throughout the State.
11.
Permit to be in permit holder's immediate possession.
Every permit holder, including a nonresident who holds a permit issued by the nonresident's state of residence, shall have the holder's permit in the holder's immediate possession at all times when carrying a concealed handgun and shall display the same on demand of any law enforcement officer. A person charged with violating this subsection may not be adjudicated as having committed a civil violation if that person produces in court the concealed handgun permit that was valid at the time of the issuance of a summons to court or, if the holder exhibits the permit to a law enforcement officer designated by the summonsing officer not later than 24 hours before the time set for the court appearance, a complaint may not be issued.
12.
Permit for a resident of 5 or more years to be issued or denied within 30 days; permit for a nonresident and resident of less than 5 years to be issued or denied within 60 days.
The issuing authority, as defined in this chapter, shall issue or deny, and reply in writing as to the reason for any denial, within 30 days of the application date in the case of a resident of 5 or more years and within 60 days of the application date in the case of a nonresident or in the case of a resident of less than 5 years. If the issuing authority does not issue or deny a request for a permit renewal within the time limits specified in this subsection, the validity of the expired permit is extended until the issuing authority issues or denies the renewal.
13.
Fee waiver.
An issuing authority may waive the permit fee for a permit issued to a law enforcement officer certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.
14.
Lapsed permit.
A person may apply for renewal of a permit at the permit renewal rate at any time within 6 months after expiration of a permit. A person who applies for a permit more than 6 months after the expiration date of the permit last issued to that person must submit an original application and pay the original application fee.
15.
Duty of issuing authority; application fees.
The application fees submitted by the applicant as required by subsection 1, paragraph E, subparagraph (4) are subject to the following.
16.
Application fee; use.
The application fee submitted by the applicant as required by subsection 1, paragraph E, subparagraph (4) covers the cost of processing the application by the issuing authority and the cost of the permit to carry concealed handguns issued by the issuing authority.
17.
Waiver of law enforcement agency record and background check fees.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a law enforcement agency may not charge an issuing authority a fee in association with the law enforcement agency's conducting a concealed handgun permit applicant record check or background check for the issuing authority.
18.
Certain persons on active duty in United States Armed Forces.
A person on active duty in the United States Armed Forces who qualifies as a resident of the State under the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Revenue Services rules and is otherwise qualified to be issued a permit under this section is eligible for a permit under this section issued by the Chief of the State Police upon payment of the application fee for a resident specified in subsection 1, paragraph E, subparagraph (4), division (a).

Legislative History

PL 1985, c. 478, §2 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 917, §§8-12 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 924, §§14,15 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 528, §§EE1,2 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 528, §RRR (AFF). PL 1991, c. 591, §§EE1,2 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 622, §§PP2,3 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 624, §§2,3 (AFF). PL 1991, c. 865, §§1-5 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 289, §1 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 340, §§2,3 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 368, §§4-7 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 524, §§5-12 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 560, §K82 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 560, §K83 (AFF). PL 1995, c. 694, §§D51,52 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 694, §E2 (AFF). PL 2001, c. 354, §3 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 549, §§6,7 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 341, §§3-8 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 689, §B6 (REV). PL 2005, c. 236, §§3,4 (REV). PL 2007, c. 194, §5 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 298, §7 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 123, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 144, §2 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. C, §79 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. F, §1 (AFF). PL 2017, c. 407, Pt. A, §102 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF). PL 2021, c. 647, Pt. B, §§53, 54 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 647, Pt. B, §65 (AFF). PL 2021, c. 669, §5 (REV). PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. VVV, §§1, 2 (AMD).